Fans of the organic baked goods, wholesome entrees and fair trade hot beverages served by Soul Sistas Wellness Kitchen in Huntsville now have a larger and very inviting space in which to savour their ‘soul’ food.

Judith Blanchette, owner of the restaurant that began as part of The Great Vine and recently operated out of The Bean in Huntsville, opened her business in its own location at 79 Main St. E. on Nov. 15.

The new restaurant’s warm interior features wooden tables and chairs with white walls displaying work by local photographer Kelly Hollinshead and watercolour artist Tish Freeman. Tall windows give a view across Main Street to the river, lending a serenity that supports Soul Sistas’ credo: wishing you wellness.

Blanchette started cooking with wholesomeness and health in mind during her first pregnancy 15 years ago with the help of Catherine Cole, owner of The Great Vine, a health food store on Main Street.

“I want to thank Catherine Cole for teaching me to make things like spanakopita, falafel balls and tandoori potato salad because she really started me in this direction,” said Blanchette, who will offer vegetarian cooking classes in January. “Also my dad, Armand Blanchette, is definitely my hero. He did everything to set up this restaurant. He put the tables together, put up the shelves and the bar, and installed all the counters.”

The wellness theme of Soul Sistas extends beyond its fare to include biodegradable and compostable take-out cups and food packaging. They have a monthly Kids Saving the Earth Club that teaches youngsters to recycle, reuse, reduce and respect the planet. All teas and coffees served, including organic Kicking Horse Coffee from British Columbia, have been chosen for their fair trade practices regarding payment to farmers and support of community projects. Most foods on the menu are organic, and the beef from Ware’s Farm in Huntsville is chemical-free, free-range meat.

“Everything has mindfulness put into it,” said Blanchette. “Everything gets a little personal touch, and I think that’s what people taste as well. I try to make it easy to eat alternatively because I know it can be frustrating.”

Though Blanchette ran Soul Sistas in its two former locations with business partner Vanessa Edwards, she is now the sole owner. Edwards made the decision to spend more time with her young family. Blanchette was wondering about how to continue her business when a family tragedy brought her to a decision.

“People ask where I got the courage to take this on,” she recalled. “When we were in The Bean and the lease was up, I hemmed and hawed about what to do. I’m a single mom with three children, and they are my first job. But then my 23-year-old nephew passed away in May. A lot of learning came out of that. He died, but he died living every day of his life. What I realized from his death was that I wasn’t living my life the way I really wanted to. So, this restaurant was kind of inspired by him. I decided to live my life without fear, and I am going to do what I want to do.”

Starting this week, Soul Sistas will be open until about 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights with live entertainment and an open mike. Come summer, customers can relax in the new garden patio behind the restaurant.

“I want to change the mindset that diet is a bad thing,” Blanchette said. “The stigma is that diet means to lose weight. But I want people to say, ‘Yes, I have a diet – it’s wholesome food.’ Embrace it and feel good about it. I think if we felt better about what we ate, we would feel better about ourselves.”