We’re introducing you to our passionate team of experts. Today’s featured Deli crew member is our Prep Chef and Supervisor, Julie Weiss!
Meet Julie
Julie has been a catering connoisseur since she was a 16-year-old in Novi, when she got her first catering job. Despite the second- and third-degree burns she received on her leg while working for a catering company at 17 that took two months to heal, she jumped right back into the field and hasn’t looked back since. She graduated from Michigan State with a degree in hospitality before attending culinary arts school at Johnson & Wales in Charleston, South Carolina. After culinary school she relocated with her college roommate all the way to the Bay Area to work as a cook. She worked at many restaurants over her nine-year tenure in San Francisco, all of them special, and even helped one of her former chefs win a James Beard award. Another humble brag: she’s cooked for the stars; Harrison Ford, Michelle Pheiffer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hilary Swank, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maya Rudolph, Luke Wilson, Kings of Leon, Diane Feinstein, and even Steve Jobs have tasted Julie’s incredible culinary artistry!
Not only did her career afford her the honor of catering to A-list celebs, it’s also how she ended up meeting her husband of 15 years. They met at the Italian deli she was working for at the time, bonded over Bob Seger, and the rest is history. Her favorite food memory is from their wedding in Sonoma County, where they had a pig roast and a beautiful summery menu with homemade appetizers. They had a beautiful baby girl together, and decided to raise her closer to Julie’s family in Michigan. Julie’s husband joined the team here at the Deli as an event planner, and Julie hopped on shortly after when her position opened up! She was so thrilled to find a job where she could continue to pursue her passion for food, but with less demanding hours so she and her husband could raise their daughter.
Julie at the Deli
Julie has been a part of the team here at the Deli for over a decade! In her first year she roamed all over the Deli, getting a feel for the ins and outs of the business. She loves talking to her coworkers and getting to know them better — their responsibilities, what they’re looking forward to, any difficulties they may be having. She’s become known for asking a lot of questions, AND for always having answers! Other Deli staffers come to her throughout the day about HSA’s, sale dates, football game schedules, or locating ingredients in our walk-in. What she loves most about her job is getting the chance to make someone’s day, every day, whether it’s with a delicious salad, getting coffee for a coworker, preparing beautiful food for a wedding, or offering a helping hand on a last minute request. She also loves spiced pecan season, and isn’t afraid to admit she makes sure to taste test each batch!
Five Fun Facts
1. Her garden is a labor of love she’s been working on for the past ten years, and she’s transformed it into a pollinator’s paradise. She’s also loved downhill skiing since she was little, along with other outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and canoeing.
2. Julie has a two year old rescue dog named Basil and a 10 year old cat named Eliott.
3. Her dream Deli meal is the retired Extra Special — an everything bagel with cream cheese, lox, and smoked whitefish salad — paired with some crispy Zing tats.
4. Julie is the person to thank for the farro on our menu! You might have spotted her name on items like “Julie’s Farr-Out Summer Salad” and other seasonal variations!
5. If she had a sandwich named after her, it would be meatloaf on grilled onion rye with pimento cheese and pickled red onions.
