Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Forget your street cart hot dogs and deli pastrami, the *real* New Yorker’s sandwich is the chopped cheese, a beautiful conglomeration of chopped ground beef, melted cheese and secret seasoning, all served on a hero or a roll. The birthplace of the chopped cheese is Hajji’s Deli in Harlem, where Salah has been managing the joint for the past 15 years. Inspired by an Arabic dish, the chopped cheese has now become a New York staple, with fans in everyone from Jay-Z to Cam’ron.
Welcome to All the Flavors! A bite-sized celebration of the best food stories from the Great Big Story archive. From iconic dishes and unexpected ingredients to the people, traditions, and obsessions behind what we eat, this series serves up the most delicious moments from around the world, one flavor at a time.
Forget your street cart hot dogs and deli pastrami, the *real* New Yorker’s sandwich is the chopped cheese, a beautiful conglomeration of chopped ground beef, melted cheese and secret seasoning, all served on a hero or a roll. The birthplace of the chopped cheese is Hajji’s Deli in Harlem, where Salah has been managing the joint for the past 15 years. Inspired by an Arabic dish, the chopped cheese has now become a New York staple, with fans in everyone from Jay-Z to Cam’ron.
Welcome to All the Flavors! A bite-sized celebration of the best food stories from the Great Big Story archive. From iconic dishes and unexpected ingredients to the people, traditions, and obsessions behind what we eat, this series serves up the most delicious moments from around the world, one flavor at a time.
