Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart – “A Russ & Daughters Cookbook”

Air Date: September 9, 2025
Guests: Nikki Russ Fetterman and Josh Russ Tupper (Russ & Daughters, fourth generation)
Host: Alison Stewart
Episode Theme:
Celebrating the legacy, evolution, and community impact of Russ & Daughters through the release of their new cookbook “Russ & Daughters: 100 Years of Appetizing.” The episode explores Jewish appetizing traditions, family entrepreneurship, the meaning of “Hamish,” and the ongoing story behind an iconic New York institution.

Overview

• The episode centers around the storied history and enduring community of Russ & Daughters, a Jewish appetizing store founded in 1914 on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
• Fourth-generation owners Nikki Russ Fetterman and Josh Russ Tupper join Alison Stewart to discuss their new cookbook and the ethos, recipes, and memories that define the business.
• The conversation covers tradition vs. modernization, the technical artistry behind the shop’s offerings, and the vital sense of “Hamish” (warmth and hominess) that permeates every aspect of Russ & Daughters.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Russ & Daughters: Origins and Naming (02:26)

• Originally opened as “Russ’s Cut Rate Appetizing” and “J Russ National Appetizing.”
  • “There was nothing national about what he was doing. He was really serving foods to the waves of Eastern European Jewish immigrants on the, you know, a few blocks of the Lower East Side.” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [02:54]
• The “appetizing” tradition is distinct from delis, focusing on smoked/cured fish and dairy (observant of kosher laws).
  • “This tradition is sort of the opposite of the deli tradition. It's the smoked and cured fish and dairy, because you can't have dairy with meat in the kosher laws.” — Josh Russ Tupper [03:45]

2. The Meaning and Practice of “Hamish” (Hominess) (04:07)

• “Hamish” is a standard not just for food, but for every design and hospitality choice at Russ & Daughters.
  • “Hamish. Cozy, comforting, inclusive, unpretentious. Maybe even a little gritty...that really is sort of our litmus test...We want people to feel comforted and that it belongs to them.” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [04:18]
• Decision-making (for menu or atmosphere) is always filtered through “does this feel Hamish enough?”

3. Family, Feminism, and Legacy (05:39 – 07:51)

• Russ & Daughters was the first U.S. business to proudly use “& Daughters,” marking a groundbreaking move in gender equity and marketing.
  • “He made his daughters his partners...very controversial at the time...” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [06:10]
  • “I like the progressive story...The first feminist. No, not true. There's plenty of feminists before him.” — Josh Russ Tupper [06:40]
• The original daughters had varied feelings about joining the shop—some out of duty, some in pursuit of independence.

4. Personal Journeys Back to the Business (07:58 – 09:48)

• Both Nikki and Josh had careers outside the family business before returning.
  • “I got a chemical engineering degree and worked in semiconductors as an engineer for five years. A little bit different than retail fish.” — Josh Russ Tupper [07:58]
  • “I thought I should go and do something different, but I came full circle to realize the beauty in being able to continue a tradition, be part of a legacy, but then also realize...we can move it forward and innovate.” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [09:03]

5. Craft, Technique, and Community (11:17 – 16:55)

• Russ & Daughters does not smoke its own fish (illegal in Manhattan), but partners with local smokehouses for custom flavors. They do pickle their own herring and make all sauces.
• Recipe development for the cookbook demanded scaling down commercial recipes for home kitchens.
  • “It was kind of doing things a little bit in reverse to get to the end result for somebody at home to do this.” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [13:14]
• The art of hand-slicing is central:
  • “It's something that looks very easy...but it's actually quite difficult. It can take months...When we hire people...we put a knife in their hand and just to see if they have [the capacity].” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [14:33]
  • “23 years, and I’m still learning nuances and different ways to change angles and make slices better.” — Josh Russ Tupper [16:34]

6. Customer Stories & Community Reflections (17:02 – 21:04)

• Callers shared touching memories, emphasizing the feeling of family and belonging the store fosters.
  • “I just love Russ and Daughters, you know...now you have the restaurant. I feel like I’m part of the family.” — Sholto, caller [17:49]
• The small size of original stores means even a few customers make them look bustling; Russ & Daughters in Brooklyn is the exception with larger space.
• Instagram and social media changed customer behavior over the years—more visitors eating sandwiches on the go.

7. Recipes, Traditions, and Cookbook Highlights (22:49 – 26:53)

• Cookbook features not just recipes but step-by-step guides and culinary culture (like how to braid challah).
  • Challah braiding is “as difficult as it looks” — step-by-step photos included. [22:49]
• Discussed signature recipes: challah bread pudding, honey cake (made all year now, not just for Rosh Hashanah), and whitefish & baked salmon salad.
  • “Our whitefish salad is certainly in the book...We use about 90% whitefish and 10% baked salmon...It kind of mellows out the flavor.” — Josh Russ Tupper [25:06]
• Traditions around bagels, babka French toast, and “fliigles”/salmon wings are revisited, with the emphasis on dedication to craft even when “shortcuts” do exist.

8. Inclusivity, Staff Recognition, and Immigrant Stories (28:48 – 30:19)

• The book’s acknowledgments highlight the many employees and reinforce the idea of staff and customers as “family.”
  • “We are an immigrant business. We continue to be that. We're very proud of that. And that's…what makes the food so delicious.” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [29:06]
• Cookbook conceived as both practical and a living document of New York and American immigrant life:
  • “We hope that people see their own stories, New York story, family story, immigrant story, reflected in these pages.” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [30:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Russ and Daughters occupies that rare and tiny place on the mountaintop reserved for those who are not just the oldest and the last, but also the best.” — Anthony Bourdain, quoted by Alison Stewart [00:40]
• “Is this dish Hamish? No, this isn't Hamish enough. Is this menu design Hamish? No, it's not. And that's always kind of where we want to exist.” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [04:18]
• “If he had had a son, I'm sure it would have been Russ & Son.” — Nikki Russ Fetterman [05:47]
• “People make the culture and we hope, need, and want the WNYC community to be a part of our show...what makes New York City great.” — Alison Stewart [full context: show intro and throughout]
• “I would put out a whole classic spread...with smoked salmon, the spreads, the whitefish salad. I’d probably have somebody stick a candle in the babka for me.” — Nikki Russ Fetterman, on her ideal birthday meal [20:02]

Event Highlights (31:00)

• September 18: Book event at Community Bookstore and Center for New Jewish Culture in Brooklyn
• September 20: “Russ & Daughters Day” on the Lower East Side (scavenger hunt, walking tours, live podcast recording, oral history studio at P&T Knitwear)

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• [02:26] – Origins and meaning of “appetizing”
• [04:07] – The “Hamish” philosophy
• [05:39] – Progressive move to “& Daughters”
• [07:58] – Returning to the family business
• [11:17] – The art/craft of sourcing and curing fish
• [14:24] – Importance and challenges of hand-slicing
• [17:02] – Customer calls and community reflections
• [22:49] – Cookbook highlights: recipes, challah, honey cake
• [28:48] – Staff, family, and immigrant legacy recognition
• [31:00] – Upcoming events related to the cookbook launch

Conclusion

This episode is a vibrant celebration of food, memory, and continuity, spotlighting how a beloved NYC institution both preserves and reinvents tradition. Even as Russ & Daughters modernizes, the family’s devotion to authenticity, inclusiveness, and excellence remains central—a business as much about New York’s story as smoked salmon or bagels.

For further details, upcoming events, or how to participate in Russ & Daughters Day, visit russondaughters.com.