QA & with Chef Andrea

Q. Tell us about your Scandinavian café and shop, Süti & Co:

A. Simply put, Süti & Co is my manifestation of hygge, a Danish word describing something that brings comfort and happiness. We opened last year inside a quaint cottage right off of Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. It all started with a small menu of local coffees, teas and a rotating selection of shortbread cookies that I bake in-store using my family’s generational recipes. We recently expanded our menu to include gluten free/vegan olive oil cakes, Scandinavian pastries, such as cardamom snails, toasts, or smørrebrød, on Tuesdays, with more exciting offerings to come. I have also curated a selection of artisancrafted home goods for purchase, all representing this hygge lifestyle that is so important to me.

Q. How has your Danish background influenced you as a chef?

A. I grew up in Copenhagen, Denmark, surrounded by the hygge lifestyle that has become so popular recently in the states. This way of living, focused on coziness and contentment, has truly shaped every part of my life from my design of Süti & Co to my appreciation for fresh, simple ingredients. I spent all my summers in our family garden, harvesting fresh herbs, veggies and fruits for snacks and watching my mother and grandmother utilize our backyard bounty in every meal. Life was all about finding comfort in simple pleasures, which has become my philosophy in cooking, baking and living. When I make a meal for you, using ingredients and recipes that all have beautiful stories behind them, I want you to feel the same sense of happiness and fulfilment that I experience in the kitchen.

Q. How did you get into this business?

A. Believe it or not, my first job was at Goldman Sachs in New York as an investment banker! Despite spending my childhood in the kitchen and garden, I was always good with numbers. I thought using those skills would provide a practical and safe career, but I quickly realized the importance of having your heart in your profession. I found myself sketching menus and cooking while trying to unwind and destress. With encouragement from my family to chase my childhood culinary dreams, I foraged a new path into hospitality, attending the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America and training under such Michelin-starred chefs as Noma’s René Redzepi

Q. What is your favorite part of your job?

A. I opened Süti & Co last year with high hopes that it would eventually become a gathering place that brings people peace and happiness. Seeing that dream come to fruition so quickly has been such a privilege. I want people to know they can come as they are, enjoy a shortbread or other süti (which means “sweet treat” in Danish) and relax. Seeing people utilize Süti & Co the way it was intended is simply a dream come true.

Q. What are your goals for Süti & Co?

A. Maybe it’s the chef in me, but I am always thinking about the next, creative step in any journey I embark on. For Süti, I am so excited to begin hosting Supper Clubs every Saturday in the summer, starting May 6. We will set up a beautiful table for a few dozen guests, and the day’s freshest ingredients from my garden and local farmers markets will dictate my menu.