The proprietor of New York City’s renowned Junior’s cheesecake establishment is inviting candidates for mayor to drop the petty insults and tackle substantive issues at a special meal at his flagship location.
Alan Rosen, a third-generation family owner, is extending an invitation to the hopefuls to enjoy a meal at his Brooklyn restaurant alongside customers on October 28, just a week before voters make their choices.
“When I say ‘cheesecake,’ candidates, come to Junior’s to enjoy corned beef and cheesecake,” said Rosen, as he formally issued the invite to commemorate the company’s 75th anniversary.
He jokingly dubbed the upcoming gathering the “Cheesecake Convention.”
However, he had a clear message for the candidates.
“You must eat your cheesecake with a fork. No spoons allowed!” quipped Rosen, referencing former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s well-publicized faux pas of eating pizza with utensils.
“Cheesecake is supposed to be eaten with a fork, not a spoon,” the businessman emphasized.
Yet, Rosen is genuine about ensuring candidates participate and field questions. He plans to lead the session.
New Yorkers can submit queries at cheesecakeconvention@juniorscheesecake.com.
Attendees at the town hall-style meeting will also have the chance to ask their own questions, Rosen informed The Post.
While the specifics are still being finalized with the various campaigns, he anticipates the forum will last between one and two hours.
“This could be the most significant mayoral election in both our city’s history and in our 75 years,” Rosen remarked. “We invite the candidates to come together, share a meal — and cheesecake — and engage in discussions about issues crucial to all New Yorkers.
“Junior’s is the people’s restaurant. It embodies New York. It serves as a public forum — the ‘Cheesecake Convention.’”
Rosen expressed confidence that the main candidates in the race will attend the well-known eatery located on Flatbush Avenue Extension. Junior’s also has locations in Times Square, Connecticut, and Las Vegas, along with a bakery outlet in New Jersey.
Junior’s has a long history as a gathering place for political figures and judges alike.
“Junior’s has always been the venue where every candidate must come to meet and connect with everyday New Yorkers,” Rosen stated. “By participating in this Cheesecake Convention, they’ll be showing in a very public way their commitment to the heart and soul of downtown Brooklyn and all of New York City.”
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who grew up in Canarsie, Brooklyn, and has experience as a competitive eater, expressed his enthusiasm for participating.
“I visited Junior’s frequently. One slice of their cheesecake could be a meal,” he remarked.
“How about we hold a cheesecake-eating contest afterward? I wonder how long it would take each of us to finish a slice? Though Zohran [Mamdani] might have the lead in polls, I’ve got the edge when it comes to competitive eating.”
Sliwa strongly believes it would be a political blunder for any candidate to skip the Junior’s mayoral forum, especially given its popularity in the borough with the highest population and voter count.
Previously, Rosen considered entering the mayoral race himself, expressing concerns about the city’s direction. Ultimately, he chose not to run, but he remains eager to play a role by hosting this mayoral forum.
Two official mayoral debates are scheduled for October 16 and October 22.
