BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — Three friends are eating their way through New York City, one subway stop at a time.
The native New Yorkers, dubbed "Internets Celebrities," are taking the A train from Harlem to Far Rockaway and highlighting the best spots along the line to grab a meal.
Rafi Kam, Dallas Penn and Casimir Nozkowski wrapped up the first half of their web series, “Food Warriors,” in mid-December, ending the show on Bedford-Stuyvesant’s Nostrand Avenue.
The series, sponsored by MailChimp, is directed by Nozkowski and produced by a six-member crew.
The A train was an easy choice, Kam said, as it traverses three boroughs and stretches over diverse cultures.
While “Food Warriors” allows bloggers and hosts Kam and Penn to explore the city, it’s also an exercise in democracy-based dining, Kam said.
In every video, the two pick a restaurant based on the recommendations of people at the subway station and passersby above ground.
“We liked the idea of speaking to New Yorkers and seeing if you can achieve good results through democracy by getting people to vote on choices,” Kam, 37, told DNAinfo New York.
“Being that we spend so much time on the Internet surrounded by foodie culture, we wanted to present a flip side to that: What are recommendations on the street? And do people who walk around in various New York neighborhoods even care?”
The results have been a mixed bag so far.
The show explores gentrification and changes in the areas, including the New Harlem vs. Old Harlem episode in which the hosts ask participants to choose between Dinosaur BBQ and Manna’s Restaurant.
The man-on-the-street approach also brings a few surprises.
In Bed-Stuy, the duo anticipated spending their lunch hour at a West Indian restaurant along Nostrand Avenue, but found themselves at David’s Brisket, a Muslim-run, Jewish deli.
“With the whole voting process, you never really know where you’re going to end up,” Kam said.
“I was really surprised by the amazing pastrami I had there. As a New York resident, a Jew and a big time carnivore, I totally think it’s better than Katz’s [Delicatessen]."
The three friends are no strangers to documenting life in the city. Kam, who is a Web developer by day, started working with Penn and Nozkowski in 2006 with their debut video, “Ghetto Big Mac.”
The group later delved into more serious issues, using comedy to address the lack of nutritious food options in Bronx neighborhoods with “Bodega,” and tackled the struggle of neighborhood economies affected by sports stadiums and franchises in "Stadium Status."
With “Food Warriors,” Internets Celebrities hopes to continue teaching an ever-evolving New York City experience to both locals and out-of-state residents.
“We try to let New Yorkers speak for themselves,” Kam said. “It’s their voice in those videos, telling what their existence is like.”
After they eat their way to the last stop on the A train, there’s talk of doing the same on the 7 line, Kam said.
The trio will hit the Rockaways this spring to film the series’ next installment.
