How To Run a TikTok-Famous Bodega | On the Job | Priya Krishna | NYT Cooking
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ม.ค. 2022
- Meet Rahim Mohamed. He manages a bodega in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where he stocks shelves, cleans up spills and serves sandwiches from the griddle. But he’s also a big deal on TikTok, where more than two million followers watch him come up with wild sandwich combinations for his never-ending stream of customers. Bodegas are the lifeblood of New York City, but what does it take to run one - especially when it’s famous on TikTok?
Our new series, “On the Job With Priya Krishna,” is about labor and the people who shape what we eat and how we eat, whose jobs often go unseen. Tune in.
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The reason why I love Priya as a reporter, is when she paused for a moment to ask Rahim if it all seemed sustainable. You could tell that she felt genuine concern for his mental well-being.
She's been there. I always think about the podcast of some of the BA people saying they would constantly see Priya crying.
So happy she's doing this with NYT Food.
@@akirebara Do you know what podcast it was?
@@insanepoet9 it’s called The Test Kitchen from Reply-All. They cancelled it after chapter 2 because the producers of the podcasts were also horrible people, and were part of the problem.
@@akirebara Oh okay. I was hoping someone else did a podcast, too, because I was really disappointed in the Reply All team when that happened and was hoping to learn more.
Man up, guy likes it and getting likes, views and earnt a few quid out if it. These new age softies. It's part of his work, get on with it and stop being a snowflake! ''Unsustainable!'' what a clown!
“You gotta grab a bev young lady,” absolutely killed me. Truly a effortlessly charming soul. Wishing nothing but happiness and success for this man. Someday I’ll make the trek from the Midwest for a sandwich myself.
New mission !
neva neva neva!
8:25😂😂
"alright, got my beverage" 💀💀💀💀
She forgot the Bev.
Its actually insane to think he makes 100 original, unique sandwiches daily on top of a regular menu. That's some top tier cooking creativity.
THATS WHAT I WAS THINKIN
THIS GUY HAS TO BE A YOUNG PRODIGY
@@possiblyinsane6995 yes. you freeze ingredients to preserve them til needed. but that doesn't make their combination unoriginal. He still thinks of a real time step-by-step NEW recipe and executes it in order to create the desired meal the customer came up with.
to take the words
"I want this can of SKOL to be the primary ingredient in a croissant egg sammy the ocky way"
And translate that into an on-the-fly schematic for building their desired product WITH whatever they hand you.
is TALENT.
he throws a bunch of garbage on a flat top, he really isnt anything special
@@steveharvey3351 bait
Gotta keep it fun
this dude has gotten all this fame and attention and still remains humble, sticks to his roots, keeps it cordial with everyone including the regulars and the outsiders. masha'Allah, keep going brother.
He said bismillah when he was cutting the sandwich
Seriously at the end when that guy said he had been serving the community since he was little he got so awkward and looked at his phone lol very humble
No famous ppl works at a bodega let’s get real now
@@JohnJones-fq7gf why not lol. My brother is famous and still works in a mall.
@@JohnJones-fq7gf are you blind
6:35
I'm impressed with the way he cooks the salmon and shrimp. Wrapping them in foil will trap steam inside that will cook the seafood quite evenly. That is a fine technique that I didn't expect from a fast-paced store. It really is the Ocky way.
akhi
Same concept of bbq chicken
Also keeps it off the grill in case any of the other customers have a seafood allergy. Respect.
i was so skeptical of all the ingredients but the end result looked so good
@@blahblahforreal3424 no it’s ocky look at his hat
This guy is like a ray of sunshine in that community. They're so proud of him, even saying that they've known him since he was little.
I love this. Can't wait to watch the next 2 episodes. Go, Priya!
@Late Notice and what are you doing?
@Late Notice he’s doing something good in his life how about you?
@Late Notice u are great conversation 🤣🤣🤣
@Late Notice some things are bigger than Michelin stars my friend.
@Late Notice he makes like 100 original sandwiches EACH day with whatever wish the customer has. That is something not everyone can do ;). You wouldn't be able to. That's why he's rich and you're not. Don't be jealous of someone being better than you.
