52°
Essen & Fressin is a comedic pizza review duo made up of Jonathan Petak and David Kolb.
The name Essen & Fressin comes from the Yiddish words for "to eat" and "to eat like a pig." The duo hoped to specifically appeal to the Jewish community.
Petak always had an interest in acting and stand-up comedy, but never truly pursued it until Essen & Fressin.
The character he puts on for reviews was born out of a joke he'd play at parties or restaurants in his normal life.
"If I'm at a bar mitzvah or party that's kind of dull I'll put on my fake teeth to liven it up and get a laugh," Petak said. "I have a tendency to order food with my wife with my fake teeth."
Cameras are rolled while Petak and Kolb scout a place, which can lead to comedic instances of Petak playing off other customers or sharing comedic quips.
Essen & Fressin only has four videos so far, but they're planning for the future.
"This is just a starting point for us, our plan is to go into full-scale restaurant ratings, different dishes, we’re having fun doing this," Kolb said.
The tone of their reviews is still being decided. Some younger audiences enjoy Petak's goofy looking teeth and humor, while others have asked for more details about the quality of each slice.
According to Kolb, one of the goals for the reviews is to give viewers an impression of each location.
"We want to try to bring people into the restaurant, not only read a review," Kolb said.
"A visual gives a greater feel for ambiance — for the feel and look of the food."
Essen & Fressin plans to review other locations in Teaneck, Fairlawn and various locations in New York City. With over 80 different kosher-pizza places in the tri-state area, they're confident they'll have content for a while.
"You never know what you’re going to get, every single pizza story is different," Kolb said.
Essen & Fressin can be followed on Twitter.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Ridgewood and receive free news updates.
