A chopped cheese or “chop cheese” is a sandwich consisting of ground beef, melted cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato and condiments on a hero roll. It originates in New York City.
In this post I’ll introduce everything you want to know about chopped cheese sandwiches to you.
The History of the Chopped Cheese
What about the source of the cheese that was chopped? Various accounts exist, but the most common one points to a Harlem bodega called Hajji’s, also known as Blue Sky Deli.
Carlos Soto, who worked there for over 20 years before passing away in 2014, is given credit by the store. Some workers claim that when he ran out of traditional buns, he created the sandwich by chopping a cheeseburger to fit a hero roll.
Others claim that he came up with the concept while working with Yemeni employees who wanted to modify the Arabic dish dagha yamneeya, which consists of chopped meat and vegetables. The idea that Soto had dental problems and desired to develop a hamburger alternative that was easier to chew is another one.
However, most people tend to place its introduction in the early or middle of the 1990s. The exact year the chopped cheese first appeared on the scene is unknown. Additionally, residents of other neighborhoods have made claims regarding its history.
“I’ve spoken to OGs ― ‘older gentlemen’ ― who say they been having chop cheese since the early ’80s in Queens and Mount Vernon, but to be honest I’ve always seen it as a Harlem thing,” said Shmackwich in Chelsea, which specializes in sandwiches with chopped cheese, is co-owned by Philip Williams.
Whatever the truth, the mystery surrounding the sandwich’s origins with the chopped cheese gives it a mythical status that heightens its cultural significance.
How the Chopped Cheese Spread across the Country
For many years, the chopped cheese sandwich was only available in New York, and even then, it was only popular in specific areas. But in recent years, more residents of the city and beyond have learned about the deli treat.
The sandwich made a brief appearance in a Bronx-themed episode of “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” in 2014. And in 2016, the food culture website First We Feast released a documentary called “New York’s Chopped Cheese, a local legend, is a hometown hero.”
These days, chopped cheese recipes, reviews, and a plethora of videos about the sandwich can all be found on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Williams, a Brooklyn native, increased his chopped cheese company’s revenue by using social media.
“Restaurants were shut down due to the [COVID-19] pandemic. So the bodega was the only place to get food,” he told HuffPost. “We would order chop cheese on coco bread,” he added, referring to the Caribbean favorite. “We got to wondering, “What if we made our own improved version—a wagyu chop cheese on a fancy bread?”‘”
The Shmackwich was created by Williams and two business partners after the recipe was perfected. A little more than two years later, they unveiled their first permanent location in the brand-new Olly Olly Market food court in Manhattan.
“I posted a video on my Instagram, and it basically just blew up,” Williams recalled. “The number of orders increased week after week: 50 the first week, 100 the following, and so on.”
Across the nation, from North Carolina to Minnesota and Colorado, the chopped cheese has also begun to appear on menus. Even Canada and England were introduced to the sandwich.
“In the United Kingdom, we recently completed a tour. and served hundreds of people … who had never heard of a chop cheese,” Williams said. “We love a hip-hop sandwich that is a real New York tale and is currently becoming popular.”
Opening a chopped cheese food truck was Arias’ response to a dilemma. After relocating from New York to Los Angeles during the pandemic, he went out one night with friends and had a late-night craving for a chopped cheese on the way home. He became dissatisfied with the lack of options in his new city and made the decision to resolve things on his own. Chopped Cheese originated in New York as a result.
“The traditional is unmodified. We strive to bring a true New York experience when it comes to this sandwich,” Arias told HuffPost. “We’ve always wanted to bring people back to their roots and spread the chopped cheese gospel far and wide.”
As the business has grown, he’s decided to cater a bit to the “LA palate” by offering additional options ― from spices and flavors like picante to variations like cheese that can’t be chopped.
When Villarosa moved to San Francisco, he acquired a deli griddle, which he used to prepare traditional New York dishes like bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches and, of course, chopped cheese.
“I’m very much a traditionalist,” he said. “On a roll, I make a sandwich with chopped onions, lots of American cheese, sliced lettuce and tomato, and lots of mayo and ketchup. I make an effort to make the $10 worth of chopped cheese stand out.”
