[Photo from 2016 by Grant Shaffer]
In an Instagram post last week, B&H Dairy on Second Avenue outlined the hardships of running a small business during the COVID-19 crisis.
The lunch counter's post also noted that they had to lay off Mahmoud "Mike" Tarabih, the popular cook who was a familiar presence here for years behind the counter. "Though he had been with B&H for 14 years, he was one of our most junior employees," per the B&H Instagram post. "Many of our remaining staff are the sole breadwinner for their families."
In a widely circulated story published yesterday at Grub Street, Rachel Handler spoke with Mike about the layoff, the challenges of finding restaurant work during the pandemic and what might be next for him and his family, including two children.
"I don’t know what I am gonna do now. Who’s going to take care of the kids? I worked out a schedule with their principal [that matched] my schedule," he said. "If I start a new job, who will take care of them?"
Here are a few excerpts from the piece titled "He Fed the East Village for 14 Years. Now He's Wondering What’s Next."
It is essentially impossible to think of the East Village without thinking of Mahmoud "Mike" Tarabih, the self-described "grill man" at neighborhood mainstay B&H Dairy. Tarabih has been crafting tuna melts and greasy omelettes while also serving as B&H’s de facto, wildly charming host for the last 14 years, remembering the names and orders of every single person who's ever visited the kosher diner.
On how he got the job:
We know each other from back home, from Egypt. [Co-owner Fawzy Abdelwahed] is my friend from back home, same city. When I came to New York, he invited me to see the place. I liked the place, and when I started, I loved the place 100 percent. It was not like customers, it was like family. Everyone asks each other what’s going on in their lives. Nobody was like, "I'm the boss,” you know? That's why I loved my place. I did my best. I worked from my heart. When I cook, I cook from my soul.
On remembering everyone's name and order:
When you love what you’re doing, it’s like a child. I have two children at home, this [job] is my third child. I love it. I just love it. Every part. I come in the morning, I smell the food fresh, and I finish my day, I say, “Thank God, everybody went home happy. Everybody is happy.”
On finding a new job:
I’m looking. I talk to my friends. But nothing is happening. I'll take any job. I don't care. I've already called a lot of people, but a lot of places are still closed. We’ll see. Thank God, I have a lot of friends to help me. I'm happy. The only problem is I lost my job during a bad time. I have two families to support.
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One of his longtime customers, Morrigan Burke-Martin, helped Tarabih set up his own GoFundMe to offset the costs of raising two children and supporting his extended family in Egypt. The crowdfunding campaign is at this link.
Thanks Cuomo/Blasio!
ReplyDeleteHi Eric and Tiffany.Thanks trump pence.
DeleteYeah, Cuomo and de Blasio have definitely conspired to throttle NYC because they really enjoy scrambling to make up for massive budget shortfalls. Pick a conspiracy theory that makes basic sense, can't you?
ReplyDeleteStudents will sit inside and will eat in cafeteria's but no indoor dining in NYC. Makes sense?
DeleteIts stupid to have a blanket indoor shutdown at this point. Old people or those with increased risk should stay home. Other states such as Connecticut have had indoor dining now for two months.
DeleteIndoors restaurants ban absolutely make sense. Coming from a long time industry insider.
DeleteDon't fix the blame, fix the problem.
ReplyDeleteTrue Sarah. I hate what is happening to my favorite restaurants and staff but look at Every other state that has allowed indoor dining. It did not go well Thanks Cuomo for trying to keep us alive
ReplyDeleteAgreed sad but true. Restaurant workers need more help.
DeleteThey are the two responsible for the destruction of the hospitality industry, regardless of their reasoning.
ReplyDeleteNot sure how blame can be laid at DeBlasio’s feet for the utter annihilation of the NYC bar & restaurant industry, but Cuomo certainly had a hand in it. He mocked Deblasio floating a lockdown in early March before capitulating; had he instituted it earlier, NYC may not have become the epicenter of the pandemic, and we’d have less of a hole to dig out of. He got credit for giving reassuring press conferences while ordering that nursing homes take infected patients and jamming through medicaid cuts and immunity laws that were lifted verbatim by republicans and inserted in their proposed round 2 bailout bill. But most importantly, he used emergency powers to order bars and restaurants be closed with no indoor reopening in sight, while refusing to use the same emergency powers to relieve bars and restaurants of their rent obligations, because he is in the pocket of real estate interests. He could have easily ordered rent cancellation or deferment and simultaneously instituted a deferment of mortgage payments so it would be the financial entities holding the bag, but instead it’s the mom and pop bars, restaurants, and retail tenants who are being destroyed. And because he wants to run for president on the narrative that he saved NYC from the pandemic, he is not balancing any semblance of economic interests with health concerns, while dining and hobnobbing with his rich friends in the hamptons. The venom diagram between affluent yuppies who have been comfortably working from home for months with zero economic disruption and Cuomosexuals is a circle.
ReplyDeleteThanks for boosting this. I get that the restaurant is struggling but this seems like such a misstep. Glad people are coming out to support Mike.
ReplyDeleteWith all the love to the guy, and we're long time costumers there, that grub street interview is awful. Really elementary school level writing.
ReplyDeleteShe's hinting at some animosity between the owners and him, and promising to elaborate on the reasons and circumstances of his firing, and then delivers none of it.
mike! be well pal!
ReplyDelete@Grieve. Send me the guy's contact or give him mine. We'll take him at TSB.
ReplyDeleteThis is only my opinion, but as long as the weather is nice and people are happy to dine outside, restaurants should be outdoor-dining only. There's no rush at this point to return things to "normal;" we're experiencing "the new normal."
ReplyDelete@Scuba Diva The problem is the weather is not cooperating, especially on second half of the week days like today when another big storm is coming. Many good evenings for dining have been wiped out by rain. There is no good solution unless we are willing to help these businesses with financial support until the pandemic is over.
ReplyDeleteAnother car just plowed into an outdoor searing area at a restaurant in Greenpoint. Why doesn’t the city put up some concrete barriers to help protect us diners?
ReplyDelete