Rah is shining a light on the work us Yemenis put in. 12 hours a day 7 days a week at delis, markets, and smoke shops since a young age. I started working at my fathers shop when I was 7 years old. Proud to have a Yemeni represent us in a positive light
New York and Michigan has large Yemeni communities that do us proud, Rahim adds to the list, inshallah our collective works, actions and contributions keep speaking for us.
Keep working hard brother, wishing great success for you and your family.
M,y Yemeni next door neighbors in Queens NY own a chain of delis and they are the nicest people one can ever meet. I am so honored to be an honorary member of their family.
This mans is a marketing mogul! Just by him being himself: cutting the sandwich open and PRESENTING IT, saying "the Ocky Way", nor forgetting the bev, CUSTOMIZING orders on a hyper level, dude elevates the griddle game by STEAMING SALMON. Epic, he deserves all the awards, making the most out of what he has AND taking the upmost pride in stocking his selves. I'm inspired fr.
This is everything I love about New York City. And this is exactly the kind of content we need more of. This gentleman and his hustle is what old school NY is built on. It’s the heartbeat. We need to honor it before the skyscraper bandits fully wipe out all the good things forever. PS. Priya is the perfect person to do this. Love her.
100!
👏👏👏
I'm not a New Yorker, but I wholeheartedly agree.
Perfectly said. It hurts to see New York lose its charm but people like Rahim show me it’s still alive
youre definitely not from ny
Let his labor never be called “unskilled”.
YES
so don’t call it that
@@zipy4900 ...he didn't? xD he just pointed out that others would and will, and we shouldn't let them.
@@Emma-Maze so don't call it that
@@zipy4900 A limited and stupid reply which didn't answer what the other person said. Engaging with other people goes beyond the language which an individual might use. Obviously.
The Ocky Way and Bodega Life should be taught in Business School. Imagine if large companies paid this much attention to true customer satisfaction.
No thanks. There will be nothing left but 7/11s. No variety with franchises.
Look at Chick Fil A
You can't teach this
That only works for independent stores. 7/11, Circle K, Allsup aren’t going to go for that. Ock can take his time making sandwiches. Name brand stores will have everyone on a timer and customizing sandwiches will be ban.
Lmao hell no
That man said he can literally come in make a video and go home and the fact that he still does this every day with consistency and love is passionate and u can’t do nothing but respect and love a person like that
💯 he’s superb 👏
This man is a blessing, a genius and a completely humble human. His service is an act of love and commitment. Peace and abundance to all he touches!
Hav you ever visited?
A genius this ain't genius at all
Genius might be a stretch
@@tykeboy16 I was feeling it that day.
@AHHHlol did you need some compliments of your own?
Love Rahim, just a genuine, good-hearted, hardworking, caring american, love to see him highlighted on NYT!
Right! On my bucket list
I’m from NYC. Queens to be exact and I can say there are tons of bodegas everywhere. A lot of them happen to be owned and ran by Yemeni’s. My local spot as well as countless others. They’re very personable, thoughtful ppl who bring a strong sense of community wherever they’re at. It’s great to see Rah shine like this as he always puts out such great energy to everyone. Not to mention those bangin sandwiches lol. If you ever visit a bodega in NYC, theres a good chance it’s run by a Yemeni dude. Just make sure when you walk in you say, What’s up Ock? Lol. Great ppl man.
Now we put the customah on da grill
The food, the bodega, the energy. It's everything. Would he also consider a hair tutorial? Those curls are unmatched.
The work ethic, the love he puts into it! I tell my kids no matter what your job, do it to the best of your ability. This man would get hired anywhere but he doesn't need to be someone else's employee. Good character, friendliness, self-driven hard worker!
@@BooksRebound everything you say is very true. But a hard-working person of good character can always find another job. Now the economy is hard, but this guy and his family have the right idea by having their own business in something that is always needed (a neighborhood food store and bargain store next door). When hard work meets ingenuity, wisdom, good character and family support, it's a recipe for success. Also, a sound education is important. And I also note that immigrants who come from places where life was dangerous and hard are not playing around when they come here, most are ready to work hard and have the ability to persevere because of what they've experienced. Much of the youth of this nation are comfortable, entitled and focused on nonsense! Thanks for the thoughtful discussion, rare nowadays when so many online are ridiculously nasty and out of control with the vitriol. Best to you!
