43-555: The Original Soupman was a chain of soup restaurants originally run by Iranian-American soup vendor Ali "Al" Yeganeh ( Persian : علي یگانه ), modeled after Yeganeh's original restaurant Soup Kitchen International , which was a well-known soup restaurant at 259-A West 55th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue ), in Midtown Manhattan , New York City. The restaurant was known for its strict rules amongst its customers. The 55th Street location, which began operating in 1984,
86-483: A Germanic source, from which also comes the word " sop ", a piece of bread used to soak up soup or a thick stew . The word restaurant (meaning "[something] restoring") was first used in France in the 16th century, to refer to a highly concentrated, inexpensive soup, sold by street vendors, that was advertised as an antidote to physical exhaustion . In 1765, according to Prosper Montagné's Larousse Gastronomique ,
129-721: A Saddam Hussein lookalike. An earlier joke had one character having a photo taken with the real Saddam, after mistaking him for Thomas. Thomas also played the role of Osama bin Laden in Uwe Boll 's 2008 shock comedy film Postal . In 2009, Thomas appeared in the independent feature Untitled Horror Comedy playing the role of "Dwayne." In February 2012, Thomas again appeared as the Soup Nazi in an Acura NSX commercial featuring comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno . In February 2013, he began filming for Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure ,
172-588: A Parisian entrepreneur opened a shop specializing in such soups. This prompted the use of the modern word restaurant to refer to eating establishments. In the US , the first colonial cookbook was published by William Parks in Williamsburg, Virginia , in 1742, based on Eliza Smith's The Compleat Housewife; or Accomplished Gentlewoman's Companion , and it included several recipes for soups and bisques. A 1772 cookbook, The Frugal Housewife , contained an entire chapter on
215-535: A chilled vegetable-based soup originating from Spain. Vichyssoise is a cold purée of potatoes, leeks, and cream. A feature of East Asian soups not normally found in Western cuisine is the use of tofu in soups. Many traditional East Asian soups are typically broths, "clear soups", or starch thickened soups. In the English language, the word soup has developed several uses in phrase. The direct translation for soup in
258-404: A few vegetables to eggs, meat, cream or pasta. Since the 1990s, the canned soup market has burgeoned, with non-condensed soups marketed as "ready-to-eat", so they require no additional liquid to prepare. Microwaveable bowls have expanded the "ready-to-eat" canned soup market even more, offering convenience (especially in workplaces), and making for popular lunch items. In response to concerns over
301-474: A great variety of canned and dried soups are on the market. Canned soup can be condensed, in which case it is prepared by adding water (or sometimes milk ) or it can be "ready-to-eat", meaning that no additional liquid is needed before eating. Condensed soup (invented in 1897 by John T. Dorrance , a chemist with the Campbell Soup Company ) allows soup to be packaged into a smaller can and sold at
344-408: A letter to Marc Hirschfield , casting director of The Larry Sanders Show (which starred Tambor) as well as Seinfeld . Thomas, who was a huge fan of the series, got a call from Hirschfield for the character and attended his audition in character in a military uniform, and won the role by improvising his now-famous line, "No soup for you!" His widely acclaimed performance earned him a nomination for
387-424: A lower price than other canned soups. The soup is usually doubled in volume by adding a "can full" of water or milk, about 10 US fluid ounces (300 ml). The "ready-to-eat" variant can be prepared by simply heating the contents of the can on a kitchen stove or in a microwave oven , rather than actually cooking anything. Such soups can be used as a base for homemade soups, with the consumer adding anything from
430-466: A pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth . Soups are similar to stews , and in some cases there may not be a clear distinction between the two; however, soups generally have more liquid (broth) than stews. In traditional French cuisine, soups are classified into two main groups: clear soups and thick soups . The established French classifications of clear soups are bouillon and consommé . Thick soups are classified depending upon
473-543: A variation of the catchphrase). This was the start of a working relationship with Boomstick Films which includes co-starring roles in Not Another B Movie , Dr. Spine , and the award-winning Paranormal Activity spoof Paranormal Calamity . In other later roles of note, Larry has portrayed each of the two most iconic Middle Eastern villains of American history. In 2006, he guest-starred in Arrested Development as
