H eadlines
COVID-19 Through
the Eyes of
Our Elders
New Bella Vista
Store to Focus
on Artisanal
Smoked Fish
L OCA L
SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
LAUREN BIEDERMAN
started working in the restau-
rant industry when she was 15.

After bussing tables and
hosting, she moved to serving
and bartending, later taking
courses in wine and earning
several certificates. In 2017, the
Killington, Vermont, native
moved to Philadelphia, where
she worked at Osteria and Zahav.

And a little over 10 years
since her first restaurant gig,
she wants her new store,
Biederman’s Specialty Foods,
to be Philadelphia’s premiere
destination for artisanal
smoked fish.

Biederman’s Specialty Foods
is modeled on “appetizing
shops,” the stores selling cold
appetizers characteristic of
Eastern European Ashkenazi
cuisine, that Biederman grew
up frequenting with family in
New York.

“My dad was born in
Philadelphia, actually, and
moved to New York City,” she
said. “He kind of grew up with
that food, and my whole family
lives either in Brooklyn or in
Connecticut. So, every time we
go down there that’s kind of
what we eat. My dad shows up
to Thanksgiving with two kilos
of salmon, and always bagels
and cheeses and cheesecakes
from New York. It was kind of
just the tradition of the family.”
While Biederman oversees
the day-to-day operations of
the business, her family has
been instrumental in getting
it going. Her father, now in
New Hampshire, helped with
planning. Her younger brother,
Evan Biederman, a recent
college graduate, is one of her
employees. Two older brothers
have offered their expertise as
contractors. Biederman’s fish, which
ranges from classic smoked
salmon, herring and whitefish
to vodka-cured gravlax, will
be sourced from a variety of
smokehouses. One of her main
suppliers is Samaki Smoked
Fish in New York state, and she
is also working on orders from
purveyors in Ireland, Scotland,
See Fish, Page 13
A Free Virtual Dementia
Education Webinar
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Featuring Guest Speaker
p P.K. Beville
Founder & CEO Emeritus,
Author Second Wind & Virtual Dementia Tour
Until this crisis is over, dementia caregivers will have to be able to
provide the loving care we always have but with a different spin.

Finding ways to meet our loved one’s need to be cared for and
finding ways for us to be reassured we are helping requires us to
look at things differently. Topics will include:
• What life is like for persons living with dementia during COVID.

• How caregivers can enhance the provision of care.

• Tips for families to provide the best environment for distance
care. • Advice for professionals on how to set the stage for families.

ENROLLING IS EASY! Register in advance for this Zoom
webinar by visiting the LINK below:
https://tinyurl.com/y57e4hub Questions can be directed to
VirtualSeminars@arden-courts.org Evan Biederman with a brunch board
Courtesy of Lauren Biederman.

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JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
12/3/20 1:07 PM
JANUARY 14, 2021
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