Save Room for Seafood

I truly enjoy receiving recommendations on restaurants that are housed in historic buildings. Truffle & Sorrel, a seafood and chophouse restaurant, is one such establishment. Located in the historic Trust Building in downtown Sedalia, the restaurant was recommended to me by my chef friend, Curtis Adams from SGC Foodservice.

According to chef and owner of Truffle & Sorrel, Christopher Paszkiewicz, the building has a long history. He says, “Originally the Missouri Trust Building acquired the land and started building it in 1886. Missouri Trust Company failed, due to the Great Depression, and Sedalia Trust opened just six months later in 1932.” In 2023, the back half of the building was demolished and replaced with a beautiful courtyard. In 2024, Chef Chris opened his restaurant Truffle & Sorrel.

Chef Chris’s background in fine dining started in 2004 when he worked at the Hilton Ocala, a resort in the horse country of Florida. His career path then led him to the Hilton President Hotel in Kansas City, the Marriott at Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza, and the 1886 Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. After that, he did a six-year stint as the executive chef at Hotel Bothwell in Sedalia, prior to opening Truffle & Sorrel. Having lived in both Florida and Arkansas, he specializes in southern-style seafood. The menu at Truffle & Sorrel reflects this with dishes such as the Charleston Shrimp & Grits, Classic Bacon-Wrapped Filet, and Connecticut Lobster Roll.

The menu at Truffle & Sorrel begins with starters, small plates, boards, and sides. One of the options that I found interesting was the Truffle & Sorrel Board, which consists of bone marrow, smoked pork belly, hatch chile sausage, grilled bread, Johnny cakes (a grilled or pan-fried cornmeal flatbread), pickled okra, pickled red onion, fried green tomatoes, white remoulade, and barbecue sauce. This is an intriguing combination of taste profiles. Another unique item to start with is the Caviar on Johnny Cakes topped with crème fraîche, red onions, chives, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.

The main courses include chops, steaks, and seafood items. Chef Chris says a popular meal is the smoked prime rib: a hefty one-pound thick slice of prime rib served with au jus, horseradish sauce, and a side of horseradish mashed potatoes, which accentuates the flavor of the prime rib.

Other meat options include the grilled lamb chops, southern fried chicken, and heritage bone-in pork chops, which are topped with peaches. The menu also has four kinds of Chef’s Risotto, a selection of mac & cheese, and two different types of lobster rolls.

Another alluring option that the restaurant offers is a Dinner for Two, which is served in the vault at Truffle & Sorrel. This unique experience comes with champagne and a four-course dinner with special menu options. Due to the special preparation of the chef’s menu tastings, this option must be preordered by reservation.

Chef Chris says he currently carries around 30 whiskeys and bourbons. Some of the popular drinks with his guests are the: Smoked Old-Fashioned, Sazerac, Hurricane, and Planter’s Punch.

During the spring and summer months, the courtyard hosts live music on weekends and holidays with both local, regional, and national acts.

“I can’t wait to kick off the summer with outdoor concerts when the weather warms up again,” Chef Chris says.

“I cook for everyone like they are the most important person, every time!”

This story originally appeared in the May 2025 edition of Missouri Life.