Nearly a century to make the perfect hot dog? Yeah, it’s worth it. Just ask anybody who’s ever had a Schaller and Weber frankfurter or bratwurst.
Ferdinand Schaller hailed from Germany and the Alsace region, where he spent his youth honing his expert butchering and meat curing skills. After an apprenticeship in Hamburg, he moved to Manhattan, where he met Tony Weber. In 1937, the duo opened their namesake butcher shop in the Upper East Sidespent his early years working and honing his skills throughout Germany and the Alsace region, until he found himself apprenticing in Hamburg. From there he would soon set sail for New York. In Manhattan, Schaller met Tony Weber and in 1937 the two opened their butcher shop in the Yorkville neighborhood, on the Upper East Side.
Soon, word of the wurst spread, and customers from across the city, the country, and the globe were clamoring for his European-inspired delicacies. By the early 1960’s, Ferdinand Schaller built his own production facilities for the cult favorite charcuterie because the demand was so great.
Schaller & Weber was the first American sausage and meat producer to win many medals of honor at exhibitions in Holland and Germany. In 2000, Schaller & Weber products won 20 medals (14 gold and six silver) at the Welser Volksfest of Austria, which was a major first for an American charcuterie specialist. Schaller and Weber is still a family-run operation today, with the founder’s grandson, Jeremy Schaller, running the show. The classic dishes like liverwurst, thick-cut bacon, bratwurst, and other cuts of meat stand center stage. The NYC storefront still features favorite side dishes that rotate and might include such timeless classics as German potato salad, pickled cabbage, and cucumber salad. It’s truly a trip back in time in the most delicious way possible. Times may change, but perfect charcuterie shouldn’t!