Perhaps no other industry has been hit harder in 2020 than hospitality. For chefs and restaurant industry staff, it’s been a year of pivoting and in many cases, rethinking the current models of food service. Chef Levon Wallace of Nashville, Tennessee took the pandemic as a welcome opportunity to experiment in his home kitchen. Before he knew it, the tasty treats he made for his kids turned into a new fast-casual concept that has found a lot of love (and plenty of mustard) in his city and beyond.
In this episode, we’ll talk about how the industry has had to adapt through the pandemic, the growth of fast-casual, the future of gastronomy, and the lessons we can take from the disruptions of 2020. You’ll hear why it’s important to source food locally, and how to cultivate symbiotic relationships between chef’s and growers.
What we covered in this episode
- The concept behind Fat Belly Pretzels (4:28)
- How a business was born during the pandemic (6:33)
- Why adapting during the pandemic came naturally (9:59)
- Rethinking the industry post-pandemic (12:12)
- The European history of the pretzel (15:14)
- An outlook on the future of gastronomy (18:51)
- The differences between working for private or fast casual restaurants and being an entrepreneur (23:26)
- The connections between food and culture (29:01)
- Sourcing food responsibly and working with local producers (34:20)
- Simplicity and location as inspiration (36:37)
- A creative collaboration of Southern American, African, and Chinese influences (43:26)
- Nashville foodie hotspots you should add to your list
- How kitchens have become better with inclusion (51:08)
- Foraged flavors of the south (53:48)
- Series of rapid-fire questions
Links to other episodes in Nashville
Conversation with Chef Matt Bolus from the 404 Kitchen
Cookie – Fatbelly Pretzel
Pretzel by Chef Levon Wallace
Chocolate Pretzel Babka – Fatbelly Pretzel
Pimento Cheese Pretzel Babka by Chef Levon Wallace
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