The Edward Dining Room is a full-service restaurant at the Lodge at Wakulla Springs that serves three meals daily and hosts special buffets for many holidays like Easter, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Running the southern specialty kitchen and creating delicious dishes like Southern Fried Chicken, Beef Liver, and Navy Bean Soup is Head Chef Reshard Plummer.
“I am the third generation that has worked at the Lodge. I worked here about 16 years ago, left for a short while, and came back about five years ago,” says Chef Reshard. “My grandmother and mom worked here with Edward Ball, so the Lodge definitely feels like home to me.”
Financier Edward Ball established the Lodge at Wakulla Springs in 1937 with the desire of creating a serene and quintessential place to be integrated into the community. However, on October 9, 2018, the Wakulla community was impacted by Hurricane Michael, destroying homes and restaurants including Ben Lovel’s family restaurant, Spring Creek.
“The restaurant has been in our family for 41 years, and our cuisine specialized in the local seafood,” says Ben. “When [Hurricane] Michael came and knocked us out, I went to look for a career in a place that had great memories for me as a child, had reputable guest services, and was a restaurant that my family often visits – The Lodge at Wakulla Springs.”
Ben joined the Wakulla team in January 2019 as the Food and Beverage Manager. Though the working environment may be slightly different than working alongside his family, Ben says it is “exciting and enlightening” to be partnering with Chef Reshard.
“It is so fun to put two great minds together and help propel the restaurant forward to places it hasn’t been before,” says Chef Reshard. “Ben and I are working together to create a new menu featuring some twists on some of the Lodge’s classics as well as some traditional Lovel family recipes used at Spring Creek.”
These classics include Tomato Pie, Stuffed Shrimp, and a new spin on the Lodge’s Southern Fried Chicken.
“I’m so excited for the menu it to be released in early spring 2019,” says Chef Reshard.
The Lodge serves many tourists and locals alike, and Chef Reshard and Ben are ready to greet them with the famous mouthwatering food and great customer service found in both the Edward Ball Dining Room and the Spring Creek Restaurant.
“There was no question to combine the two [restaurants]. Wakulla is such a great community, and The Lodge is happy to collaborate with the Lovel family to provide our guests with the best possible dining experience.” The Lodge at Wakulla Springs Edward Dining Room is open from 7:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., while the All-Day Dining begins at 11:30 a.m. and continues with lunch and dinner until 9:00 p.m. Call 855-421-2000 or reserve your table online.