Sõl Kitchen delights the heart, mind and soul with flavour and nourishment! Silann Kaduc has loved cooking ever since she was a little girl. At 25, she opened Rain Tree Café, a restaurant and live music venue showcasing local artwork, in Waterloo, Ontario. After selling Rain Tree and moving to Collingwood in 2003, Silann became a part of the vibrant local arts scene with her pottery and glasswork creations under the labels Gazelle Earthworks and Urban Nomad travel mugs.
But it was not long before her passion for cooking was once again re-ignited. Silann started renting a small kitchen at the Collingwood Food Co-op and doing pop-up lunches on Friday afternoons. A loyal following for her food and hospitality soon began growing. Two years later, Silann made the move to the current Hurontario Street location, which gave her the opportunity to create a space of her own that is filled with artwork, community, and, of course, delicious food.
Reflecting on the Sõl Kitchen brand that started 10 years ago, Silann says, “Our focus is not so much specific, ethnic types of food as just clean and healthy flavours.” The Sõl Kitchen team takes pride in using fresh and local ingredients, with a menu friendly to keto, vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets.
Support from the Collingwood community
Silann gratefully acknowledges that the mentorship and support from her community have been an integral part of Sõl Kitchen’s success. In particular, Silann notes that support from her friends and family and her mentor Marcel Rutte has played an essential role in helping her business succeed from its earliest days.
She also credits the town for fostering an ecosystem of businesses and individuals who make Collingwood the thriving place that it is. Silann states, “All the programs, activities and events that the BIA organizes and coordinates help keep the community a whole and a vibrant place, and that is something that not only creates an environment that would attract someone to start their business here but also attracts people to want to live here.”
Nurturing creativity in the kitchen
Silann is an artist at heart, and her creativity translates into every aspect of her business, from cooking the food to designing the environment to creating the vibrant atmosphere to reorganizing the pantry items. Silann says, “If you are a person with a creative spirit, you always find a way to carve out a creative outlet in your life.”
Silann notes that when she is creating a new menu item, she likes to put her own spin on it to make it a little different and make it more Sõl. An example is a Caesar salad, which might include Romaine lettuce and anchovies at any other restaurant. But, at Sõl, the classic salad has a mixture of romaine, kale, greens and capers mixed with other fresh ingredients in a house-made dressing. The end result is a menu of familiar favourites with a fresh take that makes them equally delightful and delicious. From salads, burgers and sandwiches to quesadillas, pasta and the famous ‘Sõl Bõls,’ the Sõl Kitchen menu offers a variety of options to choose from.
Navigating through the challenges
Sõl Kitchen has made a name for itself over the years for its fresh, high-quality food. But the journey has not been without its challenges. When the pandemic hit, Silann saw the changes as opportunities for growth and pivoted quickly to adjust to the new reality. For example, to accommodate the well-being and preferences of her staff, she changed the Sõl Kitchen schedule to open four days a week.
Silann emphasizes that Sõl Kitchen would not be where it is without the hard work and dedication of her staff members, some of whom have been with the business for nine years. “Any business owner knows that the success of their business is reliant on their team. The owner may be steering the boat, but without an awesome team, you’re just barking orders to the waves.”
A few years ago, Silann contemplated whether she should sell Sõl Kitchen – not because her business was struggling but because she wanted to have more flexibility in her schedule without the demands of running a business. Around this time, she received wise counsel from her mentor Marcel Rutte who advised her to focus on making the restaurant more self-sufficient rather than selling it to free up more time. It is a piece of advice she took to heart. Silann mentions that her focus over the past few years has been doing exactly that – by expanding the menu items, hiring more staff and refining the soulful atmosphere the Sõl Kitchen is known for. She says, “Change and growth are my love languages.”
Love for Collingwood
Silann has been an active member of the community since her earliest days in Collingwood – from serving on the town’s arts advisory committee to being involved with the Collingwood Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA).
When asked why she moved to Collingwood, Silann responds that she loves being near the water and the lifestyle made possible by being close to nature. “It’s the everyday life quality. In Collingwood, you can go for a swim before you head into the office or go skiing and snowboarding after work. It’s the day-to-day interaction with nature that creates a healthy mindset.”
Beyond the closeness to nature, Silann also loves the supportive art community in town. She says, “Arts and culture are the soul of any community, and when you have people supporting that soul and nurturing it, the entire community benefits and becomes enriched by that awareness and appreciation.”
Silann maintains a studio in her backyard, which is scheduled to undergo renovation in the near future. Silann says that she plans to make more of her famous travel mugs once the renovation is complete. Until then, Silann is expressing her creativity through Sõl Kitchen.
Next time you’re in downtown Collingwood, don’t forget to feed your Sõl with the delicious food from Sõl Kitchen located at 19 Hurontario Street. Sõl Kitchen offers eat-in, take-out, delivery and catering options, in addition to take-home meals and retail foods. Learn more about their amazing offerings by visiting the website.
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Photo Credits: Dave West Photography