As Heirloom in Lewes celebrates its 10th anniversary, owner Meghan Lee explains that the secret to longevity is embracing change
Written by Ruth Corradi Beach | Photography by Jill Jasuta
Heirloom is constantly reinventing itself. The popular restaurant inside a Victorian white house with red shutters in Lewes adapts to the seasons, offering an ever-changing menu that is divinely focused on fresh and locally inspired dishes. The turn of the calendar year is a time to reset, refocus and reinvent for owner, Meghan Lee, and her culinary team.
While menu and décor changes occur consistently throughout the year, February is what she calls “a clean slate—zero to 60.”
“It’s a chance to do big projects like deep cleaning, repainting, hanging new wallpaper,” she says. While closed during the month of January, the paid staff is called upon to brainstorm the new iteration of Heirloom that debuts every February.
“We don’t have an executive chef,” Meghan says. “It’s a collaborative group kitchen. We brainstorm what we think our menu could be when we reopen. We meet two more times before we finalize our menu. It’s a hyper-creative process.”
That process includes Meghan reaching out to the restaurant’s vendors, nearly all of whom are local, to find out what they will have in season at the time of reopening.
“We’ll change maybe three items a week,” says Meghan. “Two appetizers and an entrée, until the spring menu unveils itself. Then, we’ll start on the summer menu.”
Heirloom’s carefully curated menu evolves seasonally, which celebrates local purveyors and provides patrons with new and flavorful options to experience.
The décor changes, too. Meghan says she has a whole room filled with everything from mantle swag to dinner plates, that she’s regularly swapping out as the seasons change. The constant, according to her? “It’s whimsical in here. It’s very bright.” In fact, she notes, the front-of-house staff is not allowed to wear black—they wear “floral, bright, happy tones. It’s a happy place.”
Happy enough that despite being in an industry notorious for turnaround, there are employees at Heirloom who have been with the restaurant for the full 10 years it’s been open. That’s understandable, not only in light of its collaborative culture, but also in the generous work-life balance Meghan maintains. She even takes her team on what she calls “kitchen eating trips.” These three-day trips have included Charleston, SC, and Portland, ME, and are an opportunity for the staff to sample new foods and bring fresh ideas back to Heirloom.
This incredibly mindful approach to every aspect of the business has made Heirloom a smashing success. Accolades include the James Beard Foundation, which was twice nominated Heirloom for “Best Chef” in the Mid-Atlantic region.
“How we create is how we want to be interpreted. We’re recreating and recultivating ourselves as people, too. We’re inspired by the farm and the seasons, and we love to cook great food. There’s a lot of love and consideration that goes into every dish and into the creative process itself, from start to finish.” CS
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