Such a good lesson to teach your kids. My parents always told me I had to make some bank with a high paying job and no less 😭
Rahim really has me contemplating a 5-hour drive too 😭I love that Priya asked him about how unsustainable his workload is and how draining it can be to perform for people ALL the time.
I felt that watching this - he must be as exhausted at the end of the day from having to be that guy, as he does just from working the job. Think he’s still counting his blessings tho. What a guy.
I'm in Aus and I want to visit this guy his personality is so infectious
It’s for the cameras lol… he ain’t gonna be there
So much love for this interviewer. Look how happy Ock is when he realized that she acknowledges his job isn't easy. This man works his ass off just to make people smile. He doesn't have to.
I’ve been watching this guy since last year. Thought he was just some guy stealing the spotlight, but boy was I wrong. This man is genuine through and through. He’s humble and deserves the world, and hopefully, when he continues to grow, he stays that way. Stay Ocky, Rah ✊❤️
I love Priya’s writing but she just came alive in this video, in a way I haven’t seen before. You can sense the energy and empathy she has for the interviewee. I can’t wait to continue this series.
Why all the bumlicking
Huh, did we watch the same video?
She was so dead in this...didn’t even humor him by saying “neva neva neva” like she was above that
This gotta be her moms burner account
She’s awful icl
I loved this video! The 'ocky' way, meaning 'my brother' in Arabic definitely is representitive of how Arabs and many different cultures around the world take care of each other through food and immense hospitality. Although he is famous for it on tik tok, no doubt this has been his approach to taking care of his community well before. We all have something to learn from each other, and there is something so special about middle eastern hospitality.
As a middle eastern I appreciate this comment and love sister!👏🏽
But it's 'AHKI' for my brother in Arabic with emphasis on the 'AHK' completely different sound to ocky
Ahk is also brother. Over the years all the Yemenis working in bodegas the neighbourhood people just started saying ock, then ocky sometimes. Evolution of language lol
So happy for this guy. He's said that he no longer has to work but still shows up and does everything the Bodega needs! So glad happy for him and wish him more success, inshallah!🙏
8:16 - 'You got your bev?'
holy shit outside the cameras, the interview, the process of filming an info piece - guy asks this question in the most sincere way possible
This is a great interview, she not only got him to open up, him opening up made him shine. This is how a local store should get props. He is also making money but with expansion and up grades staying in the same neighborhood..
This is great! This is probably my favourite piece of content on the NYT Cooking channel so far. Priya is super good at letting the interviewee speak and not over take with their own personality.
Edit to add: I don’t know if that will be added after a while, but some captions would be great. You could even do some TH-cam shorts from this content to make it easily shared.
Priya seems to have a naturally bright personality and, like you said, she knows that it doesn't have to be all about her. The guest deserves the time, the food is the focus and it all shines through
seconding the captions!
@@krithisubramanian5344 Captions have been added since!
@@maevat4875 no, they haven't. there's only the auto generated ones, which aren't enough nor good
He is NON-STOP. What an amazing human being. Loved this!
I’ve been following Rahim since day one and love to see where he’s at now. So proud.
Priya has such a warm presence and did really well in theirs first episode!
Priya looking for her Bev! I like that she’s getting to do her food journalism. And what a guy.
I'm a little miffed we didn't get to see what bev she decided on. I think it was topo chico. But it was pretty sad seeing her liberal coastal elite brain baffled by the selection at a bodega, I think she's more used to whole foods.
@@bonaface she’s Texan…
@@bonaface she’s from Texas
loved this so much. you can tell he puts his heart into what he does.
I am loving that the algorithm is sending this all my way now.
I am beyond thrilled Priya is getting her time to shine and is absolutely nailing it.
Man I loved this. My parents owned newsstands in NYC and this took me back to being a kid sitting on milk crates and eating lunch as a 10 year old kid, or running up to the counter to take money from a customer. I grew up with this hustle. It breaks my heart that COVID decimated the newsstand business in midtown Manhattan. My parents lost their business just before COVID after doing it for 30 years, and their friends ended up losing their business due to lack of customers in a post COVID world. This really took me back, it reminded me of all the hard work my parents out in for their American dream. Thank you @priyakrishna for highlighting the real people of nyc. What makes this city the greatest place on earth.
