Mayor Adam’s Vegan Power Wrap outside Hello Deli celebrating the 30th anniversary on Jan 31 2022.
![A native New Yorker and son of Chinese immigrants, Rupert Jee grew up being fascinated by
the food, slicing machines, and hot griddles of our city’s classic delis. In 1992, he was able to
pursue his passion for making sandwiches when he and his business partner May Chin took
ownership of Hello Deli on West 53rd Street.
In 1993, The Late Show with David Letterman was established at the Ed Sullivan Theater just
steps away from the deli. On September 23rd, 1993, Rupert Jee made his first appearance on a
segment called “Let’s Meet the Neighbors,” where a camera crew roamed the area for
interesting characters and Letterman asked questions remotely from behind the desk. While
introducing the segment, Letterman emphatically stated that “[Jee] is a very very nice man. Of
all the neighbors, there is no one more likeable in this area than Rupert.” The chemistry
between him and Letterman was undeniable, with the host throwing out some good-natured
ribbing and Jee responding with gratitude and sweetness. Jee quickly became a recognizable
fan favorite and local celebrity.
Over the course of The Late Show’s 22-year run, Jee continued to make several guest
appearances for different skits and segments. Through the years, he would also often lend the
Hello Deli space to The Late Show if they needed to host public competitions for various
segments. Many of the names of Hello Deli sandwiches are inspired by the show or other
celebrities, such as David Letterman, Paul Shaffer, and Regis Philbin. Other items on the menu
are named after Hello Deli’s regular customers, illustrating the strong roots the deli has locally.
For example, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Commissioner Anne del Castillo has a
sandwich, the ADC, named after her.
Aside from being featured on The Late Show with David Letterman, Jee has been featured in
numerous news segments and television spots, including NYC Media’s own Why I Love New
York in 25 Words. Visitors and locals alike continue to visit the Hello Deli today to try the custom
sandwiches and have the chance to meet Jee in person. Many visitors will ask Jee to pose for
photos with them or ask him to autograph Hello Deli/Late Show merchandise.](https://magazine.nyppa.org/wp-content/gallery/hello-deli/IMG_3843-copy.jpg "A native New Yorker and son of Chinese immigrants, Rupert Jee grew up being fascinated by
the food, slicing machines, and hot griddles of our city’s classic delis. In 1992, he was able to
pursue his passion for making sandwiches when he and his business partner May Chin took
ownership of Hello Deli on West 53rd Street.
In 1993, The Late Show with David Letterman was established at the Ed Sullivan Theater just
steps away from the deli. On September 23rd, 1993, Rupert Jee made his first appearance on a
segment called “Let’s Meet the Neighbors,” where a camera crew roamed the area for
interesting characters and Letterman asked questions remotely from behind the desk. While
introducing the segment, Letterman emphatically stated that “[Jee] is a very very nice man. Of
all the neighbors, there is no one more likeable in this area than Rupert.” The chemistry
between him and Letterman was undeniable, with the host throwing out some good-natured
ribbing and Jee responding with gratitude and sweetness. Jee quickly became a recognizable
fan favorite and local celebrity.
Over the course of The Late Show’s 22-year run, Jee continued to make several guest
appearances for different skits and segments. Through the years, he would also often lend the
Hello Deli space to The Late Show if they needed to host public competitions for various
segments. Many of the names of Hello Deli sandwiches are inspired by the show or other
celebrities, such as David Letterman, Paul Shaffer, and Regis Philbin. Other items on the menu
are named after Hello Deli’s regular customers, illustrating the strong roots the deli has locally.
For example, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Commissioner Anne del Castillo has a
sandwich, the ADC, named after her.
Aside from being featured on The Late Show with David Letterman, Jee has been featured in
numerous news segments and television spots, including NYC Media’s own Why I Love New
York in 25 Words. Visitors and locals alike continue to visit the Hello Deli today to try the custom
sandwiches and have the chance to meet Jee in person. Many visitors will ask Jee to pose for
photos with them or ask him to autograph Hello Deli/Late Show merchandise.")
Hello Deli Celebrating The 30th Anniversary
