The Lobbyist

Jimmy Gentry produces the goods at his new home in The Chisca.

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Sometimes, the trick is to keep things simple. Chef Jimmy Gentry has made his culinary career out of such an ethos, taking simple ideas and elevating them with a potent combination of flavors, flourishes, and garnishes that have diners lining up at the door to get a table. The owner of Paradox Catering hasn’t helmed a restaurant since 2019, but picked up right where he left off with The Lobbyist, which serves up his unique approach to creative dishes and shareable small plates.

His new establishment is located inside the former Chisca Hotel, recently converted to apartments. “I’m delighted with the new place,” says Gentry. “I think we fit in really well on the South Main corridor. There aren’t a ton of upscale options in the area, and we’re doing something a little different with our focus on vegetables and fusion dishes.”

Gentry has honed his skills alongside top chefs around the country throughout his career (including Memphis’ Erling Jensen), but he also gets inspiration from some unexpected places.

“Two of our produce dishes, the carrots and corn mash, are two of our most popular items and holdovers from P.O. Press. But the idea for the corn mash basically came from my daughter,” he laughs. “She loved a type of grits I’d make for her, and I kept playing around with that idea, and I switched to corn and it became a mainstay for us.”

But the simple foundation belies both the artistry and complex construction that Gentry weaves into the dish. Indeed, the corn mash is a soft buttery dream, beckoning diners to stick their spoon in and take just one more bite. Accentuated with savory bits of bacon jus and the earthy taste of roasted squash, Gentry’s decision to sprinkle the dish with sunflower seeds grounds it with a smattering of crunchy, salty bites. “It’s a dish that sustains you, makes you feel like home,” says Gentry. “It’s a dish that tastes good, but also adds that soulfulness.”

“The Lobbyist is P.O. Press, but all dressed up,” Gentry continues. “It’s the same style of food, but we’re casual enough for a simple dinner, and also elevated enough where you can come in for a date night.”

Keeping a large core of the P.O Press team made the transition to a new space that much easier. “Fifty percent of my kitchen staff is from P.O. Press,” he says. “Front of the house, most of those people kept working for me at the catering company and have stayed with me here, too.” Dawn Russell mixes up some signature cocktails as bar manager, Jessica Lambert’s influences can be seen all over the menu as chef de cuisine/pastry chef, while Alia Hogan is the restaurant’s new general manager.

The continuity means that Gentry is free to focus on making each dish special. His signature style really shines through with his okra, and it’s certainly unlike most other takes on the dish seen in the area. Rather than served up slimy or fried, Gentry prepares them charred, giving them a foundational smoky flavor balanced by a tangy drizzle of crème fraîche. But he kicks the heat up a bit too with pickled jalapeños, fresno chilies, and a dash of fried garlic and cilantro.

The fried cauliflower bowl is another popular order; the fusion elements came into play with what Gentry calls his cauliflower spice mix, a take on garam masala that’s accentuated with the house chili crisp that contains a little bit of Szechuan peppers. “We’ve got influences from India and China in there,” he says.

“Jimmy hates the word fusion,” says Lambert, “but that’s what it is. We incorporate a lot of styles into our dishes, so if you take a look through the menu, you’ll see those Asian and Eastern influences appear.”

To change it up, I also ordered a meatier option: I decided to order the coppa, or a cut of pork shoulder. Prepared with a mix of fish sauce and soy sauce that Gentry says gives it a “super umami feel,” the extensive preparation results in a cut that has a deliciously crispy exterior and a smooth, silky interior that packs in flavors of garlic and butter. It’s one of the best cuts I’ve tasted, and a perfect alternative for the designated carnivore in a group of diners.

Beyond a bevy of vegetables, entrees, and other small plates, Lambert has had free rein to whip up an alluring list of desserts. Some of her creations have been mainstays at P.O. Press and Paradox, like the Bomb, which is a lemon cake-based dessert that packs in a bit of savoriness.

“We’ve got the lemon curd with a coconut genoise, and we insert that into an almond cream and freeze it, which turns it into the bomb dessert,” she says. “Then we add a sesame tuile which gives it a little nuttiness, and brings it all together into a dessert that’s both sweet and savory. It’s a lighter dessert which won’t make you feel overwhelmed.”

“I can honestly say I could eat two or three of those and feel fine,” laughs Gentry.

Fans of Gentry’s vegetable-focused approach have already made themselves at home in The Lobbyist, especially after waiting years to order his cuisine at a new sit-down restaurant. P.O. Press had to close in 2019 when an outbreak of mold was discovered in the building. Prioritizing the safety of his workers and customers, Gentry decided to shut the doors immediately and then bided his time to find the right venue. After a bit of work, the Downtown spot has turned into a welcoming new home.

The Lobbyist’s space in the Chisca building had previously been a revolving door for other restaurants, with recent tenants including Swanky’s Taco Shop and Lyfe Kitchen. But to accommodate his style, Gentry needed to spruce up the interior. “The colors in here originally were really blinding, and not appealing at all,” says Gentry. “It really had that fast-casual feel, which is something we wanted to get away from.”

Gentry kept much of the woodwork and added oversized moldings, all while darkening the overall color scheme. Small hanging lights dot the ceiling, providing an almost starry atmosphere when dining after dark, and touches of Memphis style are everywhere with blue suede chairs. Meanwhile, the bar is made of marble, “like the counter at an old hotel lobby,” he says.

Outside, Gentry plans to use the patio area to host a separate outdoor bar, along with a community table and small lounge. “That will probably be open the first part of May, give or take,” he says. “We’re really excited about that.” The outdoor addition will double the restaurant’s capacity, from the 70 indoor seats to around 140 spaces total.

Despite scaling up the interior, the restaurant’s focus remains on the high-quality, upscale menu, which will soon be switching to its seasonal spring offerings. And expect plenty more locally sourced, fresh flavors to appear.

“Restaurants have been subbing out regular proteins for vegetables for a long time, but we always think about how we can have produce as the entrée,” says Lambert. “We’re always going to have a focus on small plates, of course, but this will be a place where you can walk in and see that a vegetable will be a meal in and of itself.”

The Lobbyist is open for dinner 5–10 p.m. Monday–Thursday, 5–11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 272 S. Main St.