Chef Chris Lavigne's Blog

Taste of Durham Follow-Up

2008-02-09T14:42:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to the Chef's Blog. Last Saturday, February 2nd, Chef Cuneo and I participated in the annual Taste of Durham at the Durham Public Library. It is a fundraiser for the Library and allows Restaurants, such as Lily's to share their various cuisines. We had a great time and hope that you enjoyed yourselves and the food. A nice surprise was that Lily's Cafe was voted Best of Show by the attendees. It was an unexpected honor and I'd like to thank everyone that attended. We look forward to sharing new items at next year's event.

Taste of Durham

2008-01-31T13:33:00.002-08:00

It's time for a brand new part in the Lily's cafe adventure! This Saturday, the second of February, Chef LaVigne and Chef Cuneo will be at the Durham Public Library from 6:30 until 9:00 pm for the Taste of Durham!

What the heck is the Taste of Durham?

Very good question. The Taste of Durham is a small gathering at the Durham Library that gives citizens from all around Connecticut to...well...get a taste of Durham. The taste of Durham includes not only restaurants and food from Durham, CT, but also from towns around Durham, such as Middlefield and Middletown.

What happens in the Taste of Durham?

Another excellent question. Well first off, you can try the unique food from many different restaurants near Durham (including ours!) to test out places that you have never been before. The thirty dollar admission includes a taste of all the food that your hungry little heart desires and three bar tickets. Yes, there's alcohol! It's a win-win situation. Of course, this means that nobody under twenty one years of age will be allowed to participate in the fun. And don't fret, if you don't have a ticket already, you can buy one at the door in person. But make sure to get there quick, the tickets have been known to go faster than the food's eaten (which means that they go very fast!)

If you haven't already tried Lily's yet, this would be a great opportunity to test it, even though Chef LaVigne can almost guarantee that the food will be excellent. This is a big step for the new business and we hope that you will be able to make it. We hope that you enjoy yourselves and welcome you to the Taste of Durham!

Taste of Durham

2008-01-31T13:33:00.001-08:00

Week Ending 12/2/07

2007-12-02T13:23:00.001-08:00

Lily's Cafe opened for weekend hours yesterday and it is obvious that very few people realized we were open. As word gets out I'm hopeful business on the weekends will pick up quickly. For those who ventured into the Cafe, you will have noticed that we've changed the weekend menu slightly. Roberta and I have decided that there are too many people who haven't been able to experience the lunch menu because of their work schedules. Therefore, Saturdays will feature our lunch menu from 11:00 to 3:00. Sundays will feature the brunch menu. However, please note that the brunch menu has changed due to staffing availability. The website currently features a brunch menu that we would like to accomplish at some point in the future. In the meantime, the offerings have been scaled back but the quality you've come to expect from Lily's will not change.

I appreciate those of you who have checked the website for my blog and for our menus. I know that you've been frustrated by the fact that I have not been able to publish my weekly menus. However, please note that I'm still working on posting my weekday dinner menus to the website. I am actively working with my web designer to learn the process so that I am capable of updating items on my own. She is currently unavailable for approximately 10 days but will consult with me when she returns. It will happen soon. Thanks for your patience.

Chris

About Chef Chris Lavigne

2007-10-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Chef Chris LaVigne entered the culinary world as a result of a mid-life “aha!” He first explored his passion for food while participating in a recreational course at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York City. At the end of the course his career would follow a new path. He enrolled in the Advanced Professional Course at the Connecticut Culinary Institute in Farmington, CT (now located in Hartford). Upon graduation he worked an externship to refine his skills at Jordan Caterers in Cheshire. He then accepted a position at Flik International, a corporate dining corporation with clients worldwide. He first position was as a cook in the Middletown office of Aetna. He quickly became a First Cook at the SBC Building on the wharf in New Haven. He then transferred to the Hopkins School in New Haven as a First Cook, then Sous Chef, and finally the Executive Chef.

Energized and eager to share his creative ideas with a wider audience, he opened Lily’s Café, LLC in Durham and looks forward to providing new additions to your local culinary options. �