Douglas Dick, vice president of foodservice operations at five-unit Rice Epicurean Markets in Houston, and Malachi Davis, head chef at the Westheimer location and the chain’s banquet chef, show off prepared food ready for the service case. (Photos by Talya C. Arbisser)
Chris Beckett, deli sales team, gets the case organized.
Tangi Scott, also on the deli sales team, makes sure product signs are placed correctly.
Douglas Dick puts the finishing touches on a day’s display of chilled food, all prepared in the store’s kitchen.
A long expanse of chilled, prepared foods in the chef’s service case is made up of sections of non-glare, front- and back-loading Hussman cases, representing huge variety.
A close-up shows the chef’s expertise at sculpting food’s adornments.
Meat entrees of all kinds, including locally revered brisket and stuffed chicken, play a big role in the chef’s case.
The Carvery is set up every weekday at 4 p.m., when a meat of the day is cooked and served hot, by the plate or by the pound.
Here’s another view of the innovative salad and soup bar.
An extensive olive antipasto bar is part of deli’s domain.
The sushi bar is a popular spot in the deli.
An associate slices sushi-grade tuna for the sushi bar.
Rice Epicurean’s deli isn’t all store-prepared foods. A large section features Boar’s Head slicing meats.
Rice Epicurean is the only supermarket in Houston that still makes home deliveries. Douglas Dick often points out that Rice Epicurean was the first supermarket in Houston to hire real chefs and the last to offer home delivery.
The salad and soup bar features a clean-cut look, with refrigerated sunken ports for glass bowls of product.