Why "Nontraditional Macedonian?" Firstly there is the creative license that the name implies, allowing me the freedom to make whatever variety of Zelnik I choose. However, that tagline also has connotations about my personality, my struggle for purpose and the path that lead me here. I was shy and nerdy as a kid. I still am. Nothing gives me more anxiety than a room full of boisterous personalities. I have a busy mind and plenty to say, but typically keep to myself. Over time I've found alternative ways to express my personality. For instance, I started writing poetry when I was 14. About that time is when my football coach first called me Ryno (me, being Ryan). The nickname has...
What's a Zelnik? That was always the retort when I told my grade school classmates what my favorite food is. To be honest I didn't even fully understand what it was back then. I knew what our family recipe had in it - eggs, cheese curds, feta cheese, and leeks - but I never considered that there were other variations. "It's like a quiche," I once heard and so that's what I told people. As an adult, I must now politely disagree with that assessment. Sure, its a baked dish that has eggs and cheese in it but a quiche is much more delicate, less hearty, and the crust is something entirely different. First of all, the Zelnik's filling is...
I branded this company as Nontraditional for a reason - to give me the artistic freedom to continue exploring other food cultures whilst paying homage to my own.
