Eat Dollink

An invitation to attend a screening of Steven Berkoff’s first documentary; an “idiosyncratic tribute to his favourite Jewish deli”

For one night only on Tuesday 24^th January at 7pm, acclaimed actor, writer and producer Steven Berkoff will host and introduce a showing of his first documentary.

One hour in length and described as a “love letter to the deli”, Eat Dollink was filmed non-stop and is to be screened at the East End’s best cinema, The Genesis on Mile End Road.

Of it, Berkoff remarked:

There is nothing in the world as satisfying, edible, exotic and all-embracing as an American deli.

The few delis that sprouted in London were worthy, but poor facsimiles. Having spent time in Los Angeles, I’d often visit some of these amazing institutions after a hard day’s work. I’d plonk myself into one of their generous banquet seats, and then I was safe. You could never really be lonely in an American deli. It’s a sanctuary. Once a bowl of steaming hot chicken soup was put in front of you, the ills and stresses of the world gradually dissolved.

So one day I decided I wanted to pay a tribute to one of my favourite delis, ‘Canters’ in West Hollywood. I’ve been going there on and off for over thirty years and each time I return, I am glad to note that it still hasn’t changed, like it’s there forever. It’s also 24 hours and so it is always open, except maybe for one day a year.

I have also included two other legendary eating places including ‘The Musso and Frank Grill’ off Hollywood Boulevard. However this is more than just an eater’s culinary investigation. It’s also a potted history of the immigrants past and how the agonies of the old world became the exquisite cuisine of the new world.

This is my first attempt at documentary and I have put my soul into it. I suppose that’s why we call it ‘Soul Food’.

Of the cinema itself, Berkoff added:

I first went to The Genesis Cinema as a child of 10 and I remember standing outside in the queue with my mum. I recall getting to the front of the queue and then being turned away, since it was now full. So what did we do? We stood in the queue and waited for the next show! Impossible to think of today. But it those times it was more interesting to stay in a queue for over 2 hours than go to a drab flat in the East End.

To book tickets to the screening, click here.

Genesis Cinema, 93 – 95 Mile End Road, London, E1 4UJ. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7780 2000.