Practically born in a herring barrel with a sharp knife in her hand, Niki is the fourth-generation owner of Russ & Daughters, New York’s iconic Jewish food destination. Established 108 years ago by her immigrant great-grandfather–the first business with “& Daughters” in its name–Niki’s leadership, along with her cousin Josh Russ Tupper, signifies continuity of the Russ tradition, even as the business continues to grow. Niki oversees the original Lower East Side Shop–the home of bagels and lox since 1914–as well as Russ & Daughters Cafe, and Russ & Daughters Brooklyn, which houses the company’s Jewish bakery and nationwide shipping facility. Niki appears frequently in a variety of media, and is featured in The Sturgeon Queens, the award-winning documentary about Russ & Daughters, TV such as Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi and the forthcoming Turning Tables: Cooking, Serving and Surviving in a Global Pandemic, and in publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Food & Wine, Zagat and Vogue. She was named one of Crain’s New York Business’s “40 Under 40” and Eater’s “New Guard of Power in NYC.” She was inducted into the Manhattan Jewish Hall of Fame and has an encyclopedic entry in the Jewish Women’s Archive. Niki is on the leadership committee of the Independent Restaurant Coalition and the NY Forever Campaign.