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#1732852693662516-518: A video game using live-action cut-scenes. In 2016, he appeared in a short comedy film The Love Suckers , playing a marriage therapist giving bad advice to a couple along with Eddie Deezen and Caryn Richman . His latest project is Dads! , a television sitcom pilot that is written, directed, and produced by Thomas and David Everhart Castro. It is currently in post-production. In 2006, Thomas began selling autographed photographs of himself through catalogs such as Wall Street Creations Inc., glaring at
559-535: A web presence. The "Soup Nazi" character in Seinfeld was not the first time that Yeganeh was referenced in film. According to Nora Ephron 's DVD commentary, the first pop culture reference to Yeganeh (though not by name) occurs in the 1993 movie Sleepless in Seattle , which Ephron co-wrote and directed. In the film, a magazine writer discusses a potential story: "This man sells the greatest soup you have ever eaten, and he
602-609: Is an American actor, best known for his guest role as Yev Kassem/the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld , for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award . In addition to making personal appearances as the Soup Nazi, Thomas has appeared in a number of films, TV shows, and commercials, and appears at autograph-signing shows across the country. Thomas was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn to an observant Jewish family of Russian and Romanian background. His parents divorced and he moved to California alongside his mother and sister when he
645-727: Is in charge of the soup recipes. In a profile of Yeganeh and Soup Kitchen International published in The New Yorker in 1989, both the small restaurant's popularity and Yeganeh's obsessive focus on his customers' behavior were noted. Yeganeh was quoted in the article as saying "I tell you, I hate to work with the public. They treat me like a slave. My philosophy is: The customer is always wrong and I’m always right." Yeganeh explained his strict philosophy about customer behavior by noting that, "Whoever follows [my rules] I treat very well. My regular customers don’t say anything. They are very intelligent and well educated. They know I’m just trying to move
688-455: Is often served before other dishes in a meal. In 1970, Richard Olney gave the place of the entrée in a French full menu: "A dinner that begins with a soup and runs through a fish course, an entrée, a sorbet, a roast, salad, cheese and dessert, and that may be accompanied by from three to six wines, presents a special problem of orchestration". Fruit soups are prepared using fruit as a primary ingredient, and may be served warm or cold depending on
731-583: Is the meanest man in America. I feel very strongly about this, Becky; it's not just about the soup." 40°45′56″N 73°59′00″W / 40.765429°N 73.983264°W / 40.765429; -73.983264 Soup Soup is a primarily liquid food , generally served warm or hot (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock , milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling or simmering solid ingredients in liquids in
774-506: The Filipino language , sabaw , is used as a figure of speech, referring to moments where one is unable to think straight, as if one's brain is empty, much like a bowl of soup devoid of any ingredients. It can also refer to someone who says something that makes no sense, thereby referring to them as sabog . Larry Thomas (actor) Laurence Tomashoff (born 1956 or 1957 (age 67–68)), known professionally as Larry Thomas ,
817-626: The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 1996, which he lost to Tim Conway for Coach . He reprised the role in the series' final episode. In 1997, he made a cameo appearance as the blackjack dealer in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery , sharing the scene with Mike Myers and Robert Wagner . In 2004, he guest-starred as himself in the Scrubs episode " My Self-Examination ", where
860-703: The Upper Palaeolithic period when thermally altered rocks became commonplace in the archaeological record. Small boiling pits are present on the Gravettian site Pavlov VI. Cobbles were heated on the hearth and then placed into the water to bring it to boil. However, the antiquity of soup is highly contested. Based on ethnographic evidence, some archaeologists conjecture that early humans employed hides and watertight baskets to boil water. The word soup comes from French soupe ("soup", "broth"), which comes through Vulgar Latin suppa ("bread soaked in broth") from
903-414: The "Prince of Soups". The first American cooking pamphlet dedicated to soup recipes was written in 1882 by Emma Ewing: Soups and Soup Making . Portable soup was devised in the 18th century by boiling seasoned meat until a thick, resinous syrup was left that could be dried and stored for months at a time. Commercial soup became popular with the invention of canning in the 19th century, and today
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#1732852693662946-755: The Soup Nazi character, it was announced on July 22, 2015 that Soupman, Inc. licensed the image of actor Larry Thomas , who portrayed the "Soup Nazi" character on Seinfeld , to promote Yeganeh's soups across America. Soup Kitchen International Inc., "The Original Soupman," and Yeganeh announced on April 22, 2005, that a retail line of "heat-n-serve" soups would be available in May at select grocery stores. There were five different variations available made by SoBe Beverages and supervised by Al Yeganeh. The soups were packaged in 15 oz. ‘Grab-N-Go’ clear packages. Since its launch in May 2005, "The Original Soupman" line of soups has been sold in 14 states and over 7,000 grocery stores across