Many Bronx and Harlem natives are fiercely protective of the sandwich. A 2016 chopped cheese-themed video from Insider that said “most New Yorkers don’t even know it exists” sparked particular outrage from locals. YouTuber Jeffrey Almonte responded with his own video railing against the “Columbus syndrome” on display.
The Cultural Significance of the Chopped Cheese
The passionate response serves as further proof of the chopped cheese’s enormous cultural significance to the city’s many residents.
“Growing up in New York is such a character builder,” Villarosa said. “And that persona is accompanied by pride, both pride for your borough (e.g., saying that the chopped cheese in Harlem or the Bronx is superior) and just general pride in the chopped cheese as a staple of New York culture.”
That kind of pride drove Williams to assume control over the sandwich’s popularity outside of neighborhood bodegas.
“We are a Black-owned business, and for many years the Black community has made brands and companies rich and haven’t been able to benefit from our own influence financially,” he said. “It was the Black and urban culture that popularized the chop cheese and made it a New York institution. So instead of just putting money in other people’s pockets, it’s time for us to start making money off of our cultures.”
Arias is eager to infuse his new neighborhood with nostalgia and a touch of New York. He thinks the sandwich’s recent popularity is due to one simple factor: it’s good.
“What was once a niche product that you could only find in some bodegas in NYC has now made its way to celebrities, YouTube chefs and content creators that are sharing this beloved bodega classic,” Arias said.
“It is independent-standing. You cannot separate it from New York’s culture because it has had such a significant impact there. If you’re discussing New York culture, chopped cheese is also a part of the conversation.
“Knowing ensures knowledge. It makes us happy to contribute to the history of this sandwich. We want to spread this throughout the nation and the world.”
Villarosa, however, is of the opinion that nothing comes close to the authentic New York dish, no matter how far and wide the chopped cheese spreads.
“Bodega is a vibe,” he said. “The vibe is chopped cheese. There is merely a cool factor. People desire to blend in with the culture. But you need that New York vibe, the locally sourced meat and buns, the bodega cat, and the person struggling to season. The real chopped cheese can never be made, no matter how hard people try.”
Gentrification Threatens the Chopped Cheese Tradition
There have been increasing worries in recent years that the chopped cheese may be diverging from its source. The New York Times points out that the cost of a chopped cheese sandwich, which is typically under $5, was a key factor in both its creation and its status as a mainstay in underprivileged and disenfranchised areas. The sandwich and Harlem’s historically Black and Latino communities are linked in an important way by Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, which played a part in popularizing the chopped cheese. Currently, there are significant worries about the cultural appropriation of chopped cheese sandwiches as a result of the aggressive gentrification progress in Harlem.
The Times reports that chopped cheese is now available outside of bodegas in restaurants, where it costs much more. The Upper East Side restaurant White Gold introduced a chopped cheese for $15 when it first opened its doors in 2016. The restaurant’s White and Japanese-American owners faced backlash online for turning a dish created to meet the needs of marginalized groups into something elitist. They eventually reduced the price to $11, but even at that price, it is still more expensive than any bodega. They justified their choice as a tribute to the city’s culture. Thank goodness, restaurants like Blue Sky Deli continue to offer the traditional chopped cheese at a reasonable price. If you want to try the authentic version, Desus Nice has a word of advice, telling First We Feast, “You can be sure the chopped cheese at a restaurant is going to be bad if it has a Yelp review.”
Conclusion
Chopped cheese is a type of sandwich originating from New York City. It is a symbol of this city and people in New York City always have related memories of chopped cheese.
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FAQs
What Is in a Chopped Cheese?
Found in bodegas throughout Upper Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens it is made on a grill with ground beef, onions, and mixed in melted cheese and served with lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments on a hero roll.
Why Is It Called Chopped Cheese?
The store credits Carlos Soto, who worked there for more than 20 years before passing away in 2014. Some employees say he invented the sandwich after chopping a cheeseburger so that it would fit a hero roll because he was out of traditional buns.
Is Chopped Cheese Just a Cheeseburger?
A chopped cheese is a cheeseburger that’s been reformatted to fit onto a sub roll. It’s awesome — and one of the most satisfying lunches you can get in Worcester for $8.
