Local Asparagus on a Super Tasty Sandwich at the Deli
One of my favorite sandwiches on the Deli’s menu this spring, the #5 “Rodger’s Big Picnic” is a superfine combo of grilled local asparagus, seared mushrooms from Mycopia up north, Dijon mustard from France, and Vermont Cheddar on grilled Farm bread from the Bakehouse. (Add some Nueske’s Applewood-Smoked Bacon if you’re so moved!) The freshness of the asparagus, the gentle heat of the mustard, the creaminess of the cheese, and the earthiness of the mushrooms make for a pretty marvelous meal!
The sandwich is named for longtime Deli chef and co-managing partner Rodger Bowser. Rodger is a classic ZCoB success story. He moved here after finishing culinary school in Grand Rapids in the mid-’90s. He spent his first three years working on the sandwich line, gradually got into management, and in 2010, became a co-managing partner along with Grace Singleton and Rick Strutz. In addition to all his other work, Rodger has been ably leading our ZCoB-wide work to apply some GNP (see above) to our efforts toward ecological improvement!
When I’ve written about organizational succession planning, I’ve shared that I see it happening in three broad areas: cultural, governance, and legal/financial. The Zingerman’s Perpetual Purpose Trust is a lot of the latter. The consensus work at the Partners Group is a big part of the governance. Cultural succession is very much about the understanding, embracing, and practicing of the philosophy—both business and culinary—of the organization. Rodger has been an important part of all three for decades! And as one of the people leading much of the culinary work at the Deli, Rodger is particularly immersed in the food philosophy that’s in the new pamphlet, “A Taste of Zingerman’s Food Philosophy.”
The #5 sandwich reflects that philosophy very nicely. A wealth of wonderful—and in this case, mostly local—ingredients that come together to bring complexity, balance, and finish in a full-flavored way! Swing by and grab a Rodger’s Big Picnic soon!
