FARMER’S MARKETER

Lilly’s ~ A Kentucky Bistro

Written by Bridget Williams / Photography by Eric Williams

A Louisville institution since it was founded in 1988, Lilly’s Bistro is the antithesis of mass-produced, overwrought, chain-style cuisine. Rather, it’s the kind of neighborhood haunt where longtime wait staff can gauge the mood of regular clientele by the type of drink they order. Kathy Cary has been at the helm all these years, garnering scores of accolades along the way (most notably being selected as the first chef from Louisville to receive an invite from the James Beard Foundation) and forging a path as a pioneer of the locavore movement decades before it became all the rage.

Photo by Chad Henle

Growing up on an idyllic farm in Oldham County, Cary says that eating local is part of her culinary DNA.

“When we opened in 1988, our menus read ‘God Bless Our Local Farmers,’” she added.

Scouring local farmers’ markets and keeping constant contact with regional producers to see what’s fresh is certainly more work, but Cary hardly bemoans the extra effort. In fact, her continued passion for her craft, despite the admittedly grueling hours, is unwavering.

Recently given its first facelift in 24 years to contemporize the color palette, the interiors of the cozy dining room maintain the endearing touches that make dining there so unique and appealing.

Two of my favorites are the gargantuan peach mural painted by Cary’s husband Will in the private dining area and the pinch pot salt cellars on each table that were created by a fourth-grade art class at Collegiate nearly a decade ago. Walls and trim that once sported highly saturated colors have been replaced with lighter tones that highlight the eclectic assemblage of murals and artwork. Simple linen drapery and wooden slat blinds dress the windows and envelope the private dining room. “I love its new clubby feel,” said Cary.

During a five-day hiatus in July for renovations, Lilly’s multi-cultural culinary staff, including Chef de Cuisine Alejandro Perez, Lunch Chef David Scales, Sous Chef Mamadou Ndiaye, Pastry Chef Amineh Elsherif and Chef Chris King, devised a new menu format that is revised every two weeks. Enjoying the creative freedom that comes with a continually morphing menu, Cary explained the practical side of the change, “We are now better able to keep up with the seasons and what’s readily available.”

Using vegetables, fruit, and protein at the height of their flavor allows Cary to treat ingredients with a light hand so their distinct flavor profiles shine through. It also reflects her commitment to healthy eating.

“By introducing new ways of using familiar ingredients and removing some of the heavy sauces, we are teaching the public a little too,” she said.

Summer’s superstar, the tomato, played a prominent role in several dishes during our recent visit. A stack of heirloom tomatoes – some from Cary’s own farm – were succulent enough to be a sundae stand-in! The selections represented a culinary world tour, from pork belly spring rolls – an homage to Chef Perez’s Korean heritage – to Southern-style Woodland Farm barbeque short ribs on a bed of creamy Weisenberger grits.

I would challenge vegetarians to find a more beautifully presented tribute to local farmers than the restaurant’s farmer’s plate, whose composition was done with such artistic flair that I felt bad desecrating it to delve into its freshly harvested goodness.

While no one would fault her for bemoaning the newbie darlings of the local food movement, the ever gracious and upbeat Cary (who sources nearly 95 percent of her ingredients locally) says the current culinary climate is a boon for farmers and consumers. “As demand increases, places like Foxhollow Farm are able to increase production and availability.”

Cary’s commitment to sustainable, healthy eating goes beyond her work at Lilly’s. Eighteen years ago she founded From Seed to Table, a cooking-and gardening educational program to benefit at-risk inner-city teens at the Cabbage Patch Settlement House. She recently partnered with the Bluegrass Chapter of Slow Food to prepare an elegant garden dinner at Yew Dell, featuring local and organic food.

Despite her decades of professional success, Cary is perpetually focused on what is most dear to her: family. “I’m most proud of my 36-year marriage and my two great kids.”