Famed chef Billy Trudsoe acquires Wbg.'s Lizzie Keays Restaurant

WARRENSBURG | Lizzie Keays Restaurant in Warrensburg is to be renovated, revitalized and reopened in June under new ownership. The restaurant, located at 89 River St., was recently bought by Billy Trudsoe, who grew up in Chestertown, spent 20-plus years as a chef in various restaurants in Bolton, pursued his career in Florida for a while, then achieved national fame. Trudsoe was a competitor in the renowned reality show "Hell's Kitchen" during season 21, which aired between September 2022 and February 2023. This week, he mentioned this life-changing experience. "For an Adirondack boy from Chestertown to find himself toe-to-toe with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey on Hell's Kitchen, on a national network…it was just crazy," he said. In January 2023, Trudsoe teamed up with Jane Peter to reopen Basil & Wick's restaurant and tavern of North Creek, and the enterprise has been a substantial success. But Trudsoe said his new venture will advance his career even higher. "Lizzie Keays represents the greatest opportunity for me in my career so far," he said. "It will be chef-owned and operated, which makes a heck of a difference in the quality of food and service." Trudsoe said he plans to work at both restaurants, splitting his time between the two venues. Trudsoe acquired Lizzie Keays Restaurant from Tom and Amber Grace who established it about 16 years ago. Trudsoe said both his restaurants will help build his brand known as "B-True's Mad Flava" which features sauces and other food items — while promoting his cuisine. His national exposure on Hell's Kitchen led to his success with B-True's Mad Flava and prompted more than 30,000 people to follow him on Instagram, as well as similar popularity on other social media platforms. Trudsoe graduated from North Warren Central School in 2000, following years of prominence in high school sports. He was a key member of North Warren's soccer, baseball and basketball teams, the latter winning a Section II title for the first time in school history. Trudsoe said his first experience cooking was with his grandmother in her kitchen, and his first job was at the Adirondack Ice Cream stand in Chestertown — an eatery that later became the local Dairy Queen. He said he was retaining the "Lizzie Keays" name out of respect for local history. The building that houses Lizzie Keays Restaurant was a garment factory from 1879 to the early 1970s, and in its most prominent years, the enterprise employed about 800 workers. Lizzie Keyes was a seamstress in the factory — Tom Grace found a paycheck made out in her name as he was restoring the building, The check has been on display in the restaurant since it was founded in 2008. Trudsoe said that he seeks to restore and enhance the restaurant so it has an "upscale casual" ambiance. "We want to modernize the place and make it ours," he said. "It's super exciting for me and my team." Lizzie Keays' cuisine is to feature a variety of entrees including his signature Black Forest Chicken which he prepared on an episode of Hell's Kitchen show — the dish is battered chicken seared with creamy mushroom and baby spinach risotto, finished with sherry wine. "We're going to be a dinner house with a full range of entrees," Trudsoe said, noting that Lizzie Keays' former large banquet room will be converted to a second dining room. He also said he plans to eventually renovate the shirt factory's raised front porch to provide an intimate setting for open-air dining that offers a view of the Schroon River. He said that Basil & Wicks and Lizzie Keays will have different schedules of operation so he can spend time at both restaurants. The former will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the latter will be closed on Sundays and Mondays, he said, adding that he now has 25 employees at Basil & Wicks, and plans on employing 20 people at Lizzie Keays. "I'm so grateful for the support of my team, and look forward to introducing my existing customers to Lizzie Keays," he said.

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Famed chef Billy Trudsoe acquires Wbg.'s Lizzie Keays Restaurant

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