Bernard Schimmel’s Reuben Sandwich

October 24, 2023

Inside the Blackstone Hotel, a group who referred to themselves as “The Committee” grew hungry during the course of a late-night poker game. The group took turns cooking for one another, and this time it was up to the owner’s son, Bernard Schimmel, who had trained as a chef in Switzerland. Charles Schimmel, owner of the Blackstone and several other hotels, asked Bernard to make something special using sauerkraut.

1928 photo of the Blackstone Hotel where the reuben sandwich was invented. Courtesy of Durham Museum.

The chef obliged by draining sauerkraut from the grocery of Reuben Kulakofsky, another member of the group, mixing it with Russian or Thousand Island dressing, and layering the sandwich with homemade corned beef and Emmental cheese on pumpernickel bread before grilling it. An alternate version of the story suggests that Bernard simply delivered a deli platter and that Reuben himself assembled the sandwich. Either way, the Reuben sandwich was born that night at the Blackstone Hotel in 1925.

The Reuben sandwich appeared on the menu at the Orleans Room. I’m not sure if this is the room where “The Committee” first laid their teeth into the sandwich. Courtesy of Durham Museum.

While some claim the sandwich was invented in New York City by Arnold Reuben as early as 1914, there is no definitive proof. His version of the sandwich also differs significantly from the one that has become widely known. The earliest evidence of the sandwich appearing on the East Coast comes from a recipe published in a 1941 cookbook. Meanwhile, the Douglas County Historical Society has identified a printed Blackstone menu from 1934 offering the sandwich for 40 cents.

Menu from the Blackstone Hotel featuring the Reuben sandwich. Courtesy of History Nebraska.

Reuben reportedly loved his namesake sandwich, as did Blackstone owner Charles Schimmel, who added it to the menu not only at the Blackstone but also at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, which he also owned. The sandwich gained national attention after waitress Fern Snider entered it into the National Sandwich Idea Contest in 1956, where it won first place.

Charles Schimmel preparing a Reueben sandwich at home. Courtesy of Saveur.

The beloved sandwich was said to be a favorite of both Susan Buffett and author Meredith Auld, the wives of Warren Buffett and Tom Brokaw, when they dined together at the Blackstone. Robert Redford is also said to have enjoyed many Reubens at the hotel. The sandwich is even referenced in his 1994 film Quiz Show, though the film incorrectly attributes its name to “Reuben K,” reportedly because Kulakofsky was considered too difficult to pronounce.

The Reuben sandwich at Barrett’s Barleycorn.

As the birthplace of the Reuben, Omaha offers many places to enjoy the sandwich. Crescent Moon Ale House, Barrett’s Barleycorn Pub and Grill, and the Orleans Room at the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel, formerly the Blackstone, are frequently cited among the best.

The Reuben sandwich at the Blackstone Hotel.

Crescent Moon hosts an annual ReubenFest featuring Reuben inspired dishes such as egg rolls, soup, burritos, poutine, mac and cheese, pizza, tacos, tamales, and more. The sandwich even has its own holiday on March 14, celebrated as National Reuben Sandwich Day.

The Reuben sandwich at Crescent Moon. Courtesy of Visit Omaha.

Fun fact: Bernard Schimmel has also been credited as the inventor of butter brickle ice cream here in Omaha.

Content written by Omaha Exploration. If you enjoy my content, you can follow or subscribe on my Facebook page, signup to receive emails or make a donation on my website. Thank you and until next time, keep exploring!

Follow me on

Arnold Reuben, Barrett’s Barleycorn, Bernard Schimmel, Blackstone District, Blackstone Hotel, Butter Brickle Ice Cream, Charles Schimmel, Cornhusker Hotel, Cottonwood Hotel, Crescent Moon, Fern Snider, National Reuben Sandwich Day, Omaha Exploration, Orleans Room, Reuben Kulakofsky, Reuben Sandwich, Tom Brokaw, Warren Buffett

Omaha Exploration