January Maker of the Month

For over 40 years, Cyndi Colvin has lived and breathed the food service industry. As a young child, Cyndi dreamed about recipes, often making them into a reality served for dinner. On one such occasion, Cyndi even employed the help of the famous chef, Mike Roy, by calling into a radio station, seeking his expert advice.

Cyndi’s professional culinary career began as a full-service caterer, and spanned to dishwasher, waitperson, bartender, line cook, and business owner. With career highlights like catering backstage for shows like Hollywood Squares, Cyndi’s time in the kitchen has been a constant source of adventure.

Working as the Food Service Director in a public school, Cyndi jumped at the opportunity to share her love of culinary creativity and global fare, while expanding the minds of the students. With a little inspiration from the late Chef Anthony Bourdain, Cyndi gave each student their own passport and took them on a food journey. Each time a new cuisine was prepared and eaten, the children would receive a stamp in their passports. A meal of homemade ramen was not only an introduction to foreign flavors, it was also a lesson in chopsticks. Experiences like this introduced the children to new fare, cultures, and customs, and they absolutely loved it!

After budget cuts within the school, Cyndi found herself feeling unsure about the future. Not wanting to compromise on her passions, Cyndi hit the trails, and took a long walk to contemplate her next move. The next morning, Cyndi had a plan and put it into action. In December 2018, Cyndarella’s Kitchen was born, and Cyndi began creating one-of-a-kind gemstone crystal candies and chocolate geodes. Cyndi’s proprietary blends of flavors are just as unique as the shapes of the candies. As you can see, her captivating, multi-faceted pieces look more like geological discoveries than traditional candy. It is no wonder Cyndi’s candy is a huge hit at Gem and Mineral Society shows as they add a new and special level of excitement for nature and rock enthusiasts.

In the coming spring, Cyndi will be introducing new sensational candies and a website that will allow more people to enjoy her unique confections. Her head is always full of new ideas inspired by nature and her community. Always busy innovating, Cyndi reminds everyone to “Enjoy life and remember to be sweet!”