LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville restaurant that has stood on Bardstown Road for 46 years is closing for good.
Lilly's Bistro, in the Highlands, is known as one of the best restaurants in a city of great restaurants.
"I am so appreciative of what Louisville has done for me and supported me for all these years ... it's unbelievable," Chef and owner Kathy Cary said.
It wasn't always easy, but Cary climbed the ranks and is known as one of the country's top chefs. She championed the farm-to-table movement, while spending time cooking for and with some of the world's top chefs. Her restaurant's walls are filled with awards and accolades.
"It's seven days a week, 24 hours a day," she said. "Two o'clock in the morning ... at night time ... you're in bed thinking about things because you care and your customers come first."
Cary has decided to retire. It's been a tough time for the restaurant industry with the coronavirus, but Cary said her decision was personal and tough. She recently lost her mother and said it's time to get out of the kitchen to spend more time with her family.
"My days were numbered, and I want to be healthy," Cary said. "I've been in the service and hospitality business for a long time."
The last day for Lilly's, and it's take-out restaurant, LaPeche, is June 27. It will offer curbside service until then.
"It's very meaningful and I'm so proud that Louisville believed in me," Cary said.
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