Ari Weinzweig moved to Ann Arbor from his hometown of Chicago to attend the University of Michigan. After graduating with a degree in Russian history, he went to work washing dishes in a local restaurant and soon discovered that he loved the food business. Along with his partner Paul Saginaw, Ari started Zingerman's Delicatessen in 1982 with a $20,000 bank loan, a staff of two, a small selection of great-tasting specialty foods and a relatively short sandwich menu.
Today, Zingerman's is a Community of Businesses that employs over 500 people and includes a bakery, creamery, sit-down restaurant, training company, coffee roaster and mail order business, all located in the Ann Arbor area. Ari is the author of the best-selling Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating and the forthcoming Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon.
Photo by Ryan Stiner
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