Kathy Cary has been called an “Einstein in a Toque”. Born and raised in Kentucky, she learned to love food at an early age in her mother’s kitchen.

Kathy apprenticed to a Cordon Bleu trained chef in Washington DC, and later started a small catering firm while working at a stylish Georgetown restaurant. Those were the days of catering for clients like Edward Kennedy and Henry Kissinger, as well as the cast of All the President’s Men.

In 1979 she returned to Kentucky, married songwriter/musician Will Cary, and opened her first La Peche gourmet-to-go shop. Lilly’s is next door to the first La Peche and was designed by her husband. The menu reflects her French-inspired use of traditional Kentucky ingredients with unexpected, contemporary twists.

Great Chefs showed up in May of 1996 to film three dishes for their Great Chefs of America series, and again later for their Great Chefs of the South series.