Hi!  My name is Renée Bolstad, I am the Pastry Chef/Owner of Koselig Kitchen.  

Koselig(pronounced koosh-lee), is a Norwegian philosophy of where coziness meets happiness in all aspects of life; food, friends, the outdoors and your community.  I grew up with a Norwegian grandmother where there was no shortage of warmth and coziness and plenty of treats for us grandkids.

When the pandemic hit, I was a Pastry Chef in downtown Seattle working for the most wonderful chef.  I knew that would be my last job in a kitchen working for someone else, I just didn’t know it would happen so fast.  As a luxury item for most restaurants, I knew I would be one of the first to go.  Some tears were shed, some advice was given and a few short months later I moved out to Diamond Lake to live with my parents to figure out what my next move would be.  

I’ve known for a long time I have wanted to have a business related to my childhood and a tribute to my grandmother.  When I finally had the time to sit down and really plan, I came up with nostalgic eats and frozen treats as a tag line and it all kind of fell into place.  In my family, I come from a very long line of farmer’s, while it stopped a generation ago, I knew I wanted to start my business in farmer’s markets.  My last name actually means farming community.  I also knew I wanted a gnome to be a part of my brand, since according to Scandinavian folklore they are the protector of the farmstead, it just made sense.  So I purchased my adorable little ice cream cart, with  my Nip the Gnome logo and Koselig Kitchen was born into the local farmers markets last season.

Nostalgic Eats and Frozen Treats

The one question I get asked all the time is, what is my favorite thing to make as a pastry chef?  My answer is always frozen desserts, especially ice cream and soft serve. Since my background is in Michelin Star/Fine Dining restaurants, I wanted to create a plated dessert but in a more accessible form, like a stick or cup, etc.  So I took everything I loved as a kid, treats from grandma’s house and ice cream trucks and re-imagined them as an adult.  I created pudding pops, dixie cups amongst other frozen treats, along with nostalgic eats such as my signature brownies, caramel corn, crackers a various other baked goods.  

It Takes A Village

I have been presented with an opportunity to expand my business to a stand at the historic Wonder Building in Spokane.  The stand will be open seven days a week in the heart of downtown next door to the Flour Mill, across from Spokane Arena, near Riverfront Park and along the Centennial Trail.  While I will still be creating nostalgic eats and frozen treats for the space and the markets, with this expansion I get to add another layer to my business that I have wanted to do for many years, soft serve dipped cones and sundae’s.  I like to call them Nip’s Dips.  

The funding goal I am asking for is $50000.  These funds will go directly into making my dream into a reality.  In this growth opportunity I will be using this money for some start-up product costs, signage, license fees, equipment such as a soft serve machine, some refrigeration lowboys, beverage cooler, and other production and storage containers.  The other half will be spent on a living wage for a staff of the stand and a full-time production pastry assistant.    

Real Talk

Kickstarter is an all or nothing platform.  That means if Koselig Kitchen does not reach the financial goal of $50000, we will not receive a penny of this funding.  If the goal is met Kickstarter will collect 8% of the funds raised, the rest will go to creating the rewards for your generous contributions, purchasing the necessary equipment to get us off the ground and living wages for all of our future employees.  

Other Ways to Help

Asking for help is never easy for me, all of your generosity and belief in me means the absolute world.  I know in these uncertain times, money can be tight, but every contribution helps.

If you could spread the word for this fundraising goal around to all of your friends and family on social media I am confident we can reach our goal! (tag: @koselig_kitchen)

I am also looking to hire several positions, including a pastry assistant and an incredible team of energetic, passionate, hard-working people in the Spokane area.  Please contact me if you or someone you know are interested in joining my team, renee@koseligkitchen.com.