S07E06 - The Soup Nazi

No: 116  |   Season: 7   Episode: 6  |   Air Date: 2-Nov-1995  |   Production #706

Excuse me. I think you forgot my bread.Excuse me. I think you forgot my bread.

Summary

The gang all loves the soup from a new, temperamental cook unofficially called the "Soup Nazi". Jerry and his girlfriend are beyond affectionate, and their nickname "Schmoopie" drives George crazy. Elaine buys an antique armoire on the street, but it is stolen while being guarded by Kramer.

Director and Writers

Director: Andy Ackerman
Writers: Spike Feresten

Quotes

George: Why can't we share?
Jerry: I told you not to say anything. You can't go in there, brazenly flaunt the rules and then think I'm gonna share with you.
George: Do you hear yourself?
Jerry: I'm sorry. This is what comes from living under a Nazi regime.

Soup Nazi: No soup for you, come back one year!

Kramer: Excuse me.
Ray: Are you talking to me?
Kramer: Uh, well, uh, we-
Ray: I said, are you talking to me?
Bob: Well, maybe, he was talking to me. Was you talking to him? Because you was obviously talking to one of us. So what is it? Who?! Who was you talking to?!
Kramer: Well uh, we were kind of, uh, talking to each other, weren't we?
(Kramer and Jerry turn around and run away)

Elaine: You're through Soup Nazi. Pack it up. No more soup for you. Next!

George: Medium turkey chili.
Jerry: Medium crab bisque.
(George notices he didn't get any bread with his soup.)
George: I didn't get any bread.
Jerry: Just forget it. Let it go.
George: Um, excuse me; I think you forgot my bread.
Soup Nazi: Bread - $2.00 extra.
George: $2.00? But everyone in front of me got free bread.
Soup Nazi: You want bread?
George: Yes please.
Soup Nazi: $3.00!
George: What?
Soup Nazi: No soup for you! (snaps fingers)
(The cashier takes away George's soup and gives him back his money.)

Newman: Jambalaya!!

Elaine: (to Kramer) Street toughs took my armoire?

Jerry: The guy who runs the place is a little temperamental, especially about the ordering procedure. He's secretly referred to as the Soup Nazi.
Elaine: Why? What happens if you don't order right?
Jerry: He yells and you don't get your soup.

Jerry: (to Elaine) He gave you the nice face discount.

Elaine: You know, has anyone ever told you you look exactly like Al Pacino. You know, Scent of a Woman? HOO-AHH! HOO-AHH!
Soup Nazi: Good, very good, you know something?
Elaine: What?
Soup Nazi: NO SOUP FOR YOU!
Elaine: What?
Soup Nazi: Come back, one year! Next!

Kramer: He's not a Nazi. He just happens to be a little eccentric. Most geniuses are.

Kramer: Where's the soup?
Elaine: The Soup Nazi kicked me out.
Kramer: Oh YEAH!!

Sheila: Well, behind every joke there's some truth.
Jerry: What about that Bavarian cream pie joke I told you? There's no truth to that. Nobody with a terminal illness goes from the United States to Europe for a piece of Bavarian cream pie and then when they get there and they don't have it he says, 'Ah, I'll just have some coffee.' There's no truth to that.

Customer: Uh, gazpacho, por favor.
Soup Nazi: Por favor?
Customer: Um, I'm part Spanish.
Soup Nazi: Adios muchacho!

Soup Nazi: (to George) You're pushing your luck little man.

Soup Nazi: You are the only one who understands me.
Kramer: You suffer for your soup.

George: Shhh! I gotta focus. I'm shifting into soup mode.

Newman: (panting) Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!
Jerry: What is it?
Newman: Something's happened with the Soup Nazi!
Jerry: Wha - wha - what's the matter?
Newman: Elaine's down there causing all kinds of commotion. Somehow she got a hold of his recipes and she says she's gonna drive him out of business! The Soup Nazi said that now that his recipes are out, he's not
gonna make anymore soup! He's moving out of the country, moving to Argentina! No
more soup, Jerry! No more for of us!
Jerry: Well, where are you going?
Newman: He's giving away what's left! I gotta go home and get a big pot!

Elaine: So, essentially, you chose soup over a woman?
Jerry: It was a bisque.
Elaine: Yeah. You know what I just realized? Suddenly, George has become much more normal than you.

Notes and Trivia

According to episode writer Spike Feresten, the character of the "Soup Nazi" was based on the owner of a soup stand in the neighborhood of the Ed Sullivan Theater. When Feresten worked on "The Late Show with David Letterman", he and other staffers referred to the proprietor as the "Soup Nazi".

The Soup Nazi was based on Al Yeganeh, the real-life owner of Soup Kitchen International in Manhattan, New York City. After the episode aired, Seinfeld and members of the cast and crew went to the restaurant for lunch. Yeganeh yelled at them and stated that the publicity had ruined his reputation. After Seinfeld offered an apology, Yeganeh yelled "No soup for you!" and ejected them from his restaurant.

Al Yeganeh became famous off this episode, and went on to opening a chain of soup outlets all over America.

Larry Thomas has said he based the "Soup Nazi" voice on actor Omar Sharif.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus had not seen "Scent of a Woman" at the time of episode production and had to be coached for her Al Pacino impression.

The armoire thieves were written as homosexual because Larry David decided "only gay guys would steal an armoire." (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

A part in which Larry the coffee shop owner tells the two couples to stop kissing was cut for time. Larry can still be seen looking at them disapprovingly in the background as the two couples kiss.

This episode was nominated for the 1996 Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing for a Comedy Series. Larry Thomas was nominated for the 1996 Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for playing "The Soup Nazi" in this episode.

The Soup Nazi's real name isn't officially announced until the series finale. The character's real name is Yev Kasem.

When the "Armoire Thief" says, "Are you talking to me?" he is making a reference to Robert DeNiro's famous line from the 1976 film "Taxi Driver".

The armoire stealing "street toughs" reappear in "The Sponge" and "The Puerto Rican Day".

Goofs

When Elaine meets George outside the soup stand, look between them before they enter the building. You can see the bottom of the backdrop rolled up on the ground.

Cast

Jerry SeinfeldJerry Seinfeld
Julia Louis-DreyfusElaine Benes
Michael RichardsCosmo Kramer
Jason AlexanderGeorge Costanza
Wayne KnightNewman
Heidi SwedbergSusan Ross
Alexandra WentworthSheila
Larry ThomasSoup Nazi
Steve HytnerBania
John ParagonCedric
Yul VazquezBob
Thom BarrySuper
Vince MelocchiFurniture Guy
Ana GasteyerWoman
Michael MichaudCustomer (as Mike Michaud)
Buddy QuaidCustomer
Ruth CohenRuthie Cohen
Cedric DuplechainCustomer (uncredited)
Judy KerrWoman (uncredited)
Lawrence MandleyLarry, Owner of Monk's (uncredited)
Vivicca A. WhitsettCustomer (uncredited)