Former Brown Hotel chef to open brunch restaurant in Oldham County

A former executive chef of The Brown Hotel is opening a new brunch restaurant — and soon.

Wally's is set to open on Feb. 15 at 1220 Market St. in La Grange, next to Gustavo's Mexican Grill.

Owner Chef Laurent Géroli worked at The Brown Hotel as executive chef from 2007 to 2014, followed by experience at the Seelbach and the Grady Hotel. But after more than 30 years in hotel restaurants, he decided to open his own place closer to where he lives in La Grange.

"I enjoyed my experience at the hotels, but I wanted something where I could be closer to guests, talking to them in the dining room and cooking with the team," he said. "I'm an early riser, I'm a 5 a.m. guy, and I've always loved the creativity of breakfast dishes so it was a good fit for what I wanted to do."

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The menu includes pancakes and stuffed French toast ($12-$14), omelets and breakfast platters ($12-$15), lunch sandwiches ($10-$15), desserts and sides. A full coffee menu, brunch cocktails and weekend brunch specials round out the menu, which also includes an 88-ounce mimosa or Bellini tower ($50) "perfect for sharing with friends."

Each breakfast dish, however, is elevated by Géroli's chef experience, like the stuffed French toast made with crispy brioche, Nutella, caramel and berries, or the pancakes topped with sweet plantains. Even the omelets are a little different, and will be served open-face and finished in the oven for a sort of puffed-up soufflé look.

The 3,500-square-foot restaurant space features a modern, farmhouse chic interior with a washed brick wall, high-top communal dining table and warm orange and brown table accents. The restaurant has 90 seats and a small shop as well.

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"People say it's been hard to find employees, but we have a great amount," Géroli said. "Being a bit far out (from Louisville) we have some people from the county who want to work closer to home, which is a perfect match for us. I wanted to bring what I learned from my life of experience and give back to my community."

Wally's will be open Wednesday to Sunday 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will serve breakfast all day.

Reach food reporter Dahlia Ghabour at dghabour@gannett.com.