O

ne of many stories 
regarding restaurant 
ownership by men 
or women, is that of 10 men, 
led by one man 
who became its 
owner, vice pres-
ident and gen-
eral manager … 
and thoroughly 
enjoyed the suc-
cessful realiza-
tion of a fervent dream. 
His name … Sammy 
Lieberman, a well-liked caterer 
who, with nine others, found-
ed the prestigious former 
Raleigh House on Telegraph 
Road in Southfield.
Against many odds, the 
restaurant brains took hold as 
in 1973 it became what was to 
eventually become their ele-
gant House of Lords gourmet 
dining room and Lion’
s Head 
English-style pub … Then two 
days later, with George Fink 
manager, was the opening of 

their Piccadilly Delicatessen 
(“When you pick a deli, 
Piccadilly”) and Sammy’
s son 
Erwin “Itsy” ran errands plus 
helped George cut the corned 
beef, etc. … and Raleigh House 
also soon became America’
s 
largest private catering firm.
The new restaurants were 
opened in a record 10-months’
 
time, covering an area of 20,000 
square feet … The House of 
Lords sat 156 with food brought 
in carts with selections from 
eight pages of gourmet choices 
… The Piccadilly Deli sat 166 …
The Lion’
s Head seated 140 … 
and, among untold amounts in 
the elegant catering rooms, six 
that I walked through myself.
Yes, it was a long way from 
1943 when Sammy owned 
the Blaine Restaurant and 
Avalon Room in Oak Park … 
It was like a dream come true 
for him in 1973 … He now 
walked about it with a beam-
ing face of his elegant House of 

Lords dining room and Lion’
s 
Head English Style pub, etc. … 
The Raleigh, America’
s largest 
private catering firm, became a 
part of Interstate United, then 
the fifth-largest food chain in 
the United States.
Executive chef was Milos 
Cihelka, who had won two 
gold medals as a member of 
the U.S. Culinary Olympics in 
Frankfort, Germany.
Opening of a 12-story, 300-
room Raleigh Hotel never 
happened … But the new 
restaurants were opened in a 
record 10-month time.
AS THE BAN on complete 
sit-down dining is reduced to 
50% capacity, it may remind 
many folks to call numerous 
higher-end eateries for reser-
vations … It might also give 
some eateries a huge oppor-
tunity to get their fine servers 
and others back … and, if 
needed, some fixup at the 
restaurant.

FORMER MAYOR of Oak 
Park, Jerry Naftaly, also turned 
author, is on his fourth book … 
Farrell’
s Ice Cream Parlour and 
his 34 years in Oak Park gov-
ernment will be next … Many 
are saying, too, that he may run 
for mayor again.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … 
As soon as the Sabbath services 
had ended, the little boy walked 
up to the rabbi and said, 
“When I grow up, I’
m going to 
give you lots of money.”
 The rabbi laughed and 
asked, “That’
s really good to 
know, little man, but why do 
you want to do this?” 
“Because,” replied the young-
ster, “my daddy says that you 
are the poorest rabbi we have 
ever had.”
CONGRATS … To Irwin 
Cash on his birthday … 
To Lillian Cooper on her 
birthday. 

Email dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist

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Raleigh
 House 
Remembered

 JULY 2 • 2020 | 45

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