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Mikki, Lilly's dinner chef and a favorite
of everyone in the building, was raised on a tobacco and cattle
farm in western Kentucky. Although since the age of seven she has
lived in northern Kentucky, southern Indiana, and Florida, she now
calls Louisville her home. After two years in college in south Florida
as an interior design major, she finished her academic career at
the University of Louisville with a degree in fine arts and graphics.
Her academic training has served her well artistically, because her culinary creations are beautiful indeed. As to her culinary training, she gives a typically modest reply: "For me, it was the School of Hard Knocks, without formal training. I've learned from working with good people who are hard workers, and combined that with my own constant desire to create." In Louisville, she has worked at Bluegrass Brewing Company, The Patron, the English Grill, and Avalon. Happily for Lilly's, Mikki has been with us for a little over two years.
She has for a long time appreciated the "joy and ease of cooking and creating," but her first inspirations to become a chef came from her family, especially her mother and grandmother. Louisville's celebrated chef, John Castro was also an influence, all the way from their high school days together, to later sharing of cooking secrets. And other influences? "With a name like Rice, what else would you expect?" adds Ms. Rice.
At Lilly's, Mikki is challenged to overcome everyday dilemmas in the kitchen, and to push her creativity by using only what ingredients are available in-house ("and it turns out spectacularly," she says). She cherishes the unique opportunity to work with her luncheon chef-colleague, Finbar Kinsella, and with Kathy Cary. Mikki says that "to be able to watch Kathy come to work everyday with the drive for only the best quality and creativity, that's awesome. She teaches by doing, and that drives me at work -- and in my life."
When asked about her "specialties," Mikki says that what she really enjoys is the first few weeks of a new growing season -- "all the beautiful fruits and vegetables are so much fun to work with!" The good times she shares with friends in her kitchen is of ultimate importance to her: "the laughter, tears, and stories we share while preparing some pretty incredible meals make up some of my favorite memories."
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