5 minute read
Interesting Lodgic
An innovative nonprofit concept aims to "feed" the local community in myriad ways.
Written by Bridget Williams / Photography courtesy of Everyday Kitchen
When asked what pops to mind when someone mentions a Moose Lodge, I'm fairly certain that I'm not the only one who immediately thinks of a wood-paneled bar predominantly populated by octogenarians. So, you can imagine my surprise when I recently revisited the Lodgic Everyday Community on Market Street in Louisville's NULU neighborhood and discovered that the entirety of the happening complex—comprised of a co-working space, a kid's camp, the Everyday Kitchen restaurant, Clever Moose Café, and event space—is part of a nonprofit enterprise founded by Moose International, one of the world's largest and oldest service organizations supporting working families.
I'd enjoyed a lovely meal at Everyday Kitchen shortly after it opened this past spring and had no idea that all of the additional amenities within the 20,000-square-foot Gateway to Nulu building were interconnected until I sat down with Mike Wajda, the restaurant's Senior Executive Chef.
Tim Quinlan, Lodgic’s food and beverage manager and Michael Wajda, Senior Executive Chef at Everyday Kitchen
Wajda was lured to Louisville six years ago to helm the kitchen at Proof on Main. "When I first moved here, people said I'd never want to leave, and they were right," the chef commented. He left Proof for the consulting world, allowing him to focus on both the culinary and culture aspects of a restaurant's back-ofhouse operations. While he experienced success in this realm, working with clients that included The Polo Bar in New York City and Fia in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood, the travel schedule was grueling, and he was away from home for weeks at a time. Working in New York City when the first COVID restrictions became a reality, Wadja said, "I couldn't get out of there fast enough." The real game-changer was when he and his wife, an event planner, found out they were expecting their first child.
During this same time, which Wadja said coincided with a "period of feeling profound empathy," he was approached by Cheryl Farr, CEO of Lodgic Everyday, about the concept's expansion into Louisville. "The nonprofit aspect of what they were doing really appealed to me," he explained.
The “Great Lawn” in the co-working space at Logic. Photo by Kurt Griesbach.
Seeing their membership and revenue in a prolonged period of decline, the leadership at Moose International, a fraternal and service organization founded in 1888 as the Loyal Order of Moose, began to look for new ways to continue their mission while reaching a more diverse audience. As a result, the first Lodgic Everyday Community opened in 2018 in Champagne, Illinois, followed by Madison, Wisconsin in 2020, and Louisville in 2021.
"Lodgic is a completely new kind of place that will offer modern professionals and families the flexibility and support in three areas they value most," said Scott Hart, CEO of Moose International, in a press release announcing the opening of the Champaign Lodgic. "Maximized productivity, high-quality time together as a family, and a genuine sense of community are at the core of Lodgic."
Barramundi with fennel. Photo by Dan Dry
Wadja says he enjoys supporting local farmers through Everyday Kitchen and being a part of programming for children in the Lodgic Kids Camp that allows them to learn about nutrition and experience a connection with those who grow their food. At present, Wadja says Everyday Kitchen partners with approximately 30 "best in class" farmers of all sizes. Seasonality is paramount in developing the menu, which the chef says defies any tidy categorization outside of a focus on farm-to-table freshness. Inspiration comes from all corners of the globe. For example, Turkish Urfa peppers in an aioli elevate humble crispy potato wedges into something special. Sourced closer to home, Oma's Stuffed Golabki Cabbage on the current menu reflects Wadja's Polish heritage.
New York strip with chimichurri mole. Photo by Dan Dry
While the restaurant part of a larger organization with multiple outlets, Wadja enjoys complete autonomy in the chef-driven kitchen. The entire menu undergoes a seasonal change six times a year, although small things, such as the Tartine of the Day, change daily.
Barista at the Clever Moose Cafe
When you dine at Everyday Kitchen, you are also "feeding" the community, as one hundred percent of proceeds are reinvested to support working families, small businesses, and more.
Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, Everyday Kitchen is located at 552 East Market Street in Louisville. For more information, visit lodgic.org/louisville-ky.
