Describing Lilly's, thebook "Kentucky Bourbon Country" (by Susan Reigler, a part of the Travel Sleuth Adventures in Dining series) says that Kathy Cary "has been invited to cook at New York's James Beard House more than any other Kentucky chef." As a further honor, the guide says "She's the Alice Waters of Louisville, buying fresh produce directly from local farmers and putting a very sophisticated spin on traditional dishes." Kathy is known and admired both regionally and nationally. The Louisville Dining Guide summed up Lilly's: "The most influential and celebrated Louisville restaurant of the past decade continues its eclectic, seasonally changing, local-produce-loving ways." Food Arts magazine, in a national perspective, included her in "Ten of the Nation's Trendsetter Chefs." Kathy has been selected as one of the few James Beard Award Nominees in the category of Best Chef of the Southeast — in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and in 2006. She won rave reviews for her debut at the James Beard House in 1993 (the first chef from Louisville to be invited to New York by the Beard Foundation), and was honored to be invited back to New York for the James Beard Awards the following year — as one of the chefs who created specialties for the Awards reception, which recognized chefs celebrated for their use of regional products in the creation of American cuisine. Kathy made her third New York appearance for the Beard Foundation in 1995, preparing the Gentleman Jack Gala Dinner in January. Her fourth Beard invitation was in June, 1996, as a "Great Regional Chef of America." In June, 1999, the Foundation issued its fifth invitation, and Kathy created a special evening billed as "A Trio from Lilly's" — appearing with her two chefs, Finbar Kinsella and Josh Lococo. A New York Times writer concluded, after a visit to Louisville, "My eating expedition could actually have begun and ended happily in a sleek restaurant called Lilly's." Kathy's culinary concerns extend beyond the kitchen walls in numerous ways. 2004 marked the eleventh year of a cooking-and-gardening educational program she founded in Louisville: "From Seed to Table," benefits at-risk inner city teens through cooking classes (January-June), hands-on gardening experience (May-September), and field trips throughout the year. Kathy and her daughter Lilly have also appeared on the Television Food Network to promote Citymeals-on-Wheels and Share Our Strength. She has served as a board member of Chefs Collaborative, an organization of American chefs promoting sustainable agriculture. For the 2000 running of the Kentucky Derby, Martha Stewart invited Kathy to tape two cooking segments with her, on Derby food, for Martha's nationally-syndicated television program. Major features in Wine & Spirits, Food & Wine, Southern Living and Bon Appetit and general coverage in many others have evidenced interest from the national food press in Kathy's cooking. During 1997, in addition to appearing on the Today show and on several Food Network programs including a series of "Ready, Set, Cook!" shows, she was chosen as one of Gourmet Magazine's "Great American Chefs," coupled with appearances at the Halcyon Restaurant in New York. She was also honored as one of the "Premiere Chefs of America" by the American Dairy Association. In January, 1998, Kathy participated in the "Master Women Chefs Festival" in Mexico City along with Lydia Shire, Jody Adams, Deann Bayless and others, in the first out-of-the-U.S. women chefs' benefit for the James Beard Foundation. In March of 1998, Kathy was the only woman chef to take part in the Sixth Annual "Salute to Southern Chefs" sponsored by Gourmet Magazine and the Charleston Place hotel in South Carolina. In the following two years, 1999 and 2000, she repeated that "Salute to Southern Chefs" distinction. Much of Kathy Cary's inspiration derives from her knowledge and love of her own Kentucky roots, where she learned to love food at an early age in her mother's kitchen. Apprenticed to a Cordon Bleu-trained chef in Washington, D.C., she later started a small catering firm there and then became a chef at a stylish Georgetown restaurant. She returned to Kentucky, married songwriter/musician Will Cary, and opened La Peche, a gourmet-to-go shop in 1979. Lilly's opened 14 years ago, with its award-winning interior designed by Will, and a menu that reflects Kathy's French-inspired use of traditional Kentucky ingredients with unexpected, contemporary twists. Lilly'sLilly’s is recognized as "The most influential and celebrated Louisville restaurant of the past decade...." Long admired both locally and nationwide, Lilly's food continues to be innovating and inspiring, celebrating the freshness of regional produce. That's why Kathy always prints "God Bless Our Local Farmers" on her menus. When she says that Lilly's cuisine means "no boundaries," she means that the food here comes not only from her own Kentucky heritage and the foods of the American South, but that Lilly's creations are always evolving, greatly influenced by her love of travel both at home and abroad. The Louisville Dining Guide's description of Lilly's is entirely appropriate: "The most influential and celebrated Louisville restaurant of the past decade continues its eclectic, seasonally changing, local-produce loving ways." Part of Lilly's popularity has always been the restaurant's chameleon personality: while the cuisine is always deliciously memorable, the surroundings are infinitely adaptable to your own whims and moods. Come as you are, and you'll be welcomed, or dress to the nines and dine with elegance -- either way, you're sure of a warm reception and a great time. Recipe...Rabbit Liver & Preacher's Ham Croquettes Newsom's Preacher's ham, recently praised by "Gourmet," is the down-home ingredient in this exotic but simple recipe. Rabbit Liver & Preacher's Ham Croquettes Butter & bacon fat to sauté livers 1/2 lb Duncan Rabbit Ranch livers, coarsely chopped 1 small onion, minced 1 small stalk celery, minced 1 T. fresh chervil 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 2 oz. Newsom's Preacher's Ham Kosher salt White pepper 2 T. Panko breadcrumbs 1 large leek, sliced in circles, white only 1 c. chicken stock 1 c. heavy cream 1 c. Burgundy wine 3 T. butter, cold 3 eggs, beaten Panko bread crumbs Melt butter and bacon fat in skillet; add livers and sauté until pink. Remove from pan and set aside. Sauté onion, celery and garlic until soft. In a separate bowl combine livers, onion mixture, chervil, mustard, ham, 2 T breadcrumbs, salt & pepper. Pour cream into sauté pan and reduce by half. Add to liver mixture. Form into 12 croquettes, dip in eggs, then bread crumbs. Refrigerate. Simmer leeks with chicken stock until soft. Remove leeks from stock. Set aside and keep warm. Reduce red wine by half, add the stock from the leeks, and reduce by half again. Stir in cold butter. Fry fritters- place on warm sliced leeks, finish with wine sauce.