Carl's Deli
Cameron Kurz (left) and Sydney Turnbull (right), co-owners of Carl’s Deli
Sydney Turnbull and Cameron Kurz are sisters whose family history has always orbited the restaurant industry. In fact, food innovation runs in their DNA. Their family owns and operates The Honey Baked Ham Company, which grew out of their great-grandfather’s bright idea. “Our great-grandfather invented the spiral ham slicer in his basement, and no one at the time wanted to buy it,” Sydney laughs. “So he was like, ‘Well, I guess I'm gonna have to start a ham business.’ And that's kind of how it started.”
Growing up, the sisters spent holiday seasons helping out with the family business, witnessing the inner workings of entrepreneurship from a young age. That drive has remained strong across generations. Today, Sydney and Cameron are putting their entrepreneurial spirit to work, stewarding Cincinnati’s iconic Carl’s Deli through its eighth decade in business.
Sydney and Cameron grew up just down the street from Carl’s Deli in Hyde Park, which has operated continuously in the same building since 1938. “It’s very surreal now being on the other side of the counter,” Sydney shares. “We grew up going there, and with our money from chores, we’d go after school and get a sandwich.”
Though Carl’s Deli was founded and operated for its first few years by Carl himself—originally functioning more like a pony keg than a full deli—the iconic brand has been owned and operated by women for the vast majority of its history. When former owner Anne Arnold was ready to retire, she specifically sought out Sydney and Cameron to carry the torch.
“Anne was very particular about who it was going to be, and she wanted to make sure that the legacy stayed what it was,” they recall. “And that was important to us as well.”
Anne officially tapped Cameron and Sydney to take over in 2022. Committed to preserving the deli's core values while elevating quality and streamlining operations, the sisters ensured the ownership transition didn't disrupt their customers' weekly routines. “Anne closed the shop for the last time on a Tuesday, and the next morning, we turned the key and got to work.”
With over 80 years of history and a fiercely loyal base of regulars, stepping into Carl's came with high expectations, and the sisters embraced the challenge. “It feels like a privilege, too,” Cameron says. “That pressure means that people care about this business.”
As they stepped in as owners, Sydney and Cameron agreed that being present on the floor was essential. “We're also making sandwiches. We're also doing dishes. We want to be owner-operators,” Sydney emphasizes.
In the summer of 2025, the sisters opened a second location of Carl’s Deli in the former Silverglades space at Findlay Market, marking a significant milestone in the business’ history. A primary motivation for opening a second location was space. For anyone who has visited the Hyde Park flagship, it’s no secret the original shop is cozy. As demand for catering grew, they simply ran out of room to prepare larger orders.
The Findlay Market shop gives them the operational footprint to expand catering while feeding market shoppers and weekday lunch crowds. Coming into a historic grocery market with established delis and cheese shops, Sydney and Cameron tailored their concept to complement the ecosystem.
“We decided to stick with what we know really well and what we do really well, and give our guests what they want—which is sides, salads, and sandwiches,” Cameron says.
While the Hyde Park flagship boasts a famously massive menu (32 sandwiches!), the Findlay Market location features a curated menu. However, the market location stays stocked with all the ingredients needed to make any sandwich from the Hyde Park menu upon request. Naturally, fan favorites made the daily cut—including the Curry Chicken Salad (Cameron’s favorite) and the Hot Heidi (Sydney’s favorite).
That consistency is what generations of locals hold dear. “It's really cool to hear people’s stories, or that they've been getting the #23 for 15 plus years,” Sydney says.
As they settle into their fifth year owning and operating Carl’s Deli, Sydney and Cameron are focused on fine-tuning operations across both locations and expanding their catering reach. Above all, their mission remains unchanged: preserving the warmth and integrity of a true Cincinnati institution.
“We believe we're one of the pillars of the restaurant business, and we hope to continue carrying that legacy on for another 85 years or so,” Sydney says.
Published July 2026