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Photo by Talia Hodge
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Photo by Talia Hodge
At age 14, Demond Germany went from washing dishes to preparing them. La Dolce Vita, an established Italian spot in Cleveland’s Little Italy, was busy — and down one cook.
“I offered to jump in … next thing they know, I’m splashing white wine and flaming up sauces and everything,” Germany recounts. “From that night on, I was no longer a dishwasher.”
By 15, Germany was accepted into the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts. In his 30s, he tried to open a carryout spot, but it failed to launch.
“I got a bar next,” he explains. “We would be booked solid with reservations every Thursday night for steak night. … I found this place down here in Louisville, and I turned steak night into a steakhouse.”
Opened in 2019, Scratch Steakhouse and Lounge makes original seasoning blends and sauces for its house-cut meat and inventive, seasonal dishes — adding personal touches to meals like a hefty 45-ounce tomahawk rib-eye steak ($160). Half-off on Tuesdays, it’s enough to feed three. A dry-aging machine gives customers a peek into its creation — the unit has a glass door, allowing them to watch the meat tenderize.
“We pull it on the 28th day. We cut it, and if we don’t use it within a day or so, we grind it up, and we turn it into chili,” says Germany, Scratch chef and owner. “We don’t throw any protein away.”
My Favorite Local Bite
Table Six Kitchen & Bar’s short rib sliders
“They’re the model of consistency,” says Demond Germany, chef and owner at Scratch Steakhouse and Lounge. “Every time you go there, the food’s the same. They do a great job of staff retention.”
Also try Scratch’s Champagne chicken and shrimp ($28). Made with fresh lemon puree instead of just lemon juice, this rich, creamy dish features an innovative take on an Alfredo sauce.
“I added Champagne to it,” he says. “That was probably my Mona Lisa moment.”
Germany’s trademark dish — Scratch signature pasta ($27), crafted with house-made fettuccine, grilled chicken, sauteed shrimp, mushrooms, spinach and roasted red pepper Alfredo — was created while cooking for his kids.
“We roast the red peppers here in house, right before we make the sauce,” he says. “It’s a special blend of spicy seasoning, but it’s not overpowering. It’s just enough to give you that warm feel.”
Germany has created over 450 recipes. Scratch’s elevated-yet-accessible dishes and atmosphere make it a destination for date nights and anniversaries.
“I want people to have that more intimate feel when they come to dine here,” he says. “When you’re driving home, you’re just like, Wow. We can’t get that anywhere else.” // CG
108 E. Main St., Louisville, 234-252-1219, scratchsteakhouseandlounge.com
