Flavors of York: Deli Delicious offers vast cheese selection

Oct 15, 2008 (The York Dispatch - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- TYC | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Spend a few minutes with Emad Ibrahim, owner of the Deli Delicious delicatessen at 966 S. George St., and you will notice a man with passion: Passion for foods from around the world, for creativity and culture, for his family, and for customers who are treated like family.

How did an accomplished engineer wind up pouring all of his energy into a deli? It started with another passion that may be bigger than all the rest -- a passion for cheese.

Emad wanted to start a business for his wife, Nahed, and in 1990, she opened a stand in Eastern Market and named it Deli Delicious. He brags of his wife's cooking and the specialty salads that have become market staples. She ran and built the business all by herself for years, but in the late '90s, fate dealt the Ibrahims a difficult hand that they turned into opportunity.

When Tyco took over Amp, where he worked as an engineer, Emad found himself at a crossroads. Not wanting to continue in engineering, he decided to make a career change.

"I wanted to do something I had passion for -- which is cheese!" Emad says of the decision to expand his wife's business, proud of what she had already built up.In 1999, the next Deli Delicious opened in the Morning Star Market in Thomasville. He took to the market atmosphere, which lends itself to fresh foods and cooking of authentic ethnic dishes.

"Market customers are very loyal," Emad explains. "They come for more then the food. They come to talk; they become part of the

family."

Well, that loyal group of "family" members can now get their favorite Deli Delicious items all week long since the doors to the newest addition opened in June of 2008. The new deli walls are decorated with scenes from cities spanning the globe, and the deli case is filled with items that represent them all. As an engineer, Emad had traveled the world and tasted such diverse foods. He is excited to bring all those flavors to York.

'Portfolio of cheese': In financial times like these, customers may have their eyes on their stock portfolios, but Emad has his eyes on his unrivaled "portfolio of cheese" that he has spent over ten years building. No worries about this portfolio being diversified. Cheese lovers can choose from over 300 hundred varieties with 60 domestic and hundreds of imported selections.

Almost everything else in the deli is made on site. Homemade pastries and cakes, salads and a wide variety of breads are made fresh daily. Customers are encouraged to call in bread orders to pick up the next day to ensure the freshest product possible.

To underscore the importance of serving their customer base, the deli has yet to make mass-produced menus, instead taking time to see what customers want and changing to suit their desires. The philosophy of Deli Delicious is a grab-and-go market where customers can get quality, fresh gourmet foods quickly. However, made to order requests and seating in a cafe atmosphere are also an option. The deli has branched out, too, filling larger corporate take out orders as well as entertaining ideas from customers to host private wine and cheese parties after hours.

Flavors of York event: The Ibrahim family is committed to give back to the community that supports them, so it was an easy choice to participate in this year's Flavors of York charity event this Sunday to benefit Temple Beth Israel and Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen.

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