We just got news (a text actually) from Alex’s family at the awards that Alex took home the prize tonight in New York City at the James Beard Awards Foundation. Congrats Alex! Here’s a candid taken right after the award. I doubt you’ll ever see him in a tux again!

We had a busy couple of days here on Ann Arbor’s southside this month hosting the crew from the Food Network’s hit show Kid in a Candy Store. Host Adam Gertler and a great crew came to town to film Candy Manufactory managing partner Charlie Frank and his assistant Sara Fitzgerald making the raspberry Zzang! Bar. Adam was in the kitchen making the bars by hand every step of the way and we’re looking forward to seeing the final later this Spring!

No, we’re not opening up a Deli in Athens or serving really good American food in Thessaloniki but we did get this write up in a Greek magazine. We haven’t found anyone here who can read it yet but hope it says nice things about us! If you read Greek or just want to check […]

The February 2011 issue of INC. magazine features an article that describes our approach to creating a vision and details the process. The piece is actually an excerpt from Ari’s new book, Zingerman’s Guide to Good Leading, Part 1: A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Building a Great Business. Read “Secret #6: Revisiting the Power of Visioning” from the book here. Also, lots of folks have read the article and have written to get our 2020 vision. (pdf download)

Over at atlantic.com, Ari tells the tale of Shawn Askinosie’s amazing new chocolate from Tanzania and his work to help the people who grow the cacao there. Shawn’s work in the countries from which he sources his cacao is as inspiring as his chocolate is delicious. Ask for a sample next time you’re at the Deli, Roadhouse or Coffee Company or order online at zingermans.com! Read more about Askinosie Chocolate here and check out a piece on Shawn and his crew in the February 2011 issue of O magazine!

Recently Jim Edelman and his crew from Under the Radar Michigan stopped by the Deli to chat with Ari, sample some oils, vinegars and cheeses and find out what’s going on in the artisanal food world.