Ethan Woodroofe and Steven Malone from Derek’s spoke to the ECHO about The Sopranos legend Steve Schirripa’s surprise visit
18:24, 18 Feb 2026Updated 19:01, 18 Feb 2026
The Sopranos star Steve Schirripa and Derek’s co-owner, Ethan Woodroofe(Image: Ethan Woodroofe/Derek’s)
The owner of a Liverpool sandwich shop said it was a full circle moment when a legendary member of The Sopranos cast walked into his store this morning. Ethan Woodroofe co-founded Derek’s in 2021 with his close friend Adam Taylor after a visit to New York made them question why Liverpool didn’t have the same standard of deli as the Big Apple.
The friends from Allerton have turned their vision into a reality as Derek’s, named after Ethan’s grandad, has gone on to become a Scouse institution with four locations dotted around the city. Throughout its growth, two things have remained at the core of Derek’s: the love of a proper sandwich and a love of The Sopranos. The HBO mob drama has inspired some of the most popular items on the menu, such as a gabagool, which is regularly referenced throughout The Sopranos, and the Moltisanti, named after one of the show’s most iconic characters.
Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti, is currently in Merseyside with fellow show legend, Steve Schirripa, as they bring the live version of their hit podcast, Talking Sopranos, to the Liverpool Empire tomorrow (February 19). Steve, who played Bobby Baccalieri in the New Jersey-set crime drama, spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview last month and we recommended he had to visit Derek’s to get an indication of The Sopranos’ enduring influence – and how much we love the show here in Liverpool.
Incredibly, Steve followed up on the tip as he popped into the Derek’s city centre branch on Berry Street today (February 18) to see what the Derek’s hype is all about. Derek’s co-founder Ethan was thrilled about the surprise visit from the TV legend as the 29-year-old told the ECHO: “There was no world where we ever thought a real Soprano would ever actually step foot in that shop.
“Logistically, how is that even possible? The fact that he was here is just the maddest thing for us. It’s so exciting. It’s a real full circle moment.”
Steve Schirripa and Michael Imperioli are bringing Talking Sopranos to the Liverpool Empire tomorrow(Image: Getty Images)
It is Steve’s first time in the city and he arrived at Derek’s around 9am during a wander around Liverpool. It was Derek’s head chef, Steven Malone, who first realised one of The Sopranos most beloved stars had just walked in.
He told the ECHO: “To get the call someone was at the counter, only to see Steve Schirripa, Bobby Bacala himself, was so surreal. As you’d expect, he was an absolute gentleman, and he was clearly really into the vibe of the shop and was asking loads of questions about Derek’s and how it started.
“To have Steve visit the store is an incredible moment for Derek’s and something the owners should be really proud of, I’m sure him and Michael have been made to feel very welcome in Liverpool.”
Steve Schirripa and Derek’s chef, Steven Malone, after The Sopranos star’s surprise visit today(Image: Ethan Woodroofe/Derek’s)
Sopranos memorabilia adorns the walls of Derek’s and clips from the show play on a loop on a TV next to the counter. The head chef explained Steve laughed as he spotted a picture of himself in character as Bobby. He said: “He clocked his picture on the wall, just smiled and went ‘Who’s this guy then?’ It was so sick.”
Ethan had yet to arrive in the shop when Steve first walked in, but rushed to Berry Street once he was told The Sopranos star was on site. He agreed with the head chef’s assessment as he praised the 68-year-old TV star’s generosity and down to earth nature.
He said: “He was everything you hoped from someone you’ve admired and someone you’d watched for years. He was just a really nice fella. He give me loads of his time.
“I was stood outside with him talking for a while. We were talking all things Liverpool, he was asking about Chinatown, the Georgian Quarter. I was asking him about the show and he give me a little Easter Egg, something a little bit special that’s happening [at Talking Sopranos live], which was dead cool.”
The early morning trip came just after Steve’s breakfast, so the crew at Derek’s are whipping him up something special for a pre-show sandwich tomorrow. Ethan said: “We did a bit of research and apparently an eggplant parm is his favourite. We’ve created a special one for him.”
Ethan and Steven are both huge Sopranos fans and are looking forward to attending the Talking Sopranos show tomorrow. But the live show is unlikely to beat the buzz of their first person encounter, which is still sinking in. Ethan said he will forever treasure the moment the TV icon walked into his shop and turned Liverpool’s Derek’s into a real life version of The Sopranos fictional meat store, Satriale’s.
He said: “He’s a legend and I really appreciate the time that he give us and the way he just chatted with us about normal things. Off his own bat, he just wandered down on his own for a little nose.” He added: “For us, this is like one of The Beatles walking in.”
Talking Sopranos is coming to the Liverpool Empire tomorrow