Daniel Chessare was not born in the area, but he’s made the area home and he may be as well known for his humor and snark-filled Instagram posts as he is for the breakfast sandwiches sold at his restaurant — Saratoga Broadway Deli.
Chessare opened the deli in 2018. It’s his first business and something he knew he wanted since he was a child. The entrepreneur wanted to be a chef early on. He comes from a food-centric family. Italian dishes were regularly served, and he still loves preparing Italian dishes today.
“After my parents divorced and my biomom moved back to Italy my dad and I moved in with my step family, who are Jewish,” Chessare said. “Despite not being Jewish myself, I still took part in their holidays and devoured their food. Which is why I own a “Jew-ish” deli. Pun intended.”
He likes to tell people he cooks “Jewish food with Italian technique.”
Traditions are not really a thing for Chessare. He points to the a life of mishmash of cultures for that one. And, he says, it’s the reason why he doesn’t mind breaking with tradition when he cooks — and it annoys him when people bring up authenticity in cooking.
“If you get stuck in tradition you’ll never progress,” said Chessare.
The chef and business owner has a daughter. His daughter’s mom passed away from cancer several years ago.
You can follow Chessare, who is today’s 20 things, on Instagram.
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