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
the best of everything
Raskin
Raleigh
House
Remembered
JULY 2 • 2020 | 45
thejewishnews.com/newsletter
FRESH Daily Headlines
Delivered to Your Inbox.