The buzz is all about honey in the Heights

Locally harvested hives sweeten the menu at Zelko Bistro 

Kyrie O'Connor, Senior Editor/ Deputy , Houston Chronicle & EPPY Award winner

Karen Warren, Staff

Jamie Zelko harvests honey at Zelko Bistro.

The honey looks nothing like the pale stuff you get from a squeeze bear: It's dark, elemental, erotic. It looks like what it is: the product of living beings.

Dalia Zelko lifts up a screen from a hive box, heavy with wax, dripping with honey. Later, she cuts small chunks, comb and all, out of the screen and offers them for tasting. "Be careful. It's very rich," says Jamie Zelko, but I don't listen.

Dalia and Jamie, the founders of the Heights Honeybee Project, maintain 89-and-counting hives, most of them in the south part of the city, 40 in Alvin. The hives are on the property of volunteers willing to house them. The nonprofit project is what is commonly called a labor of love, a trite phrase that undercounts how much labor and how much love are involved.

The Zelkos, who are married and have a first-grader daughter, Viane, became passionate about bees when they saw the documentary "The Vanishing of the Bees" about three years ago, detailing the plague of colony collapse disorder, which has dramatically shrunk the population of useful honeybees.

Why care about the lack of honeybees, other than being happy not to be stung? Dalia, a master chemist, puts it succinctly: "No pollination, no farm, no food." It's not a stretch to say bees keep us alive.

Neither Dalia nor Jamie knew much about bees when they started out, but they're quick studies. They knew early on that they wanted to populate their hives with wild bees, not commercially grown ones. (They work in concert with bee wrangler Jennifer Scott.) For one thing, it's a way of saving native bees and moving them from nuisance situations to productive lives. For another, the wild bees, often hybrids of the unfairly maligned black Africanized bees and European gold-and-black bees, are sturdier, harder working, less prone to disease.

It's tough work. ("It's working because we're working" is how Jamie puts it.) The Zelkos make their own frames (there are 10 to a box) and sedulously try to maintain the most natural conditions for the bees, including recycling comb from which the honey has been extracted. "God owns the bees; we just create the environment," says Jamie.

Karen Warren, Staff

The Zelkos sell the honey at their restaurant.

Dalia may describe herself as a "science nerd," but she is almost mystical when she describes her relationship to the honeybees. "The bees know you are working with them, and they change their disposition the more you visit," she says. "They know who you are and remember you. If you establish a bond, you see more production of honey." She knows their various buzzes. Sometimes she sings to them.

Dalia is working with the medical center on medicinal benefits of bees and honey. (Jamie's allergies went away when she started eating local honey regularly.) Bee stings seem to help people with auto-immune disorders. But a bee will sting only in extreme circumstances. "The sting is a kamikaze act. The bee must really be threatened to actually sacrifice its life," says Jamie.

Over the holidays, Zelko Bistro had honey and beeswax candles for sale. They sold out. All proceeds get plowed back into the project.

Here are some facts about bees and honey: It takes 36 million blossoms to make one 10-frame box full of honey. A jar of honey requires 2 million blossoms. A bee's territory can't exceed a one-mile radius. Bees can see colors. Don't wear black if you visit a hive. Don't wear perfume.

Both Dalia and Jamie speak of the long relationship between bees and humans. Egyptians used honey in the preservation of mummies. The bee is a key symbol in Freemasonry. Jamie sums it up: "It's the coolest thing, and it's stunning, and it's ancient."

Read more: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/kyrie/article/The-buzz-is-all-about-honey-in-the-Heights-4448728.php#ixzz2R7IcHlqT

Read more:
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/kyrie/article/The-buzz-is-all-about-honey-in-the-Heights-4448728.php?t=285b8d4ba2

Why Verlasso Salmon: Q&A With Master Chef Jamie Zelko of Zelko Bistro | Verlasso

Chef Jamie Zelko | Sustainable Aquaculture Advocate for Responsible Practices

Q: What makes Verlasso salmon such a good fit for Chef Jamie Zelko?

Chef Jamie Zelko is passionate about creating purpose-driven dining experiences that make a meaningful impact on social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Verlasso salmon aligns seamlessly with that philosophy through its innovative approach to responsible aquaculture and sustainable seafood production.

When Chef Zelko learned about Verlasso’s commitment to sustainability, from its carefully considered feed ingredients to its responsible farming practices, the partnership was a natural fit. We believe in supporting forward-thinking solutions that protect our oceans, preserve seafood resources, and help ensure the long-term future of our industry.

Research and intentional sourcing are central to Chef Zelko’s culinary philosophy. Every protein served at Zelko is thoughtfully selected and backed by extensive research, reflecting a commitment to quality, responsibility, and sustainability. Verlasso salmon is no exception—it represents the kind of innovation and conscientious sourcing that aligns with our mission to create exceptional food while making a positive impact.

Q: How did Zelko help bring Verlasso salmon to market, and what role did Sysco’s Chef Ex program play?

Zelko was more than an early supporter of Verlasso salmon; the restaurant became a pioneering discovery partner, helping recognize the product’s potential and champion its introduction to the market. For Chef Jamie Zelko, discovering Verlasso was an opportunity to bring together culinary excellence, responsible sourcing, and a forward-thinking approach to the future of seafood.

Through the introduction and support of Sysco’s Chef Ex program, Zelko was able to explore Verlasso’s innovative approach to salmon farming and evaluate how the product aligned with the restaurant’s culinary standards and sustainability commitments. The program helped create a connection between an emerging sustainable seafood solution and a chef who understood the importance of bringing meaningful innovation from concept to the plate.

Chef Zelko’s involvement reflects the influential role chefs can play in shaping the food industry. By researching products, evaluating their quality and sourcing practices, and identifying ingredients that align with their values, culinary leaders can help introduce promising innovations to the broader marketplace. Zelko’s willingness to champion Verlasso demonstrated how a purpose-driven restaurant could serve as an important bridge between responsible seafood producers, distribution partners, and diners seeking exceptional food with a greater purpose.

The collaboration also highlights the value of partnerships across the foodservice industry. With Sysco’s Chef Ex program helping facilitate the introduction, Zelko had the opportunity to explore a product that represented a new way of thinking about farm-raised salmon. That connection helped position Verlasso not simply as another seafood offering, but as an example of how thoughtful product discovery, culinary expertise, and industry collaboration can help advance more sustainable food choices.

For Chef Zelko, the decision was consistent with the philosophy behind Zelko: seek out products that deliver on quality while contributing to a more responsible food system. By recognizing Verlasso’s potential and helping pioneer its introduction to the market, Zelko exemplified how chefs can be catalysts for change—using their expertise, purchasing decisions, and influence to support innovations that may help shape the future of seafood.

Why Verlasso Salmon: Q&A With Jamie Zelko Of Zelko Bistro | Verlasso

Chef Jamie Zelko on Sustainable Aquaculture and Conservation
http://www.verlasso.com/conversation/article/why-verlasso-salmon-qa-with-jamie-zelko-of-zelko-bistro/