For years, the chopped cheese sandwich has been a New York institution: a no-frills bodega classic wrapped in foil and handed over a hot grill counter. Now, thanks to viral sensation General Ock, it has landed in Sydney for the first time, bringing a taste of Harlem-meets-TikTok food culture halfway across the world.
If you’ve spent any time on food TikTok, you’ll know the man. “Don't forget the bev, neva neva neva!” he calls out, folding cheese into sizzling chopped beef with a rhythm all his own. The Bronx bodega owner has turned a humble sandwich into a global moment, serving everyone from locals to celebrities - including Ed Sheeran, who stopped by for a bite.
What exactly is a chopped cheese?
At first glance, it looks like it could be a cheeseburger. But the magic happens on the grill. Ground beef and capsicum are chopped together as they cook, before slices of cheese melt through the mixture. The lot is scooped your bread of choice, and topped with lettuce, tomato and a squiggle of sauce, usually mayo and ketchup.
The Ocky way chopped cheese has landed in Sydney's west. Credit: Tammi Kwok
It’s hot, cheesy and slightly messy — the kind of sandwich you eat standing up, foil still wrapped around it. Simple, fast and satisfying; food made for the pace of New York life.
Born in New York’s bodegas
The chopped cheese traces its roots to Harlem, where it is said to have first appeared at a small corner shop called Blue Sky Deli, known locally as Hajji’s, in the 1990s. From there, it spread across the city’s boroughs as an affordable meal for the working-class communities who lived nearby.
To understand its appeal, you need to know what a bodega is. In New York, a bodega is more than a convenience store. It’s the kind of neighbourhood hub where you can grab milk, a sandwich and catch up on the day’s gossip all in one stop. Many are family-run, often Latino-owned, and open late into the night. They are as much about connection as commerce.
Many NYC bodegas are suffering due to rising rents and increased competition from chains, but they remain an iconic part of the city’s landscape. Source: Flickr / Flickr/ 'Nino" Eugene La Pia
The Ocky way comes to Sydney
That same sense of neighbourhood pride has now crossed the Pacific. At his Sydney pop-up, General Ock draws queues of curious fans eager to taste the real thing, and to watch the man himself in action. Watching him cook feels like seeing a performance: part comedy, part showmanship, all built around joy.
The phrase “the Ocky way” has become his signature. It comes from the Arabic word “Akhi”, meaning “my brother”. As Ock explains, “Akhi is a brother. The brother way - everything is halal.” It’s both a nod to his faith and a philosophy that shapes how he cooks: generous and grounded in respect for his community. The Ocky way isn’t just about ingredients or flair; it’s about hospitality and belonging, expressed one sandwich at a time.
It makes sense that he has decided to make an appearance at Sydney's own Parramatta Lanes. Like New York, western Sydney has its own tradition of local institutions: the milk bars, late-night takeaways and corner kebab shops that feed a community as much as they serve it. The chopped cheese slots naturally into that world.
Its appeal isn’t just about novelty. It’s about recognition: the sound of the grill, the crinkle of the foil...it’s a sandwich that feels instantly familiar, even if you’ve never eaten one before.
General Ock's team pumping out chopped cheese sandwiches over 3 nights at Sydney's Parramatta Lanes. Credit: Tammi Kwok
More than a sandwich
For General Ock, the chopped cheese is just the start. His humour, catchphrases and infectious energy are as much part of the draw as the sandwich itself. The Ocky way turns an ordinary lunch into a shared moment, where food and personality blend in equal measure.
That attitude translates easily in Sydney, a city where food has long been the language of cultural exchange. From bánh mì to burek, we’re used to dishes that tell the story of where they came from and how they’ve evolved. The chopped cheese is the latest chapter in that ongoing story: something born in one city and reimagined in another.
And when you bite into one - hot beef, soft bread, melted cheese - you understand why it’s so loved. It isn’t about luxury or novelty. It’s about the simple pleasure of a sandwich made with care and shared the brother way - the Ocky way.
