6 minute read
The Baker’s Table
Photography by: Rachel Lutz with Andrew Kung Photography
It’s the small things that can transform a dining experience from ho-hum to extraordinary. It can be the company you keep, a special occasion paired with an unforgettable bottle of wine, or — as is often the case with the most exceptional restaurants — it’s the feeling when all the organic, ephemeral pieces come together to create an experience that demands to be savored. That is The Baker’s Table, a multi-faceted gem tucked away in historic Newport, Kentucky offerings rustic, seasonal dishes from Chef David Willocks who co-owns the space with his wife Wendy Braun.
Primiterra Farm Duck: Milanese, confit, dandelion greens, ginger bagna caudo
At the far end of the restaurant, just past the bar, sits a 25-year-old, hand-built baker’s table. Its smooth surface shows patina and age from being worked and worn. From the minute they saw it, the couple knew that this table would be their restaurant’s namesake — immediately sparking visions of diners huddled around its softened edges, coming together over freshly baked sourdough bread, and relishing in each other’s company. The next year The Baker’s Table would be recognized by Eater as one of their best new restaurants in America for 2019 for its unique ability to entice diners as both a humble, neighborhood hangout and a culinary destination that truly cares about its craft. If you haven’t yet crossed the river to taste for yourself, trust us when we say it’s an experience that you’ll want to relive time and time again.
The Main Bar flanks the side of the restaurant
The inspiration for the culinary and beverage programs of The Baker’s Table comes from Chef Willocks’ 10 years of experience cooking in the San Francisco area. It was there that farmer’s markets and daily changing menus became part of his regular life. The Baker’s Table is the culmination of his passions, utilizing a prix-fixe dinner menu that incorporates ingredients only when they are at their seasonal peak and minimizing their environmental footprint through whole animal butchery. The Baker’s Table proves that eating well doesn’t have to be restrictive. Utilizing nourishing ingredients at their peak and incorporating nutrient-rich, complex carbohydrates make dishes that, simply put, feel good.
The look of the restaurant was meticulously crafted by Braun, a teacher, and writer with a natural eye for design. Drawing inspiration from old botanical and aviary texts from the early 1900s and countless trips to local antique stores, the space was created to draw diners inside—to be at once warm, thoughtful, and striking. Rich vintage details of the space, from the antique fireplace mantle on the custom bar to the array of Audubon prints clustered on the exposed brick wall, harken back to the building’s century-old tradition as a restaurant, grocery, and community gathering place. One of the things that make The Baker’s Table feel inexplicably warm, inviting, and lived-in is Braun’s process of intentionally procuring and curating the items that fill the space.
In unison, the menu and space communicate a tone of eclectic, effortless exceptionalism. In the same way that Willock’s menu regularly incorporates French, Italian, and American Southern influences, Braun marries European antiques with vintage Americana and contemporary accents. What prevents these eclectic influences from over-powering each other can only be attributed to the restaurant’s innately effortless sensibility.
Whether you decide to pop in for a cocktail — the entire menu is available ala-carte at the bar — or enjoy the full dining experience, sampling at least one of the restaurant’s plates of pasta is nonnegotiable. All of the pasta is made in-house and paired beautifully with seasonal ingredients. A seasonal favorite is the lamb Ragu, featuring semolina Cresto do Gallo pasta, slow-cooked lamb from Freedom Run Farm in Kentucky, and plated with a generous sprinkle of fried rosemary and grated grana. Ask your waiter for their pairing recommendation from the restaurant’s curated menu of French, Italian and Spanish wines — with the occasional California thrown in for fun. On the list, you will see a focus on small family producers making wine with minimal chemical interventions and classic flavor profiles. For dessert, a constant staple at The Baker’s Table is their ricotta doughnuts with house-made ricotta and lemon curd. For something a touch more spirited, opt for an Amari Flight featuring the bartender’s choice of three bittersweet Italian liqueurs.
Salad Lyonnaise: Bacon, egg, frisse, green beand, peppers
In addition to making all their breads and pastas in house, The Baker’s Table is currently in the process of sourcing as much of their flour from locally farmed and milled grains as possible. Another recent expansion of their bread program is the opening of The Baker’s Table Bakery across the street this Fall. Utilizing whole-milled grains and farm-to-table produce, their commitment to thoughtful and ethical ingredient sourcing spans both spaces. At the time this story went to printer, Willock’s was currently testing new stone milled flours from Carolina Ground who mill their grains using a slow rotation process which preserves the grain’s naturally nutrient-rich germ resulting in a product with vitality, flavor, and punch.
Blue Heron Mushrooms: salsa rustica, delicata squash, leek puree
This connection with the grain is an integral part of The Baker’s Table’s journey to discover how deeply they can be connected to the food they offer to the community. The bakery serves multiple purposes: shaping and baking breads for The Baker’s Table across the street, as well as serving guests who can pop-in from 7am to 1:30pm Wednesday through Sunday for baked goods, loaves of bread, coffee, and tea, or from 4pm to 9:30pm for farm-to-table pizzas and wine.
Cresto di gallo: lamb ragu, fried rosemary
At the heart of the bakery is the open concept baking table and oven — where guests can watch the team shape and bake fresh loaves of sourdough, multi seed, fig and walnut, molasses and oat, and French baguettes. Espresso from a variety of Cincinnati Roasters and sweet and savory pastries crafted with produce from Ohio Valley farmers round out the Baker’s Table Bakery experience. In the evening the bakery evolves into a rustic pizzeria and taverna where guests can pick up wine and pies with a signature sourdough crust, topped with fresh ingredients including seasonal produce and house-made sausage.
Across both spaces, in addition to their commitment to environmentally conscious food practices, The Baker’s Table believes in fostering a positive work environment including fair compensation and health benefits. It’s a gesture that speaks volumes of the owners’ personal ethics that shows that they prioritize the wellbeing of their workers. From the moment you walk into The Baker’s Table you are warmly welcomed into a non-judgmental space that values respect and kindness overall.
It’s a mission that's driven by their passion to source ingredients locally, support farmers and artisans, and keep traditional culinary crafts alive. The Baker’s Table strives to be as self-sufficient as possible, from making their own fresh sourdough and black sesame crackers to pulling their own fresh mozzarella. It’s a commitment to craft you can taste.
Pawpaw pudding: candied pecans, fig leaf semifreddo, molasses
Regardless of the season, there’s one constant you can always count on from The Baker’s Table and Bakery and that’s the love and passion they have for the community they’ve created within and around their restaurants in Newport, Kentucky. Through the pandemic and growing pains, it’s the burgeoning community of people around Baker’s Table that has kept them going. It’s an intrinsic value that touches every ingredient, every effort, and every customer who walks through their door creating an experience that is anything but ordinary.
