The Copper Kettle - where tradition co-exists with sustainability

March 01, 2019

The Copper Kettle is a mainstay in the heart of Regina`s downtown. For many years, it was the only kitchen in the core, but as the city has grown, so too have the options and clientele. However, one thing has stayed consistent; the integrity of the food and the way they cook it.

“Trends change, and what people want to eat changes too,” says Destiny Slobodian, the Manager of The Copper Kettle. The family restaurant has been in business for over 50 years in Regina, but the owners have a vision and they haven`t swayed much from their roots. “We feel if you use quality products and ingredients and operate with integrity, people will come and leave, full and satisfied.”

Keeping customers full is a labour of love for this family. In the summer they grow about 80 per cent of the produce used in the restaurant through community gardening plots. Destiny says it’s a lot of work but that’s o.k. “When I see the food that we’ve grown going out on the plates and I see how good it looks, it comes full circle and I realize that the extra work is worth it.” 

And when the kitchen is done creating and the diners are done dining, the restaurant changes focus.

“Running a sustainable business is everything to us, and we try to respect the environment in the way we work, keeping our footprint as small as possible” adds Destiny. “When I discovered Emterra and their commercial organics collection program, it was an easy decision. They gave us an opportunity to compost from our kitchen by taking the labour out of it for us.”

Today, The Copper Kettle composts their food waste - all the produce, egg shells, coffee grinds, filters and paper towels, in essence, anything that will break down. They have developed a system that works really well inside their kitchen and staff turned the process into a habit by the end of the first week. Through the organics collection program, they are saving about 30 per cent in waste disposal fees and avoiding the landfill - a testament to the validity of the program. 

Destiny says the restaurant plans to maintain traditions like their 50 year old recipes, but they also want to add a dash of cutting edge. This initiative helps steer them in that direction.

 

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