Broke, Homeless and Now a Culinary Star

Subject: Broke, Homeless and Now a Culinary Star Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:48 am

When Ike Shehadeh opened his eponymous sandwich shop on Oct. 31, 2007, he was prepared to be overwhelmed with customers. After all, it was Halloween night in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood — an event that traditionally attracted hundreds of thousands.

But thanks to the outbreak of violence the previous year, the city canceled the festivities. On that first day of business, Mr. Shehadeh did not sell a single sandwich.

“It was one of the worst days of my life,” he said. He was so upset by the dismal start that he closed up shop for a week, too depressed to work.

Those who enjoy Ike’s Place today might be surprised to learn of such humble beginnings — the tiny doorway eatery on 16th Street near Market is now a foodie obsession, selling as many as 1,200 sandwiches each day. On the Web site Yelp, the user-generated reviews rank Ike’s as high as the Michelin-star-winner Gary Danko. Ike’s dominates “Best of” lists and has been featured on the the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food.” On many days, a reservation is required. For a sandwich.

This attention has led to the indigestion that sometimes comes with fame. My column Friday looks at the collateral damage that occurs when foodies swarm.

Once-quiet neighborhoods feel violated and overrun. Ike’s slashed its hours beginning this month as a way to deal with the complaints of local residents.

Not to be lost in the controversy, however, is the rise of Ike’s to the top of the foodie chain. It is a story about overcoming failure, and not just that awful first day.

In 2004, Mr. Shehadeh co-owned a market with family members. It went out of business, and “I kind of lost everything I had,” he said.

He ended up living in an adjacent warehouse without any power, and he soon found himself evicted from those meager premises and homeless. He couch-surfed until he rebuilt his life and went to work for Victoria’s Secret, where he discovered a knack for pleasing customers by listening to what they really wanted.

Looking for success on a larger scale, he entered a new profession in 2006: real estate. “It was the worst time, probably, to get started,” he said. Almost immediately, the entire industry collapsed.

The location on 16th Street seemed to be cursed, a graveyard for one failed business after another. But Mr. Shehadeh decided it was just the right size for a sandwich shop he could operate on his own. With no formal culinary training, his food was inspired by what he ate while a computer science student at the University of California, Davis.

“They were sandwiches I made for myself all the time,” he said.

With notable exceptions: Ike’s Place is famous for generous portions of bacon and ham. Mr. Shehadeh is the child of Palestinian immigrants, and as a Muslim, he does not eat pork. But no matter, he prides himself on putting his customers’ tastes first.

http://bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/broke-homeless-and-now-a-culinary-star/

Broke, Homeless and Now a Culinary Star

Broke, Homeless and Now a Culinary Star

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