Our Story
About Us
Chef Cheryl Straughter strives to create a warm and friendly experience for all customers who come through Soleil’s doors, order food to their home or office, or enjoy a catered meal. The name Soleil reflects this commitment. Named after her granddaughter, Maya Soleil, the moniker means Sun in French, reflecting the warm approach and healthy, tasteful home-cooked style food. Says Cheryl, “The attributes which describe my granddaughter are also how I want guests to experience Soleil’s service. When you enter, you are family.” Since its opening, Soleil has become a popular local restaurant serving residents of Roxbury, the South End, and nearby neighborhoods; hospital, school district, and other employees; and a wide variety of catering clients, from major hospitals, universities, and corporations to wedding and event venues.
Our Chef
Cheryl Straughter
Cheryl has a long history working in the restaurant industry. She previously ran Keith’s Place, a popular Grove Hall eatery that she named after her son and opened in 1996 to bring sit-down meals to the Grove Hall neighborhood. She later earned a culinary arts degree from Johnson & Wales University to expand her gastronomic knowledge. She opened Soleil in 2019 after learning that a restaurant space was opening up in the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, which houses the Boston Public School administrative staff.
This represented a homecoming for Cheryl, who spent time in Nubian Square (previously Dudley Square) in her childhood, often visiting the area with her mother. Together with other local entrepreneurs and restaurateurs, Cheryl is working to revitalize the area, which is undergoing transformative change, with the vision of creating a lively and upbeat district in the heart of Roxbury.
