SHOTLIST:

NEW YORK, U.S. (NOV. 7, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL)

1. VARIOUS OF AMERICAN VENDOR ROY DONK OFFERING BAKLAVA ON STREET

2. CLOSE SHOT OF BAKLAVA

3. BAKLAVA STALL

4. ROY DONK TALKING

5. PEOPLE EATING BAKLAVA

6. ROY DONK SHOWING BAKLAVA TATTOO ON HIS ARM

7. VARIOUS OF ROY DONK OFFERING BAKLAVA TO PEOPLE/ PEOPLE EATING BAKLAVA/ ROY DONK HOLDING BANNER THAT READS "FREE BAKLAVA, NO DRUGS" / CLOSE SHOT OF BAKLAVA

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AMERICAN BAKLAVA VENDOR ROY DONK SAYING:

"So I started selling baklava at a Fish concert in 2021. Fish comes back after the pandemic and I am on their tour. And I say, what can I sell to make money, but won't put me, I don't know, back in jail, give me legal problems, et cetera. So I'm in a middle Eastern like grocery store slash cafe with my friend. And I'm like checking my bank balance, like, Oh, I'm running out of money, but I want to see Fish still. And I'm, I'm trying to pick what should I sell? What should I sell? What should I sell? In front of me is a wall of baklava. And I'm like, this might be funny. This might be cute. People might like this. So I basically buy 45 pieces, not so much. I go to the parking lot. I really buy a tray. I start walking around, baklava for sale baklava for sale baklava for sale but people were like instantly are there drugs in it and I say no there's no drugs and like what's the green stuff on top and I say And I say, pistachios. And they're like, oh, I've never seen pistachios like that. I'm like, okay, cool. How much is it? And I'm like, I haven't thought that far. I don't know how much it is. And I'm like, one for $3, two for $5. And the first guy is like, sure, two for five. Let's do two for five. So I sell all of it in one concert. Next concert how do I get more you know this this is it was so much fun how do i get more baklava how do I sell more baklava um find a new a new connect get it sell it all rinse and repeat 10 shows by then I'm like i need an actual supplier so I go to an area in the kingdom of New Jersey called patterson huge turkish population there i walk into like I try a few stores out and I On this day, I feel reborn because this is the first time I've ever tried Turkish baklava. There's a lot of baklava all around the world, all around Greece, Syria, Lebanon. I've tried a bunch of them, but never before have I tried Turkish baklava until this day. Reborn. This is the best baklava of all time. You taste it in the pistachios. You taste it in the 40 layers. Taste it in the simple ingredients. Not too many spices, No walnuts. Just green pistachios. A spectrum of texture from soft to crispy. With like the most satisfying crunch of all time. And basically... I'm like, I can't sell baklava. I have to sell Turkish baklava because I don't know. I'm a quality freak. I like the best. I have to sell the best item. Since it's gotten this far, I have to take it as far as it will go. You know, like there's no stopping. I have to just continue growing it any way I can. We made these in Turkey. This helps us sell it online. We have a couple different sizes. We also have some smaller sizes that we wholesale to coffee shops, bagel stores. I took my first trip to Turkey in like 2022. I stayed for like three weeks. I went to Gaziantep. I went to Cappadocia. I went to Istanbul twice, you know, like went back and forth. And I went to Antalya. Special, special country. I was met with warm hospitality, the nicest people, the best foods. And it was such a special trip. I got to go back again last year to make all of our packaging, all of our spatulas, once we got our branding down. And that was a really, really productive trip. And then this time in January, I will go back for maybe a month, a month and a half to go to Baklava school. So I'll learn how to make Baklava myself. All I know is I love pistachios. I have it on my sweater. I have pistachio tattoo, Turkish baklava pistachio tattoo. I don't know who made it first, but I know I like Turkish baklava the best. "

9. ROY DONK HOLDING SIGN NEXT TO BAKLAVA STALL, SAYING "It's not a runner's eye. Do you want a piece?

NEW YORK, U.S. - NOV. 7: An American entrepreneur from New York has turned a moment of post-pandemic financial uncertainty into a business, all thanks to his discovery of Turkish baklava.

Roy Donk’s venture began unconventionally in 2021 at a concert. Facing dwindling funds but determined to follow the band "Fish" on their post-pandemic tour, he sought a legal and viable source of income.

"The idea came to me in a Middle Eastern grocery store," Donk told Anadolu Agency. "In front of me was a wall of baklava. I thought, this might be funny, people might like this."

His initial investment was modest: a single tray of 45 pieces of baklava. He started selling them in the concert parking lot, where the unique dessert immediately sparked curiosity.

"People were instantly asking, 'are there drugs in it?' I said no, there's no drugs," Donk recounted. After selling out his entire stock at the first concert, he was hooked on the potential. He continued his impromptu sales at subsequent shows, quickly realizing he needed a proper supplier.

His search led him to Paterson, New Jersey, an area known for its large Turkish community. It was there that he experienced what he calls a revelation.

"This is the first time I've ever tried Turkish baklava... I feel reborn," Donk said. Captivated by the rich pistachio flavor, the delicate 40 layers, and the spectrum of textures, he made a pivotal decision.

"I can't sell baklava. I have to sell Turkish baklava," he stated. "I'm a quality freak. I like the best. I have to sell the best item."

Driven by this new standard, Donk has significantly expanded his business. What started in parking lots now includes a wholesale operation supplying coffee and bagel shops, as well as an online store. His commitment to the product took him to Türkiye in 2022, where he was met with "warm hospitality and the best foods."

His dedication continues to grow. After subsequent trips to finalize packaging and branding, Donk now plans to return to Türkiye to attend a specialized baklava school and learn the craft himself.

"Since it's gotten this far, I have to take it as far as it will go," he said, showcasing his passion with a pistachio tattoo. "I don't know who made it first, but I know I like Turkish baklava the best."