two middle aged white men stand several feet apart. one of them is passing the other a check with a pair of tongs.
J. The Jewish News of Northern California board vice president Harmon Shragge (left) accepts a check from One Market owner Michael Dellar — using tongs for social-distancing purposes, of course.

One Market restaurant pays it forward

Right after Rosh Hashanah, Michael Dellar, owner of the upscale One Market Restaurant in San Francisco, contacted J. The Jewish News of Northern California.

He said he wanted to donate 10 percent of the proceeds from his Rosh Hashanah dinner promotion to J.

So on Sept. 24, J. board vice president Harmon Shragge met up with Dellar at the Market Street restaurant for the great handover: a check for $700, which Dellar proffered to Shragge using tongs.

“What struck me was how warm, friendly, inviting and generous he and his staff were,” Shragge said while expressing his appreciation for the unexpected donation. “Here we are, in the middle of our pandemic with restaurants, among other businesses, experiencing economic devastation, and here he was, happily donating a portion of his proceeds to our organization.”

One Market’s Rosh Hashanah dinner included a short-rib or brisket entrée and pomegranate molasses-glazed carrots as a side. Currently the restaurant is running a New York-style deli pop-up with house-made pastrami sandwiches, cold-smoked salmon, matzah ball soup and Boichik Bagels on the menu.