Golden Lamb to update menu, emphasize locally grown foods

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LEBANON —The new general manager hired at the historic Golden Lamb said he will update the famed restaurant’s menu and give new emphasis to using locally grown foods.

Bill Kilimnik was named Monday the new general manager of the Golden Lamb, Ohio’s oldest restaurant and the centerpiece of Lebanon’s historic downtown.

Kilimnik is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has worked at some of America’s finest restaurant’s including Le Francais in Chicago. At the Chicago restaurant, Kilimnik developed a passion for using locally grown ingredients. He also was the assistant general manager at the Marriott Cincinnati Northeast.

The Phoenix Restaurant Group took over management of the Golden Lamb in April 2010 and has slowly been renovating the physical building and its operations. The company also operates the National Exemplar Restaurant in the Mariemont Inn and the Phoenix in downtown Cincinnati.

The Golden Lamb was first opened in 1803 and is recognized as Ohio’s oldest continuously operating business. The inn and restaurant has served 12 presidents as well as famous author Charles Dickens and draws thousands of people to Lebanon’s historic downtown every year.

“Naming a new general manager is a key step in our revitalization plan for the Golden Lamb,” said Mike Pardo, chief operating officer for the Phoenix Restaurant Group. “Bill has the experience and the passion to restore the superior food and service that patrons of the Golden Lamb expect.”

Kilimnik said that he anticipates adding new items to the menu and will also emphasize using local produce and meats. He said he also recognizes and respects Golden Lamb patrons love of the restaurant’s traditional favorites.

“The Golden Lamb is Ohio’s oldest inn and well known not just in our region, but throughout the state and across the country,” Kilimnik said. “It is a source of pride for the whole community. My goals is to make sure we’re delivering the traditional favorites we’ve been known for, while offering some new choices, all with the excellence our customers expect.”

Kilimnik replaces Ty Borger, who was the general manager of the Golden Lamb since September 2008 and had worked at the restaurant and inn for seven years.