Mandy's Gourmet Salads Opened In Toronto's The Well & Here's The Secret Behind Their Success

Who is the owner of Mandy's Salads?

Mandy's was founded by two sisters, Rebecca and Mandy Wolfe, who started their enterprise at the back of a clothing store in Montreal in 2004.

They chose to make salads because they wanted to do something different, and the fact that they were in a clothing store limited their options to things that wouldn't be too aromatic.

"So we came up with a very limited menu of 10 salads, and that's how we started," Mandy shared.

Now, the company has 10 restaurants in Montreal and Toronto and is planning on growing even more.

How do you work with your sibling and keep your relationship healthy?

From the sound of it, Mandy and Rebecca are pretty close. Wolfe told us they have complete trust in each other in the business and have been able to keep things separate.

The two sisters are five years apart and their "personalities just jive really well together."

Also, the trick here is that they have "very different areas of specialty or expertise."

While Mandy is the mastermind behind all things food, Rebecca is responsible for all the front-of-house decor and branding.

"It's nice to have that organic division of labour, where we don't cross paths in that sense. And we trust each other to make the right choices," Mandy said.

Why is it called Mandy's?

If you need more proof of how healthy the sisters' relationship is, look no further than the restaurant's name.

Wolfe told Narcity they initially called it Greens & Co., which "has a more generic, almost cafeteria feel to it."

She shared that "it was actually Becca who was like, 'No, you're making the food, and there's a story behind it. People relate to stories and personal names,' and she insisted on calling it Mandy's."

"At the time, we were much smaller and I wasn't thinking big picture. Now it's so awkward for me," she added.

What's the best Mandy's salad?

While the diverse menu at Mandy's caters to different flavours and preferences, Mandy shared that if she were walking into the restaurant for the first time and were to choose something off the menu, it would be the Endless Summer or the Peanut Satay.

"They each have tons of flavour and a lot of herbs, which I love," she said.

When asked about the most underrated menu items, Wolfe said not to sleep on the bowls: "They're really, really hearty but so tasty."

Mandy's has a rotating menu that changes with the seasons. Not only is it great because you don't always crave summery salads in the winter, but also, this way, they can make the most of fresh ingredients from local farms.

Wolfe said many of the recipes are inspired by their travels, which is what gives the menu its wide range of flavours and cuisines.

Why are Mandy's cookies so good?

If you've never had a Mandy's cookie before, what are you waiting for? The cookies at Mandy's are so good that they can easily compete with the ones you would find at gourmet bakeries and specialty shops in Toronto.

The cookies are moist, flavourful and drool-worthy. Seriously, how are they so good?

Well, Wolfe shared a little secret that takes them from good to great. She says she's been making cookies ever since she was a little kid and that the secret is in the browning of the butter.

"You're almost cooking the lactose out of it, but you're also making the butter really caramelized and nutty, and it has this indescribable — like you can't imitate it. And it gives the cookie a depth rather than just using straight-up oil or butter," Wolfe shared.

She also adds a little salt to give the cookie the perfect balance between salty and sweet.

"I still bake them at home for my kids. It's a comforting smell," she shared.