Grecian Delight Foods added a nationally recognized culinary talent to its staff with the appointment of Michael Zeller as corporate chef. With 30 years experience, Zeller is known for his work with cutting-edge flavors and food fusion.
Zeller’s recipes are featured in numerous cookbooks, including the award-winning Grilling USA cookbook by Steven Raichlen. Zeller has appeared on the Food Network and in other national media outlets. He’s a member of the Research Chefs Association and has been a keynote speaker at the group’s national convention. Prior to joining Grecian Delight, Zeller developed concepts for the world’s largest sausage manufacturer, Johnsonville.
“Michael’s commitment to quality and creativity make him a perfect match for our team,” says research and development manager Theo Paul, who heads up all culinary development work as well as technical services. “Here at Grecian Delight, we’re creating some incredible new products and programs, like our recent Lavash introduction, for which Michael developed an array of trend-right recipe ideas.”
As the leader of all things culinary at Grecian Delight, Paul has stellar credentials for development and ideation in a variety of settings. He has directed culinary innovation and development at Smithfield Foods and Tyson Foods. Paul has also been an executive chef in fine dining venues; he was executive chef at the world-famous Rainbow Room in New York as well as at New York’s exclusive Union League Club. Paul has also worked at prestigious restaurants in Japan, England, and France, where he studied with Roger Verge at the then Michelin three-star restaurant, Le Moulin de Mougins, and with Antoine Mossman at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Completing Grecian Delight’s culinary team is technical services manager Mike Pietka, who, as head baker, is responsible for all Grecian Delight flatbread and artisan baked goods. A passionate, third-generation baker, Pietka has extensive experience in every type of food production facility—from retail bakeries to restaurants, hotels, and large production bakeries. He brings a mastery of the formulation process for creating the custom and signature items in demand by large foodservice operations. He also is in charge of keeping the baking operations running smoothly. Pietka is deeply involved in the expansion of the company’s baking capacity with the opening of Grecian Delight’s new 130,000 baking facility this summer.
“Grecian Delight has built its reputation on quality, service, and innovation,” Paul says. “Our culinary team lives this commitment every day. I can say with great enthusiasm that the innovation pipeline is percolating at Grecian Delight across every product category we offer.”