He is very humble, and modest. Shows the value of hard work, and how real Americans are operating daily businesses in their community.
couldnt love this more, im from canada but we are nothing without celebrating our individual cultures and making our own culture from that moving forward, bless this man and all the people doing the same to provide to others while making a living for themselves :)
Thank you Priya for decolonizing food journalism one piece at a time! This is so much more interesting than the latest most expensive and inaccessible ingredient or snobby whatnot
decolonising how?
I love how Priya is such an observer, and how she experiencing the bodega as we're experiencing it. I can see how much genuine interest she has in Rahim and his life and well-being. ♥️
This was a cool report. Things like food insider just turn up with their superlatives and say everythings great. This report is honest and gives an insight into his challenges and his hopes for the future. As a brit i didn’t understand why i kept seeing videos of this guy during lockdown making sub-par butties but now i understand
As someone who doesn't have much of a social media presence but having seen a few of this mans videos he truly does have a special energy around him and his mind is definitely in the right place. From humble beginnings to internet celebrity I'm glad hes still a humble and ernest person and his mention of his father and his religion tells me his priorities are for the prosperity of the people over profits.
When we got the trailer yesterday I wasn't expecting a whole episode so soon 🥺 what a treat!!
This needs to be a series, not just 3 episodes. Priya is so great!
Please keep featuring these hard-working, humble humans that serve so many of their community with a smile and so much heart.
I'm so happy to see this. This is what life is about, enjoying what you do, helping ypur community & living the right way. I hope Rahim success continues on.
this is a shockingly beautiful episode. from Rahim to Priya to the 10 year old cashier! oh what a feel good experience. Absolutely heart-warming. Character matters and is universally loved.
Priya, I’ve been following your career since BA, and I’ve always found your art delightful, but looking back I could see how much that atmosphere weighed on and stifled you. Seeing you interview a vibrant representative of hyphen-American culture, embracing the exact opposite of BA, this right here-this is when I felt like I really saw you genuinely happy and comfortable. Please keep doing these explorations of…the little [immigrant/first generation] hustling and living the American dream. It is incredible to watch.
I love him. He’s incredible. I know he will continue to shine in what ever he wants to do.
Saddest part was when she couldn't say "neva neva neva" on her own 😔
I speak English as a second language so captions and subtitles on this video (and other NYT's productions) would be much appreciated. It would also increase accessibility as well, since the YT automatic caption doesn't do a great job.
He has such an amazing energy. I hope he gets everything he dreams of.
This man is a Tiktoker's wet dream. Hard work, honest and a gem of the street life.
Please don't degrade him to the likes of a Tiktoker...that word has no good meanings to any profession. I respect this man and him on his grind.
Make sure you get enough rest brother!
Love the spirit he has and dedication he have with work... proud with where his life is going
My heart wells with love for this man. The community he’s touched and the reach he has blows me away. Blessings to him and to all 💓
I use TikTok quite often but somehow he never came up in my fyp, so this is the first time I heard about him and what a nice surprise! Love his tone and his energy. I think what his dad told him is exactly what every immigrant child with store/resturant-owner parents have at least heard several time growing up: work hard everyday because nobody would take care and manage the store/restaurant as much as you would do it on your own. New York is full of stories and I can't wait to learn more from this series. Priya is such a good listener and interviewer, and also a very down to earth person (from what I've seen). She is so natural on camera and knows when to step in or step out. I hope to see other reportage series from her in the future, I feel like 3 episodes are not enough. Keep up the good work, this channel is growing and giving us the quality content we need.
This is amazing. Thank you for doing a story on him. ❤️💚 He deserves his 50 min of fame.
Love Rahim's energy. Just seems so positive and humble. What a solid guy.
This was awesome. Have always loved Priya, and seeing her interacting with other great personalities gives me so much joy. Rahim is incredible, with such an insane work ethic.
i love how the NYC slang work for arabic people “akhi” is literally brother in their own language
Best video to ever pop up on the algorithm. What a homey little bodega! And a very cool owner! Never even been to NYC but I’d love to visit this place and meet this dude. That’s for SURE!
I was smiling ear to ear the whole video. This is why i fell in love with food journalism
Love this guy! Can't believe Priya almost forgot the bev.
