Asked and Answered: Niki Russ Federman

The Russ & Daughters co-owner on food and family legacy

Over a century old, Russ & Daughters, on the Lower East Side, is a New York City institution. Opened in 1914 by Joel Russ, a Jewish immigrant from Strzyzow, in what is now southern Poland, the store sells “appetizing,” a Jewish food tradition defined by his great-grandchildren and heirs as “the food one eats with bagels”: cream cheese, caviar, herring, whitefish, and smoked salmon. Russ ran the store with his three daughters, Hattie, Anne, and Ida—it’s believed to be the first American business with “& Daughters” in its title—who then passed it on to their children and grandchildren. Niki Russ Federman, Russ’ great-granddaughter, joined the family business in 2006 and is a fourth-generation co-owner of both Russ & Daughters and Russ & Daughters Cafe. On October 2^nd, Russ Federman joined chefs George Mendes and Mario Batali at the New Yorker Festival for “Flavor Profiles,” a free discussion presented by The Glenlivet. Just as every dram of The Glenlivet represents generations of expertise and skill, the Russes are proud of their heritage, which informs everything they serve.

Q. You feed multiple generations of the same families. How do you keep things fresh for younger generations while not alienating customers who’ve come to Russ & Daughters for decades?

A. Everything we do, every decision we make is informed by the need to maintain tradition intact while things keep moving forward…It’s quite a fascinating creative, culinary, and intellectual challenge. Also, I think it really energized how younger people thought about Russ & Daughters when they saw Josh, my cousin and partner, and me working here and eventually taking the reins. We chose this and we love it. Our cafe has also been an amazing way to appeal to younger people who prefer to eat out over taking food home. They want to have Russ & Daughters at Russ & Daughters. The cafe makes that possible.

Q. Do you follow all the photos featuring Russ & Daughters Cafe meals on Instagram? How does it make you feel to see customers wanting to share their experience with the world?

A. Not all of them because then I would never get any work done! I love how appetizing our food is. Pun intended. It even makes me hungry, and I get to eat this every day.

Russ & Daughters is not only a culinary landmark, but it’s also something that evokes personal memory and meaning. Sharing photos on Instagram or other social media is another way to be able to say, “This matters to me.”

Q. What to you is the most useful cookbook (or loose collection of recipes) in your possession?

A. Well, there is not just one book. It depends on what I’m working on or thinking about. Right now, that book is Mimi Sheraton’s “Bialy Eaters.” It’s not even a cookbook per se, but it’s a chronicle of the bialy’s journey from Poland to America. We just recently opened our own bakery in Brooklyn where are making traditional bagels, babkas, and bialys. This book, so beautifully written, reminds me why food—especially the appetizing tradition Russ & Daughters upholds—has the power to remind us of who we are and where we come from.

Q. What food item gets an undeserved bad rap? Anything you’d love to revive?

A. Herring gets an undeserved bad rap either because some people have preconceived notions about it or they have only ever been exposed to the supermarket variety. But herring deserves to be lauded for the delicious superfood that it is. It’s wild, sustainable; it is incredibly high in Omega-3 and low in mercury; and it’s very affordable. At Russ & Daughters we’ve been sharing the joys of herring for over 100 years. And it’s definitely catching on.

Q. What’s your favorite — and your least favorite — NYC food trend?

A. Least favorite: The fact that we talk about food as trends. Trends imply that something comes and goes, and it creates hype that is not always warranted. I think the food developments to pay attention to are the ones that manage to stick. Favorite development: The fact that working in the food industry is now not only culturally accepted, it’s celebrated. There are now so many talented, hardworking, and enthusiastic people working who are putting their talents to work in all different areas of our industry. It wasn’t always this way. When I was trying to figure out what to do with my life, I faced a lot of disapproving comments and looks of incredulous pity that someone with my level of education and opportunity would want to work in food. But I think that in our post-9/11 society, we have reconsidered what matters. We now value the cultivating, making, and eating of food both as a pillar of our culture and as important work. There are bankers who want to be bakers.

Remember to enjoy The Glenlivet’s quality responsibly. And for more on The Glenlivet and its flavor and heritage, go here.