Martine Gourmet Deli
Most college graduates get their career experience working for a large firm or even a smaller company within their chosen field. Not so for Joe Sansotta, owner of Martine Gourmet Deli, located on Martine Avenue in downtown White Plains.
Sansotta, who graduated from Iona College five years ago with a bachelor’s degree in business, didn’t take the traditional route that most college grads take. Instead he opted to purchase this popular deli, a favorite with workers from many of the city center’s businesses.
“I saw this place as a good opportunity with good walking traffic and I capitalized on that,” said Sansotta, referring to the moment five years ago when he spotted the property, and to the hectic nature of the business, which caters to both breakfast and lunch-time customers. Sansotta also runs a catering business out of the deli, which serves local corporations and customers hosting private parties.
Formerly known as Deli Daz, the Martine Gourmet Deli is “no ordinary deli,” remarked Sansotta. With an ever-changing menu of hot specials each day, Sansotta works hard to keep his clientele happy. In fact, many of his long-time customers are known to Sansotta by first name, and have come to love the delicious dishes he cooks each day, he said.
Those specials, which are posted on Gourmet Deli’s website (www.MartineGourmet.com) and are also visible to walk-in customers, are prepared lovingly by Sansotta himself. Grilled marinated skirt steak, meatball parmesan or a broccoli rabe dish are just some of the delicious meals he prepares from scratch.
The ingredients he uses are fresh and locally grown, many of them coming from the Sansotta family vegetable garden in New Rochelle, where he grew up. Sansotta’s skill for cooking, which he learned from his mother, is something he’s proud of. In fact, he makes a habit of cooking in front of customers so they can see what goes into the hearty meals.
Apart from the specials of the day, the deli also offers a selection of four entrees and four side dishes, in addition to a wide variety of soups, salads, specialty sandwiches, and Paninis. With names like the “Hawaiian,” “South of the Border,” “Italian Stallion,” “The Calabria Special,” and “The Firehouse,” there’s definitely something for everyone, he said.
The breakfast menu includes the usual fare that one would expect from a busy deli, such as pancakes, French toast, buttered rolls and bagels, oatmeal, fresh fruit, and a breakfast platter, to name a few.
While being an entrepreneur has its challenges, Sansotta, who lives in Scarsdale with his wife, Jessica, said he wouldn’t have it any other way. His father, who ran a successful landscaping business for many years, always told his son that hard work would pay off eventually.
“He was a dedicated worker who always told me to pick something you love to do and follow through 100 percent,” added Sansotta.
That’s advice this energetic 27-year-old has taken to heart, recently opening a cafeteria in the nearby Westchester County office building and dreaming of owning his own restaurant one day.
The Martine Gourmet Deli is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (914) 761-2235 or visit the website at www.MartineGourmet.com.
Colette Connolly is a copywriter and p.r. expert. She owns Connolly Communications, which is based in Bronxville, New York. Colette specializes in providing content-rich, SEO-optimized press releases, articles, newsletters, brochures, and customer success stories.