Getting the space to create has always been a pipe dream for many independent cooks in Toronto, but Syzl is here to change that.
Launched just earlier this week by Toronto cofounders Azrah Manji-Savin and Adrian Savin, Syzl is a new app and platform that connects food makers with certified, licensed, and professional kitchens in the GTA, Oshawa, and Barrie.
The online marketplace gives verified users access to over 35 kitchens in Ontario for monthly, weekly, daily, or hourly rental. As long as you’re insured and have your food-handling certificates, you can easily book your dream kitchen space online.
“With the rise of gig economy services and ghost kitchens, we saw a gap in short-term kitchen booking for food industry professionals that hinders local innovation,” said Azrah Manji-Savin, cofounder and CEO of Syzl.
“Finding an on-demand or short-term professional, certified kitchen is a complicated process for chefs or food entrepreneurs, while for kitchen operators, closed hours, delays, and empty stations are lost opportunities for revenue.”
Already, 400 independent cooks have signed up for the platform, ready to book their space. Syzl allows them to browse through all available health and safety-certified kitchens that can be filtered by location, availability, and types of equipment.
With the rise of ghost kitchens and pop-up creators, Syzl comes at a perfect time to bridge the gap in the industry between creativity and accessibility, which is why they’re entirely supported by Restaurants Canada and some prominent Canadian chefs.
“Creating food for others is an incredible experience that requires the necessary financing, equipment and space to bring it to life,” said Romain Avril, celebrity Chef and Syzl advisor. “Syzl helps open the doors for so many chefs and food creators who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so, while benefiting restaurants who aren’t open 24-7.”
Restaurants like Ahma, Vit Beo, and Mess Hall already have their kitchens listed on the app, and many more are still being added. The idea’s been so well-received by the food community that the team already has plans to expand to Calgary and Montréal later in the year.
Here’s hoping we’ll be seeing many, many more creative food businesses and pop-ups in the near future. Check out Syzl’s website for all their kitchen listings, or rent out your own if you’ve got one to spare.
