Ed Lee's new chef at 610 Magnolia is taking local fare to next level of fine dining
When my favorite Louisville restaurant, Milkwood, closed in 2020, I made it a point to visit Edward Lee's only other Derby City spot at the time: 610 Magnolia in Old Louisville. I made reservations to celebrate my birthday there, and in February 2021, my friends and I enjoyed seared carrot, butternut squash soup, beetroot gnocchi, daikon, sweet potato, and a "bourbon aficionado" dessert.
It was the best meal I’d had in a long time.
I caught up with the celebrity chef, author, and restaurateur to talk about the restaurant’s roots and get the scoop on what’s new.
“The original 610 Magnolia was started in 1978 by a gentleman named Eddie Garber,” Lee said, explaining that he met Garber in 2002 while traveling to Kentucky from his home in New York. Before the end of the year, Lee was the Louisville restaurant’s new owner.
“(Garber) convinced me to try and do my food in Kentucky,” he said. “I resisted at first. I was from Brooklyn, so I didn’t really know a lot about the south (or) Southern food.”
Lee agreed to give Louisville a try for a year. But after falling in love with Derby City’s culture, he made a permanent move to the 502, eventually opening more restaurants, including the now-closed Milkwood, Nami, and Neighbors Noodles.
“I obviously stayed for (more than) 20 years, so the rest is history,” Lee said. “It’s been an incredible journey, honor, and responsibility to take over 610 Magnolia.”
Last year, the establishment celebrated its 20th year under Lee’s helm. But in light of industry changes amid the pandemic, he opted to forego a big party.
“There were so many restaurants that had lost their business or were not doing well, or (were) struggling,” he recalled. “We didn’t want to celebrate (while) other restaurants were suffering.”
Lee added that though there was no major anniversary announcement, 610 Magnolia did undergo a big change: The menu was handed off to a new executive chef, Jeff Potter.
“We’re still doing cutting-edge food and pushing the envelope,” Lee said, “and … while I’m still the general overseer, it is Jeff’s menu and his creations.”
Potter said that taking over the menu has been an honor, and he views his job as having one goal: to not mess anything up.
“I just want to … make dishes that I think customers will like,” he said. “The first and foremost thing (that) I think about is, does it taste good? Is it delicious? That’s what I strive for and think about with every dish.”
Potter considers each menu seasonally, incorporating fresh local produce when possible. He says that when it comes to summer foods, he thinks of fresh veggies and grilled meats. This is reflected on the current five-course menu, which features a succotash salad made with goat cheese from Capriole Farm in Greenville, Indiana, as well as grilled pork belly, beef, and squab.
“When (it’s) summer,” Potter said, “you have eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, (and) squash. It’s really bountiful. I just try to find the best way to highlight those ingredients — and I don’t mess around with it too much. You know what you’re eating; it’s not something that we’ve manipulated so many times (that) you’re questioning what (it is).”
The restaurant has been operating solely on its five-course tasting menu, but come October, guests will have the option of a monthly, rotating, seven-course menu as well. Each month, the offerings will accommodate a different diet. October’s selections will be pescatarian, followed by a vegetarian menu in November and carnivore dishes in December.
“This way,” Lee said, “we don’t have to make any compromises, because (if it doesn’t accommodate your diet), you can come to the next one. … It’s really fun for the kitchen, and it’s fun for the customers.”
These rotating menus are slated to be a permanent part of 610 Magnolia’s offerings. By the end of this year, the next three months of themes will be announced.
“This will all be in addition to our five-course tasting menu, (which) is for people that want to experience 610 (but) don’t want to invest in a two-and-a-half to three-hour meal,” Lee explained. The seven-course offerings, he said, are meant to be a deep dive, full-night kind of experience.
Potter said that as 610 Magnolia is often a special-occasion destination, the team is happy to help with additional requests to ensure guests’ dinners are memorable.
“If you wanted us to get some special flowers, or a cake … or something like that,” he said, “we are very accommodating.”
Lee added that reservations are required — and he urges people to make them as early as possible.
“We’re pretty much booked every single night that we’re open for weeks or months in advance,” he said, “(and) even if you ate here last year, you’re not going to have the same menu.”
It’s been a couple of years since I had dinner there, so I’m looking forward to going back and getting a taste of the new items that Potter has crafted. And as Lee says, a visit to 610 Magnolia is about more than just the food.
“It is an incredibly unique experience,” he exclaimed. “You come in, you let go, and you let us handle (everything) for the night. … We’re not just cooking dinner. We’re creating memories, and we’d love nothing more than to curate that experience for you.”
Know a restaurant that would make a great feature? Email writer Lennie Omalza at aloha@lennieomalza.com or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@gannett.com.
610 Magnolia
WHAT: This is a fine-dining restaurant that offers an ever-changing tasting menu made with locally sourced produce.
WHERE: 610 Magnolia Ave.
SERVICES: Indoor dining, 5:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; closed Sunday through Tuesday
CONTACT: 502-636-0783, 610magnolia.com
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 610 Magnolia is the definition of fine dining in Louisville