989-458: The Soup Nazi to celebrate Salute to Seinfeld Night , and threw out the first pitch. In 2015, he reprised his role as the Soup Nazi when Hulu opened "Seinfeld: The Apartment" in New York City, creating a real-world version of Jerry Seinfeld's Upper West Side apartment, complete with a show memorabilia gallery and interactive Seinfeld fan experience to mark the streaming debut of all episodes of
1032-469: The United States and Canada. In May 2017, Robert Bertrand, the chief financial officer of The Original Soupman, was arrested and charged with income tax evasion for failure to pay the company's Medicare, Social Security, and federal income taxes dating back to 2010. Less than two months later, the chain filed for bankruptcy. All of the company's assets, including its licenses from Yeganeh and its license of
1075-435: The camera in chef's garb, with the handwritten notation "No soup for you!" In 2011, Thomas appeared dressed as the Soup Nazi at a New York Mets game. He gave DVDs to fans who correctly answered trivia questions. In 2012, he again appeared as the Soup Nazi while touring the United States with a Seinfeld food truck, allowing fans to pose with him and signing autographs. On July 5, 2014, he appeared at Brooklyn Cyclones as
1118-462: The image of Larry Thomas, were sold in a bankruptcy sale in September 2017 to a company called Gallant Brands, headed by Joseph Hagan. All of the company's physical locations were closed at that time, most of its major customers were lost, and the company only continued to operate its grocery store sales business. In April 2018, Bertrand pled guilty and was sentenced to nine months in prison; his defense
1161-509: The job and has strongly encouraged his franchise owners to avoid references to Seinfeld in their promotions. (However, his marketing contains at least two Seinfeld references, the phrase "Soup for you!" and a mention of the show on the back of his packaged soup offerings.) At the time, Yeganeh accepted media inquiries, but his "media rules" forbade mention of "the 'N' word" (Nazi), personal questions, or follow-up questions. Interviews were conducted only via e-mail. Despite Yeganeh's contempt for
1204-457: The line." However, the writer noted that customers who stalled or complained would be bypassed, and quoted one person in line as advising others, "Just don’t talk. Do what he says." Yeganeh was the inspiration for the " Soup Nazi " character in the eponymous episode of the NBC television sitcom Seinfeld , which first aired on November 2, 1995. In this episode, Yeganeh, fictionalized as "Yev Kassem",
1247-542: The main character tried to trick him into saying the Soup Nazi's catchphrase, "No Soup for You!" He also played a Soup Nazi-like "food cop" in a commercial for the Center for Consumer Freedom . That same year he guest-starred in the television series Drake & Josh as Bob Galloway in the episode "2 Idiots and a Baby." In 2006, Thomas made an appearance in Scott Grenke's independent comedy feature Spaced Out (which includes
1290-594: The negative health effects of excessive salt intake, some soup manufacturers have introduced reduced-salt versions of popular soups. Today, Campbell's Tomato (introduced in 1897), Cream of Mushroom , and Chicken Noodle (introduced in 1934) are three of the most popular soups in America. Americans consume approximately 2.5 billion bowls of these three soups alone each year. Other popular brands of soup include Progresso . Dry soup mixes are sold by many manufacturers, and are reconstituted with hot water; other fresh ingredients may then be added. The first dried soup
1333-550: The production team went to Soup Kitchen International for lunch weeks after "The Soup Nazi" aired, despite Feresten warning Seinfeld that Yeganeh was now well aware of the episode and was not pleased with the attention it had brought him. Upon recognizing Seinfeld, Yeganeh "did a triple take" and then went into a profanity-filled rant about how the show had "ruined" his business, demanding an apology. Seinfeld allegedly gave what Feresten describes as "the most sarcastic apology I've ever seen anyone give", upon which Yeganeh ejected them from
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1376-404: The recipe. Many varieties of fruit soups exist, and they may be prepared based upon the availability of seasonal fruit. Cold soups are a particular variation on the traditional soup, wherein the temperature when served is kept at or below room temperature. They may be sweet or savory. In summer, sweet cold soups can form part of a dessert tray. An example of a savory chilled soup is gazpacho ,
