Concentrating on feeding locals good food and presenting new food options, Lauran Knight owns and operates the Kaleidoscope Kitchen food truck, with her husband Rob Zdziebkowski and their son Zach. They opened for business on November 26, 2021. Knight says the business has been “a long time coming” and that she has been wanting for a long time to serve the Nederland area from her own kitchen.
What inspires her to create delectable food? Knight responds, “My mom’s side of the family is Italian and food has always been a focal point for us all. She made delicious homemade food for us and we always had a garden during the summer that my Dad would attend to.
“My grandmother, when visiting us in Connecticut from Philadelphia, would make homemade pastas. I can remember helping her and hanging it to dry outside on the back patio. When we would visit my grandparents house for holidays the dining room table would be filled with so many dishes there wouldn’t be any room to eat at the table. I think we have more pictures of the food on the table than of the family.”
Knight says she is self-taught, with a little help from her family. She has worked in kitchens in the area for 30 years: at Tungsten Grill, Pink Flamingo, The Caribou Room, and more. She goes through phases of inspiration: for example, she is inspired by the seasons. She loves learning new cuisines, and some of her favorites have been cajun/ New Orleans, island food from the Caribbean, and Thai. She will always love cooking fresh fish/seafood when she is back visiting the east coast.
Knight has lived in the area for 30 years, first in Nederland and then in Gilpin county. She asserts that “I have always felt that Nederland is my home. My son went through the schools in Nederland….I worked at the Tungsten Grill and Pink Flamingo. And for the past six years have been running the kitchen at The Caribou Room.”
The restaurant has been offering a local favorite, the grilled cheese, keeping it the same because she decided it was the best version. She does plan on evolving the menu with the seasons, stating, “we‘ve recently added a traditional falafel pita to join the gyro and spanakopita….I guess I like Greek food too!”
The prices on the Kaleidoscope Kitchen menu range from $4 to 18 per person.
Knight emphasizes “The main goal at the Kaleidoscope Kitchen is to offer some fun, street-style food that’s yummy and satisfying but still real food, so to speak. Also, to give some new food options for our locals to enjoy.”
You can find the Kaleidoscope Kitchen at 85 E. 1st Street in Nederland and you can also order online on their website at http://www.kaleikitchen.com and additional information on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kaleidoscopekitchen. Lauran Knight can be reached at (303) 815-2242 or by email at Kaleikitchen@gmail.com.
Kaleidoscope Kitchen is open Thursday to Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sponsored by the Town of Nederland, with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Find up-to-date hours & menu.
Link to website, online ordering & contact info at nedtogo.com.
