Kitchen Confidential: ADK Edit with Billy Trudsoe
Billy Trudsoe, Owner and Executive Chef at Lizzie Keays in Warrensburg, NY, near Lake George.
Some Adirondack meals taste like vacation. The best ones also reflect what’s happening behind the scenes: a chef’s training and palate, yes—but also leadership, logistics, and the kind of business discipline it takes to operate in a place as seasonal as the Adirondacks. It’s the context that deepens appreciation for what’s on the plate.
In this episode of ADK Talks, ADK Taste hosts Jane and Steve welcome back Chef Billy Trudsoe, owner and executive chef of Lizzie Keays in Warrensburg, for Kitchen Confidential: ADK Edit—a candid, Adirondack-grounded conversation inspired by the spirit of Anthony Bourdain. This is a new recurring thread within ADK Talks featuring the talented chefs working and living in the Adirondacks.
It’s not a menu tour. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to keep a restaurant alive in a region that is beautiful, demanding, and famously seasonal.
Billy doesn’t sugarcoat the reality.
Billy’s famous Black Forest Chicken, made famous during his tenure on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen.
Winter can mean a packed dining room… or a night with single-digit covers. The same week can include a near sell-out for Valentine’s Day and a slow Tuesday that makes every expense feel louder. And yet, Billy keeps showing up—with optimism, a global palate shaped by travel, and a deep belief in the local ecosystem that makes Adirondack dining worth seeking out in the first place.
This episode is for anyone who loves eating out in the Adirondacks—and especially for diners who want to understand what’s happening behind the swinging door.
What makes this “ADK Edit” different.
The Adirondacks aren’t just a backdrop. They shape the business.
Billy explains how seasonality affects everything: staffing, inventory, hours, menu choices, and whether it even makes sense to stay open deep into the shoulder season. He also talks about something many diners miss: a restaurant can close for a few weeks and still be a “year-round” business in every way that matters—overhead doesn’t stop just because reservations slow down.
The throughline is simple and sharp: if people want local restaurants to exist, they have to act like customers—not just fans.
What listeners will hear in this episode.
Billy brings a chef’s eye and an owner’s pragmatism to the questions diners rarely ask out loud, including:
How Adirondack restaurants operate on a different clock (and why winter can feel like “survival mode”).
What patience actually looks like in a dining room running with a skeleton crew—and how small choices from guests can make service smoother for everyone.
The “old school” touches Billy still believes in, from bread service to palate cleansers, and why those details matter even when margins get tight.
A few straight-from-the-kitchen tips that instantly improve the guest experience (and reduce chaos for the staff).
The role travel plays in Billy’s food and leadership, from market visits abroad to noticing service culture differences that Americans often overlook.
A new addition to the menu based on Billy’s travels, Bali Spiced Fried Rice with Shrimp and Chicken Skewers.
Billy’s travel-inspired flavors come home to Warrensburg.
Billy has traveled widely, and in this conversation, he talks about how those experiences have sharpened his palate and expanded his creative range—without losing his Adirondack roots.
One highlight: Bali, where Billy has returned multiple times and plans to visit again. He describes paying attention to the details most people miss: how a familiar ingredient gets transformed through technique, spice, or balance—and how service customs change the entire dining experience. He even shares how a few spices and sauces from his travels made their way into a dish that surprised diners back home.
The big idea: great restaurants don’t copy trends—they translate experiences.
A better night out starts with the smallest things.
This episode includes one of the most useful segments ADK Talks has recorded for diners: Billy’s rapid-fire guidance on how guests can improve their own experience while supporting the people working the room.
A few takeaways (teased, not spoiled):
One of Jane’s favorites, Billy’s Venison Chili.
Being clear and consolidated with requests helps more than people realize.
A dining room isn’t a pit stop. The best meals happen when diners settle in.
A smile isn’t “extra.” In Billy’s words, it’s often the first sign of a table that gets it.
It’s not preachy. It’s practical. And it’s a reminder that restaurants are a live performance—one that requires everyone to play their part.
Quick lightning round highlights.
Billy is equal parts chef, storyteller, and human golden retriever of enthusiasm. In a lightning round, he shares:
The ingredient he can’t live without (no surprises here).
His take on fresh vs. prepped kitchen staples for home cooks.
The snack he genuinely loves—plus a quick Adirondack wildlife story that explains why.
The hidden gem picks.
In classic ADK Talks fashion, Billy closes with hidden gem shoutouts that reflect what he values most: community, hustle, and places doing the work.
He sends listeners to a favorite in North Creek, plus a couple of Glens Falls-area spots that underscore a bigger point: the region’s food scene thrives when locals show up for it.
Listen now.
You can listen to this episode right here on ADKTaste.com, or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Where to follow Billy and Lizzie Keays.
For reservations, updates, and what Billy’s cooking up next:
Website: lizziekeys.com
Instagram: @ADKChef
Billy’s socials: B. Trues Mad Flava (and Billy Trudsoe)
Follow Lizzie Keays on Instagram and Facebook for updates, specials, and seasonal announcements.
Kitchen Confidential: ADK Edit is designed as a recurring ADK Talks thread—one that spotlights chefs and restaurateurs across the Park through a shared lens: what it takes to build something real here.
If you want more conversations like this—smart, local, and honest—subscribe to ADK Talks on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube. And if you know a chef who should be part of this series, email ADK Taste at info@adktaste.com with your suggestion.
Our recommendations for the more places to stay, shop, eat and experience near Warrensburg, NY.
Shop for unique Adirondack apparel, gifts and merchandise.
ADK Talks Podcast
Love the Adirondacks? You’ll love our podcast. We take listeners beyond the guidebooks and into the heart of the Adirondacks. We share stories from the people behind the best places to eat, shop, stay and explore in the ADK. Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
