“As an adult, I started seeing how he gave love to people through cooking,” Blazek said. “He was the one who inspired me.”
Blazek’s passion for cooking was realized when she opened Zenzero Kitchen & Bakery in 2012. But her journey to open a restaurant took some time.
She began her early career in the restaurant industry before becoming an executive recruiter for nearly 20 years. Eventually, Blazek discovered she loved cooking and baking more than her corporate job.
“I was so insane,” she said. “I just decided I’d stop doing what I was doing and just open a restaurant.
Zenzero, which began as a bakery and coffee shop with a handful of deli options, has grown to offer an extensive breakfast, brunch and lunch menu over the years. For lunch, Blazek said the sandwiches and salads are popular. The Cuban panini, a customer favorite, includes citrus-infused pork that is slow-roasted for seven hours.
The bakery includes a variety of sweets, such as cookies, pies and biscotti. The cinnamon roll is one of the most requested bakery breakfast items, Blazek said.
Zenzero was the first craft coffee shop in Coppell, Blazek said. The restaurant works with a select group of roasters and makes all its flavored syrups from scratch, she said. The menu also has an array of brewed and espresso drinks.
“I want customers to feel the love that we put into our food,” Blazek said. “Everything is from scratch, and I’m not kidding when I tell you that everything is from scratch.”
That love for cooking and baking can be traced back to Blazek’s grandfather; a picture in his chef garb hangs in the restaurant.
“I like making people happy with food,” Blazek said. “It brings me a lot of joy.”
Zenzero Kitchen & Bakery
171 N. Denton Tap Road, Ste. 600, Coppell
469-293-3550
www.zenzerokitchen.com
Hours: Mon.-Thu. 6 a.m.-3 p.m., Fri. 6 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
