Meet the Team

Roadie Spotlight

Meet the smiles that light up the Roadhouse!

Our Roadhouse crew is known for their above-and-beyond commitment to service. They’re so focused on making sure you have an excellent Zingerman’s experience that they’ve earned prestigious James Beard award nominations for Outstanding Hospitality two years in a row. If you’ve dined at the Roadhouse, you’ve met some of these sparkling folks. We’d like to give you the pleasure of getting to know the people that make our all-American spot so special.

Monica Nedeltchev

What do you do at the Roadhouse?

I am a kitchen supervisor. I’ve worked at the Roadhouse just over 4 years. I started as a line cook, and about two years later, I became a catering lead cook, and then a kitchen supervisor.

What is your favorite thing on the Roadhouse menu?

My favorite item on the Roadhouse menu is the kale and pine nut salad. I can and do eat it as often as I can. The SarVecchio parmesan that becomes sort of emulsified with the lemon vinaigrette. Pine nuts. Dried cherries. Fresh kale. A pinch of Tellicherry black pepper. I love it all.

What is your favorite food from another Zingerman’s business?

The Zingerman’s Creamery products have definitely won me over. The sorbets they make are incredible. Currently, I’m loving the satsuma sorbet. I’m certainly missing the dulce de leche gelato they used to do. I also love the goat cheese they make. All of them, but especially the mini goat brie.

If you had to choose, fried chicken or BBQ?

I’d choose BBQ. The smoky flavors are really unique!

Do you have any nicknames?

Not particularly. I sometimes go by Mon, but that’s pretty much it.

Favorite music?

I’m all over the place when it comes to music. Right now, I’m listening to a lot of Sara Watkins, Chris Cornell, and a band called Bright Eyes.

Where did you grow up?

I pretty much grew up in Ann Arbor. I went to Community High School in Kerrytown, and I went to U of M for undergrad. I always thought that I wanted to leave Ann Arbor after high school, but I’ve become really accustomed to the local food scene here between the farms, farmers markets, and small businesses. Plus, the University has a lot of really great resources and brings a lot of very intelligent people to the area.

What are some of your favorite things?

I enjoy playing with my puppy Leo, doing yoga, hanging out with my plants, helping out at Tamchop Farm, and taking photos. I have gotten really into houseplants in the past few years so I now have sizable cactus/succulent and tropical plant collections. I’m also planting my first vegetable garden this year!

What do you like best about working at the Roadhouse?

The people. My coworkers are really fun and engaging people. We tell a lot of jokes! They also teach me a lot. Some of them have been working at the Roadhouse much longer than me, and many of them have been working in kitchens about as long as I’ve been alive. Regardless, they all offer insight and perspectives that make me a better cook and a better person every single day.

Who are your dream dinner guest(s)?

 I get really excited about cooking for my family and close friends. Especially given the way our perspectives on indoor dining have shifted in the past year or so, I’m really excited to do that again!