This “3 Questions With” comes from a sponsored interview in partnership with Tecovas.
Big Al’s Deli is a Southern comfort food delight that operates out of a 140-year-old house in Germantown. We sat down with Big Al Anderson to chat about community, and why it’s so important that his deli feels like home.
What kind of food can you find at Big Al’s Deli?
“I make Southern food with a twist — breakfast and lunch — and then I cater. Right now shrimp and grits are trending. Everybody loves the fried catfish and fried chicken. Not hot chicken, but fried. Staples that will never leave the menu: Chipotle raspberry chicken and jalapeno, jalapeno orange marmalade chicken, and our burgers.”
What’s a day in your life like?
“I usually get up at four in the morning. Sometimes I get up at two, depending on if I have a breakfast catering order. I'm at work no later than five, and immediately start prepping and getting biscuits made. We're talking about at least 100 biscuits every day. Then I get the hash browns started. My son cooks bacon while I make sausage and coffee. On Saturday, I usually have 30 people at the door.”
How does Big Al’s Deli help shape the culture and community in Nashville?
“I cook home. This is not your commercial, corporate chain that comes into cities. I cook original food. I put a little spice in things, but it's just down-home cooking. People say it's like grandma's house. This kind of food doesn't go out of style, and it's going to be here to the end of time.
“When you come to Big Al’s Deli, you come here for a reason. I am blessed and happy that you're here. I want to talk to you. I want to get to know you because this is not a one-time deal. I look at every customer that comes through this door as a relationship. This is who I am.”
