The Ivory Grille

There’s something about historic hotel restaurants that has always piqued Chris Paszkiewicz’s interest. He is the executive chef for the Ivory Grille, inside Hotel Bothwell in downtown Sedalia. The hotel opened in 1927. Previously, Chris worked at the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and the Hilton President Kansas City, formerly named the President Hotel, both historic hotels.

“I really like the historical aspect and the creative freedom,” he says. “And I enjoy the people.”

As the executive chef at the Ivory Grille for the past four years, he creates weekend specials and the menu, which changes every two to three months. With every new menu, he rotates out five to ten items and keeps some of the staple items. So far, he has concocted around two hundred specials during his time at the Ivory Grille. He looks at what’s in season and what types of meals are trending in the culinary world to find inspiration for the mouthwatering plates he prepares.

“I try not to do something too old school,” Chris says. “I try to keep it fresh, and there are menu items that I like to put my spin on.”

On the menu you’ll find salads, pastas, sandwiches, steaks, small plates, charcuterie boards, and more. A few standout items are the basil chicken gnocchi, which is sautéed in basil pesto sauce, the twelve-ounce, hand-cut ribeye seasoned with Chris’s special truffle salt blend, and the cedar-plank salmon. In addition, house-made soups are available every day along with delectable desserts. Chris tries to get as many local ingredients to incorporate into the menu as possible.

“I like to hit multiple different taste buds,” Chris says. “I like to make sure everyone has an option.”

You can sit in the elegant dining room, The Oak Room Lounge, which is the upscale bar, or the wine room where there are more than one hundred wines from which to choose. On the menu, there are also recommendations for which wine pairs best with each meal. If you want something else to drink, try one of the signature cocktails like The Stephens and Company, which is made with Wild Turkey bourbon infused with orange liqueur, fresh lemon, and simple syrup. This was the favorite cocktail of President Harry S. Truman, who was once a guest at the hotel. Bette Davis and Clint Eastwood also visited the hotel. Cocktails rotate on the menu.

The white-tablecloth restaurant is popular for date nights and celebrations and is often a destination restaurant for people from Kansas City and Columbia who travel to taste the carefully crafted meals. The attention to detail on each plate that leaves the kitchen, an abundance of new options for guests to try during their visit, and the location in the heart of Sedalia is what makes visiting the Ivory Grille an unforgettable experience.

Open Mondays–Saturdays, 5–9 PM. The Oak Room Lounge opens at 4:30 PM, closed on Sundays • 317 South Ohio Avenue, Sedalia • 660-829-0060 • TheIvoryGrille.com