1419-650: The restaurant, shouting "No soup for you!" in the process. After reopening, "The Original Soup Man" opened franchises in various cities throughout the United States and Canada, including four in Manhattan . The soups were made in Yeganeh's industrial kitchen in Linden, New Jersey . Yeganeh licensed his recipes, name, and likeness to the company. Franchises were provided with some 45 soup varieties in 8 lb (3.6 kg) bags available in rotation. Chains participating in subfranchising
1462-657: The series on Hulu. Larry has written and recorded songs: "Nico's Song (With Out You)" written for Dads! , "It's Angela (The Wife I Choose)", "Running, Running, Running (Ben's Song), and "Ma! (Ode to Dorine)". In 2013, Serbu Firearms refused to sell their model BFG-50A semi-automatic .50 rifles to the New York City Police Department after the passage of the NY SAFE Act that classified their weapon as an assault rifle. Accompanying this, Serbu then had T-shirts printed with an image of Thomas as The Soup Nazi and
1505-593: The soups included Ranch One and Cold Stone Creamery . On March 3, 2008, the first Original Soup Man franchise on a college campus was opened in the Russell House University Union at the University of South Carolina . This venue closed near the end of spring 2011. Reportedly, the strictness popularized by the original location need not necessarily be followed by the franchisees, but Yeganeh banned any Soup Nazi references by franchises and their staff while on
1548-594: The topic. English cooking dominated early colonial cooking; but as new immigrants arrived from other countries, other national soups gained popularity. In particular, German immigrants living in Pennsylvania were famous for their potato soups. In 1794, Jean Baptiste Gilbert Payplat dis Julien, a refugee from the French Revolution , opened an eating establishment in Boston called " The Restorator ", and became known as
1591-687: The type of thickening agent used: purées are vegetable soups thickened with starch ; bisques are made from puréed shellfish or vegetables thickened with cream ; cream soups may be thickened with béchamel sauce ; and veloutés are thickened with eggs , butter , and cream. Other ingredients commonly used to thicken soups and broths include rice , lentils , flour , and grains ; many popular soups also include pumpkin, carrots, potatoes, pig's trotters and bird's nests . Other types of soup include fruit soups , dessert soups, pulse soups such as split pea, cold soups and other styles. The earliest evidence for soup in human culinary practice dates to
1634-602: Was bouillon cubes ; the earlier meat extract did not require refrigeration, but was a viscous liquid. East Asian-style instant noodle soups include ramen and seasonings, and are marketed as a convenient and inexpensive instant meal, requiring only hot water for preparation. While North American ones tend to have a powder pack only, instant noodles sold in East Asia commonly include a pack of dried vegetables too. Western-style dried soups include vegetable, chicken base, potato, pasta and cheese flavors. In French cuisine, soup
1677-404: Was 11. He attended Hebrew school after school hours. Prior to acting, Thomas had jobs as a bail bondsman and court investigator. He is best known for his role as Yev Kassem in the "Soup Nazi" episode of the television sitcom Seinfeld . Thomas took an acting workshop taught by Jeffrey Tambor . Tambor was fascinated by Thomas’ acting in a workshop and his classmates convinced Tambor to write
1720-546: Was closed in 2004, with the windows soaped over. Yeganeh kept the lease on the shop while he looked to expand into a broader market. This led to the formation of the Original Soup Man chain and eventually led to the reopening of the Soup Kitchen International location in 2010 under the name "Original Soup Man", like all of Yeganeh's other restaurants. In 2017, the chief financial officer of The Original Soupman
1763-401: Was indicted for income tax evasion, and the chain went into bankruptcy, which led to all of its stores being closed. Later in 2017, the chain emerged from bankruptcy under new ownership, and it re-opened in the original location in late 2018, going by its former name The Original Soup Kitchen. Although Yeganeh is not involved with the day-to-day operations anymore, he still owns the brand name and
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1806-476: Was portrayed as the tyrannical purveyor of his soups, making all of his customers follow a strict set of rules if they wish to successfully procure a bowl of one of his coveted soups. Kassem was portrayed by Larry Thomas , who made two appearances in the series. For the original episode, Thomas was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 1996. According to writer Spike Feresten , Jerry Seinfeld and several members of
1849-484: Was that his actions were intended to keep the company afloat. Around that time, The Original Soupman was able to re-enter New York City's public schools lunch program after some modifications to the recipes, then to expand sales to delis and supermarkets in the New York City area, and finally, in December 2018, it opened its first post-bankruptcy physical location in a Times Square kiosk. As of September 2023, it does not have
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