The Junket is truly a one-of-a-kind place. It’s not often that you find a family-run business these days. Bruno from Germany and Cindy a British/Jamaican opened the European Delicatessen & Café in 1979. They left their corporate jobs and ventured into “unknown territory”. Actually they were familiar with “unknown territory”...

 

They got engaged the very night they met, despite the fact that Bruno did not speak English much at all, (“I’m from Jamaica” said Cindy. “I’m from a Shoemaker” heard Bruno).  And their countries had just destroyed one another in World War II. Needing to flee depressed Europe, they emigrated to North America with practically nothing and knowing no one. “San Francisco, open your Golden Gate, you’ll let nobody wait outside your door” – Those song lyrics eventually rang true for them, (although the "Gate" was closed for a bit and they did have to “wait outside the door” in Canada for a couple years until California let them in).

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Bruno and Cindy are now in their late nineties. They have been happily married for 65 years. They love to work and have been doing so together at The Junket just about everyday for 42 years. (except for these last 2!). The Junket is their "Fountain of Youth" (or maybe it's the *Headcheese?). You'll not find two more vibrant 88/89 year-olds doing what they do. They even work on their days off. Cindy handles the business-end of The Junket, but you will also see her bustling around the place, chatting with customers, taking orders, donating to causes and multi-tasking like nobody's Headcheese… And Bruno handles customer-to-go transactions at his cash register with the utmost care, “NO… you MUST take a napkin! with your sandwich!”. He also vacuums the entire place, lifting up all the wooden chairs to the tops of the tables (next to his own hand-hewn napkin holders)…every single night. Ask him if he needs help? No you don't. And, he traverses the Bay Area in his giant truck picking up fresh produce and other supplies from the same vendors he has dealt with for 40 years.

 

Yes, The Junket is a success due to Bruno and Cindy’s hard work, but lest we not forget the devoted employees, “The Junketeers”, the Headcheese, and of course the loyal customers.

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*Headcheese /ˈhed.tʃiːz : A cold cut that originated in Europe. Headcheese is not a dairy cheese. There is no cheese involved.

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