Lisa Kaye Bistro & Catering, is slated to open its doors to the public at at 3801 W. Vliet St. on Tuesday, Oct. 8 beginning at 7:30 a.m.

At the helm is Lisa McKay, longtime owner of Lisa Kaye Catering, who hopes to establish a friendly neighborhood eatery in the Martin Drive Neighborhood. 

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“We’ll have a smaller menu for breakfast and lunch to start,” she says, “I want to make sure that things are running smoothly before we expand. But, if things go well, we’ll expand our offerings moving forward.”

Breakfast items, priced in the $4-$12 range will include items like breakfast sandwiches, breakfast tacos, burritos, yogurt parfaits, French toast and waffles.

McKaye says highlights will include her signature butter pecan waffles as well as steak and cheese bagel sandwiches made with thinly sliced sirloin, sharp cheddar cheese and her signature chef's aioli.

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Lunch items will include soups, sandwiches and wraps priced in the $12-$18 range. Options will include chicken salad (in a wrap or on a croissant); crispy fried chipotle chicken sandwiches; grilled or deep fried chicken sandwiches with housemade pesto on ciabatta rolls; and her Ox Philly Roll featuring braised oxtail and beef shortribs served on a toasted split roll.

Housemade pasties will also be a feature, available with beef, chicken and vegetarian fillings. McKay says she’ll also offer a rotating selection of housemade soups including options like mushroom and wild rice, shrimp bisque, chicken tortilla, broccoli cheese and chili.

Guests can also look forward to specials including Taco Tuesdays, Friday fish fry and other regular chef specials.

To celebrate her first day of service on Oct. 8, McKay will be offering $1 street tacos, filled with beef, chicken or a vegetarian filling, for lunch (limit of five per person).

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A second career in cooking

McKay discovered her love for cooking late in life. “I didn’t have to cook while I was growing up,” she says. “My mother and sisters cooked, but I wasn’t interested.”

It wasn’t until she married her husband, Dwayne, who came from a large family of scratch cooks that she decided she should learn the ropes. 

“I wanted to be able to host dinners at our house,” she says. “So I not only had to learn to cook, but I had to learn to cook for large groups. Even a small gathering in his family can be 30-40 people. And they all grew up eating good food. So, I took up the challenge. I started with family recipes, took all the tips I could get from others and taught myself. I even bought chafing dishes.”

Those chafing dishes were the beginning of something new for McKay. It started with her niece asking if she’d cater her wedding. By 2011, McKay had signed up to pursue her degree in Culinary Arts and Management from MATC. 

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From there, she hired fellow culinary students, found a commercial kitchen and established a catering company. Ten years later, Lisa Kaye Catering is an established name in catering, known for their smoked beef brisket and ability to serve large groups.

McKay has also established the Culinary Education Progam, a nonprofit that offers healthy cooking classes and equips young people with essential cooking skills, preparing them for potential careers in the culinary field. 

Last May, when the five-year lease on her commercial kitchen at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino ended, she connected with Tom Straub of CMS Contracting LLC through Amy Narr, former owner of Triciclo Peru.

“The opportunity was there to open a restaurant, so we decided we should take advantage,” says McKay. “I’ve never operated a restaurant before, and there will be a learning curve. But I’m excited for the challenge.” 

McKay says that guests can follow the Bistro on Facebook and Instagram for specials, including pre-orders for heat and eat Thanksgiving dinners.

Beginning Oct. 8, Lisa Kaye Bistro & Catering will be open Tuesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.