Having Words With: Ken GordonHaving Words With: Ken Gordon

HOMETOWN: New York
EDUCATION: B.A. in political science from Beloit College, Grande Diplôme from La Varenne in Paris
PERSONAL: married with two children, one a baker and one a genius
HOBBIES: big-time film buff, writer, New York Times crossword puzzler, cook
EXPERIENCE: 35-year industry veteran, with time in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Paris and Portland, Ore.

A few days before television chef Paula Deen revealed her diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, Portland, Ore., chef Ken Gordon also learned that he had the disease.

Gordon, 57, is the founder of Kenny & Zuke’s, a Jewish-style deli known for its house-cured pastrami, and Kenny & Zuke’s SandwichWorks, offering a broader range of sandwiches. Gordon, who claims a lifelong devotion to “all ...