This man works HARD but puts out so much positive energy! And, come on...those are some fantastic looking creations! Love including the "bev". I wish him all the best...he's earned it. And, of course, Priya is the perfect person to do this series. I can't wait to see what's next.
What a great piece of work, thank you Priya. Rahim Mohamed is awesome, I'd go by that Bodega every day for an Ocky, Ocky and I don't even know what/where/how to Tiktok . Cheers!
I love this guy's energy. Such a positive vibe. I am coming for a whatever the Ocky way in December all the way from South Africa.
I love this video. My Yemeni dad brings this flavor of enthusiasm whenever he’s able to help people - which is something he loves to do. It’s his greatest trait ❤️
Ur not full yemeni?
This filled my heart with joy! My best to Rahim and I look forward to trying one of his signature sandwiches the Ocky way next time I'm in Brooklyn. What a guy, what amazing work ethic. I hope he goes far in life.
Beautifully put together. This is great storytelling. Really left me in a great mood!
first time in a long time i've watched something from corporate media. thank you for getting out on the street and capturing what's really happening. if more reporting were like this, big media would have more cred.
Priya, as always, doing fantastic journalism and being so kind and personable along the way! LOVED THIS!!! Made my heart happy!
You can't help but root for this guy. I hope he finds great success
When you run a business and everything you do becomes of habit, there’s no language to say that it’s difficult to do. It’s just a way of doing and it becomes engrained to your overall personality and energy. Glad to see this man doing what he does best, and being proud of it!
Thankyou for covering his story. God bless you both !
I would love to visit and eat at his Bodega. This guy is amazing how he has to do multiple jobs and still cares for the food he prepares. I would rather eat in his bodega than in a Michelin restaurant, this is the kind of gastro experience I am looking for.
What a great series! He's so humble, and I really enjoyed watching Priya interact with the guest. He has so much enthusiasm for his job!
Gotta love the pride he has when he's cooking food for the ppl
The customers are the one that's really creative, all he doing is making your creation come to life in 1 bite.
I love him so much. He is such a down to earth person and hard worker. None of social media fame and money has gone to his head.
This dude is a national treasure. Looking forward to the rest of this series, Priya!
Mr. Mohammed is full of life. His energy brings joy and his creations look amazing. I wish him continued success in his new location. May God continue to bless him and his family!
I love this segment on him. He seems like such a friendly down to earth person; and EXTREMELY hardworking. I wish nothing but the best for him and his career ❤️. I hope one day to visit his store and enjoy one of his sandwiches, the Ocky way 😁
I see Priya, I click.
She
Is
Amazing
Period
👏👏👏
Watching this gives me a glimmer of hope! And Priya is so good in connecting with Mr. Mohamed. I hope he gets additional help.
Growing up in Cali I didn’t understand how important the bodega was until I moved to NYC. It became this place that I would go to to feel welcome in a city where you can feel very lost at times. I love watching this dude. It also covered my cat fix as well.
Goodness gracious, I can’t stop smiling watching Ocky talk. Such an infectious personality.
This is incredible story telling. It's food, culture, business, social media, and tons of heart.
I love Priya and I can’t wait to see more of her in this series!
He’s creative that’s for sure! Good on Rahim his hustle and flow is beautiful.
Love our bodegas. Met the best of people and people of many different cultures in em. Always friendly and welcoming.
I loved that he said Bismillah before cutting Priyas sandwich.
This dude just has a great attitude. And he brings such a smile to the people he serves.
I mean, those sandwiches look fantastic and they are customizable but the real pull is Rahim. His community is lucky to have him.
If Priya made a youtube cooking channel, I would watch! Always enjoy your cooking, knowledge, and cooking knowledge.
Incredible all around! Love every part of this, and it’s produced so beautifully. More, please!!!
I could have watched an hour of the two of them. What a great piece.
I love the added insight into his everyday routine
good vibes. seeing people from far coming all the way to his bodega
Absolutely delightful. Priya does such interesting reporting i just know this series is gonna be on the of the best ones NYT had done
the energy from this dude is contagious, I wish I live in the US just so I can go to his bodega.
He’s so humble and his service is beyond measure of realness! Wow I love him and never met him ❤ Thanks Priya for this awesome content that you continue to show the world. LOVE NYC!!!
Comes across as a very genuine and humble man. Rare to find indeed