Restaurant Solitary: Savouring Saimaa’s bounty – a culinary symphony of local flavours

Surrounded by the enchanting nature and the pure waters of Lake Saimaa, lies a true hidden gem – Restaurant Solitary. Here, head chef Remi Trémouille’s culinary artistry combines flavours in surprising ways, emphasising sustainability and honouring the versatility of local produce.

Restaurant Solitary’s seasonal Chef’s Menu is based on the wild ingredients of the nature surrounding the restaurant; Saimaa’s fish and game, as well as berries, mushrooms and wild herbs from the nearby forests. The dishes are a fusion of cuisines, but the main ingredients are locally sourced, and often complemented with international flavours using herbs and spices.

Solitary’s owner and head chef Remi Trémouille. Photo: Jari Lampén

A respect for nature’s offerings

The starting point to Solitary’s food is to always use readily available produce, and to source ingredients as locally as possible. Solitary’s head chef and owner Remi Trémouille wants to create meals based on what is available, rather than be confined to a set menu that would need set ingredients sourced from afar each day.

The Chef’s Menu contains at least six dishes, and lives entirely according to the ingredients that the restaurant’s local producer network delivers to the kitchen at any given time. For Trémouille, this is a way to be more sustainable and avoid food waste. He tries to maximise the use of all ingredients, which often means he has to think outside the box. “I might get a phone call saying a local fisher has two kilograms of a particular fish that day – so that is what we will serve, and create a dish around the delicious ingredients we have,” Trémouille explains.

Photo: Jari Lampén

According to Trémouille, cooking is the only thing taken seriously at Solitary. Despite the restaurant’s exquisite food, the head chef emphasises that guests are welcome to come as they are. Solitary is located in the main building of Kuru Resort, a private adults-only resort, and the restaurant also follows an adults-only policy. Solitary is also within walking distance from the Järvisydän spa resort and hotel. “We also serve customers from outside the resorts, so guests are warmly welcome to visit us from near and far. This is a place to wind down and enjoy wonderful food in a stunning setting, in the middle of the forest,” says Trémouille.

Photo: Restaurant Solitary

From lake to plate

Trémouille was born in France but moved to Finland at a young age. From there, he went travelling the world, and worked in many prestigious restaurants across the globe. Now, he has returned back to his roots and old stomping grounds of Rantasalmi, Finland. “I find the peace and quiet of the nature here inspiring – and the abundance of produce from the nearby forests and waters means there is no shortage of ingredients,” he says.

The restaurant has managed to create a tight-knit community and a loyal client base in a short space of time. Trémouille and his team forage mushrooms, wild herbs and berries from the forest themselves, and they shoot their own hares. “Some of our neighbours are also kind enough to contact us and share what they have foraged with us,” he adds.

Whether it’s a mozzarella made from the raw milk of cows grazing at nearby fields, pickled vegetables grown at a local vegetable patch, or game caught by a local hunter, the food here is guaranteed to be some of the freshest diners will have at a restaurant. “We are right on the shores of Lake Saimaa’s pure waters, which means we are at the zero source for many of the ingredients. The fish we serve has usually only taken a few hours to go from the lake to the plate,” Trémouille states.

Photo: Maj Kajasmaa

Flavours from around the world from local ingredients

Influenced by his experiences of living and working abroad, Trémouille’s cooking brings together the best flavours from Finland and around the world. The chef’s passion for cooking is reflected in everything he does, and every detail of Solitary has been carefully considered.

“We are driven by a passion for good food and craftsmanship. We want to serve all our diners carefully crafted food made from the freshest, pure ingredients,” the head chef stresses and concludes: “The word ‘solitary’ for us signifies not just the secluded location of the restaurant, but also doing things our own way and daring to be different – and doing it with a lot of confidence.”

Photo: Niko Salminen

Web: www.restaurantsolitary.com
Facebook: Restaurant Solitary
Instagram: @restaurantsolitary

Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm to 12am.
By reservation only.
Please inform us of special dietary requirements and allergies beforehand.
Adults only venue.