As part of the celebration of the return of Chef Don Warfe as Lily’s Executive Chef Lily’s presents Prime Rib Week!
As Lily’s Dayton owner Emily Mendenhall explained in a Facebook post, “When Don called me a cold day in January 2022, I knew he was going to be leaving. He and his partner had just had a third addition to their family that summer, and she had just finished her masters degree, and I knew he was feeling the burnout common to our industry that was amplified during peak Covid where it seemed like everything we had learned in decades in the industry & all best practices were out the window. I took the news in stride over the phone, but cried heavily that afternoon.
I had tapped Don late 2019 after knowing him casually and thinking him to be “good people” and respecting his work in the industry, knowing he’d be great to help usher in a more casual, eclectic, and budget friendly version of Lilys that was designed around tropical and tiki inspired bar offerings.
And in the time we worked together, we had been able to realize that vision in fits and starts and he saw me and the team through some of the most trying periods I’ve ever experienced. I knew it was a hard decision for him to make, but I was still immensely sad and nervous. I was sad to lose his energy, his passion, his sense of humor, his taste in music, his camaraderie, and the feeling of both getting to work and collaborate not only with a well-respected peer, but a true friend.
I realized we didn’t have to lose all of that—so we stayed friends. We texted and sent memes & gifs & dumb jokes and occasionally talked shop. Over time, I realized that while Don was loving being the primary care giver in his family, that he was itching to get back into a kitchen. Things had starting shifting at Lily’s and in the end, it turned out that him returning made sense for a lot of people and for the business. And best of all, he and his family thought it was a good fit too!
I am just over the moon to have him back in a role teaching, mentoring, leading, & collaborating.”
Here’s the menu for Prime Rib Week:
Starters:
•French Onion Soup with crouton and toasted provolone $9
•Wedge Salad with house made blue cheese dressing, topped with bacon crumbles, cherry tomatoes, blue cheese and green onion curls $11
Entrée:
•12oz. Slow roasted Garlic & Herb encrusted Prime Rib, with your choice of two steakhouse sides $39.95
Sides:
• Loaded steakhouse baked potato
• Creamed Artichoke Spinach
• Jumbo Onion Rings
• Mac and Cheese
• Stewed Tomatoes
• Grilled Asparagus
Add ons:
•Sautéed mushrooms $4
•Béarnaise $3
•Cajun Compound butter $2
Reservations are suggested and can be made online at https://www.exploretock.com/lilys or by calling 937-723-7637 during business hours!
