Submitted by curiousrobinreads t3_xtr80o in Documentaries
I ate there in 2008 or 2009, Kenny was asleep in the entry way and you had to quietly step over his outstretched legs to not disturb him. His son was super nice. The dish I had was pancakes with bacon and mac-n-cheese it was super delicious and perfect for my hangover.
"Because no matter what they do, the next enemy is going to be from within. Thus the eventual outcome of all fly killings and what not like that. Once you get rid of all the external enemy, you have to deal with yourself. So even if you solve all the outside evil you are left with your own, and the evil your parents did to you and the evil that all parents to do all people. Anyway, I like killing flies."
An absolute fucking prophet.
His cookbook was a great read cover to cover.
Do you have the name? After watching this gem I'm really interested.
Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin.
I'll look it up, thanks!
It's a wonderful read. I truly enjoyed the book.
This is my absolute favorite documentary on planet earth, and even probably in my top 10 films of all time. It was soooo hard to find a DVD of this documentary. I watched this on Netflix back in the days when streaming was just getting going. Back then there was maybe a few classic films and some kind of meh TV shows on there, but also lots of documentaries and this was one of them.
Let me tell you that I never met Kenny Shopsin, but this dude changed my life, without a doubt.
YES! I also watched this on Netflix back in the day. Loved it. They used to have such awesome documentaries.
I remember one that was about those people who dress up as movie characters to get money from tourists in Hollywood - I think outside the Chinese theatre. Can't for the life of me remember what that doc was called?
EDIT: The Reinactors - thats what it was!
Yes!!! This is my all time favorite doc!
His kids still run the new incarnation of Shopsin's as far as I know. A real institution in more ways than one.
Cool, have you been there by any chance?
No, it's just a dream of mine.
We went to Shopsins at the Essex market a while before he died. Our kid ate a ton of bacon and he sent someone to get her a toy. It was a bath toy- we’ve still got it 5 years later. The food was great and the atmosphere was warm (lively conversation all around and his family was in and out). It was a nice place and def felt like a locals spot. The cookbook is worth getting- a good read for sure
Sounds like an awesome experience!
I watched this around 04-05 and I still think about it pretty often.
Same here actually.
Best quote of the doc:
"You know there's a lot of things on our menu if you put it together, you can go someplace I've never been. I took a Banana Boat and I put bananas in it and I took ice cream scoop and I made pulled pork and coleslaw in a... like an ice cream sundae, I called it a BBQ Banana Split. It's almost like putting your dick into the wrong hole, there's like a thrill to it. There's friction that occurs when you put an ingredient in an improper dish. That's the basis for all fusion cooking is that there's a sexual friction that's caused by putting the wrong food in the wrong place and sometimes it works but not always."
Amazing. Raw. A lot of real stories. So much growth and maturity and honesty shown even in the small stories.
Indeed, it is that rawness that gets to you.
Phenomenal documentary!
I also like killing flies.
Love this doc. That kitchen is something to behold.
I’ve thought about keeping my spices in little plastic drawers like he does ever since I watched this. It’s some kind of tool box thing if I recall. Normally for nuts and screws.
Absolutely one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen! I’m so happy to see this on Reddit.
Ate at Shopsins in Essex Market when I last visited NYC (I'm from UK) in early 2016.
Was hungover to fuck and totally bamboozled by the insane menu (Google it!). The server was the owner's son and was, to us, an incredibly amusing blend of slightly begrudging hospitality and knowing Noo Yoik verbal abuse.
Amazing food, I still think about those mac & cheese pancakes with brisket hash. Thanks for linking the video, didn't know it existed and am looking forward to watching it.
Love this and grateful that you shared!
My pleasure!
this was on the sundance channel or independent film channel back in the day.
I read the title as "profanity-prone woman" and thought the thumbnail was Miriam Margolyes
Haven"t seen this in years......loved it!
Someone actually uploaded it to YouTube so you can watch it in it’s entirety if interested in seeing it. I’m actually just finishing it up now
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CalypsoTheKitty t1_iqrii4n wrote
Kenny Shopsin was a real NYC character.