The Music City Food & Wine Festival is this weekend, which means the city's restaurants will be under attack by food-crazed locals and out-of-towners alike. But all that festival talent has to eat somewhere, too. Eater asked many of this year's incoming chefs about what restaurants they are most excited to try and which ones they can't wait to get back to.
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Mike Lata (FIG, The Ordinary in Charleston, SC): "Matt Bolus worked with me at FIG and I want to see how he’s doing. Plus, I hear the chicken liver pate is delicious!"
Tim Love (Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Woodshed Smokehouse, others in Dallas, TX): "Adele's, hands down. I've heard nothing but great things about Waxman’s new spot! Plus, I haven't had his chicken in about a year!"
Aaron Sanchez (chef and Chopped judge): "I am really excited to go to Adele's. Jonathan's food is pure and delicious, plus he's been a mentor of mine since I was a young buck starting out."
Mike Lata: "I've never been and have to rectify that."
Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman (Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Hog & Hominy in Memphis, TN): "We will probably stop in to Arnold’s on the way in. The meat and three is a killer way to fuel up for the weekend."
Frank Stitt (Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega, Chez Fon Fon in Birmingham, AL): "Barista Parlor makes a perfect Stumptown cappuccino and their biscuit with farm egg, local cheddar and Porter Road Butcher sausage is just right."
Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman: "We have to get by the Hermitage at least once for Tyler Brown's house-cured sock sausage and biscuits at Capitol Grille. They’re out of this world good."
Ashley Christensen (AC Restaurants in Raleigh, NC): "I'm most looking forward to eating at City House. I won't be able to decide between the belly ham pizza and the octopus appetizer, so I suppose I'll just have to get them both!"
Amanda Freitag (Empire Diner in New York City and Chopped judge): "Tandy is a friend and I love City House!"
Mike Lata: "I’d love to see how Sean [Brock] has replicated Husk. I would love another crack at building a second FIG or The Ordinary."
Ashley Christensen: "I'll visit my pastry chef pal Lisa Donovan at Husk for some of the crazy treats she's been posting on Instagram."
Levon Wallace (Proof on Main, Louisville, KY): "I can’t cross the Davidson county line without craving one (or two) brisket burgers at Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint."
Frank Stitt: "Another East Nashville must is a visit to Mas Tacos Por Favor for all of their spot-on tacos, agua frescas and cool 'hole in the wall' vibe."
Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman: "We’ll definitely be stopping by Peg Leg Porker. We might be from Memphis, but every chance we get to eat our good buddy’s barbecue is something we definitely won’t miss."
Andrew Zimmern (chef and TV personality): "I definitely want to see my friend Josh [Habiger] at Pinewood Social. It was just opening the day I left, so I just got a chance to swing by and stick my nose in the door. So I want to be able to go and hang out a little."
Alon Shaya (chef/partner in Besh Restaurant Group's Domenica, Pizza Domenica in New Orleanns, LA): "I met Sarah Gavigan (owner of POP, Otaku South ramen pop-up) in Atlanta and really fell in love with her passion for ramen (which just happens to be one of my favorite things ever). I promised her I'd be there the next time I went to Nashville."
Masaharu Morimoto (Morimoto Restaurants): "I love karaage (Japanese version of fried chicken), and since Nashville is home to hot chicken, I am excited to see if I can stand the heat!"
Michael Symon (chef and TV Personality): "Most definitely Prince's Hot Chicken Shack."
Alon Shaya: "I've heard about the legend of Prince's from my friends at the SFA. It must be a Nashville institution for a reason and I'd like to know why first hand. Plus I love fried chicken."
Mike Lata (FIG, The Ordinary in Charleston, SC): "Matt Bolus worked with me at FIG and I want to see how he’s doing. Plus, I hear the chicken liver pate is delicious!"
Tim Love (Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Woodshed Smokehouse, others in Dallas, TX): "Adele's, hands down. I've heard nothing but great things about Waxman’s new spot! Plus, I haven't had his chicken in about a year!"
Aaron Sanchez (chef and Chopped judge): "I am really excited to go to Adele's. Jonathan's food is pure and delicious, plus he's been a mentor of mine since I was a young buck starting out."
Mike Lata: "I've never been and have to rectify that."
Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman (Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Hog & Hominy in Memphis, TN): "We will probably stop in to Arnold’s on the way in. The meat and three is a killer way to fuel up for the weekend."
Frank Stitt (Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega, Chez Fon Fon in Birmingham, AL): "Barista Parlor makes a perfect Stumptown cappuccino and their biscuit with farm egg, local cheddar and Porter Road Butcher sausage is just right."
Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman: "We have to get by the Hermitage at least once for Tyler Brown's house-cured sock sausage and biscuits at Capitol Grille. They’re out of this world good."
Ashley Christensen (AC Restaurants in Raleigh, NC): "I'm most looking forward to eating at City House. I won't be able to decide between the belly ham pizza and the octopus appetizer, so I suppose I'll just have to get them both!"
Amanda Freitag (Empire Diner in New York City and Chopped judge): "Tandy is a friend and I love City House!"
Mike Lata: "I’d love to see how Sean [Brock] has replicated Husk. I would love another crack at building a second FIG or The Ordinary."
Ashley Christensen: "I'll visit my pastry chef pal Lisa Donovan at Husk for some of the crazy treats she's been posting on Instagram."
Levon Wallace (Proof on Main, Louisville, KY): "I can’t cross the Davidson county line without craving one (or two) brisket burgers at Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint."
Frank Stitt: "Another East Nashville must is a visit to Mas Tacos Por Favor for all of their spot-on tacos, agua frescas and cool 'hole in the wall' vibe."
Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman: "We’ll definitely be stopping by Peg Leg Porker. We might be from Memphis, but every chance we get to eat our good buddy’s barbecue is something we definitely won’t miss."
Andrew Zimmern (chef and TV personality): "I definitely want to see my friend Josh [Habiger] at Pinewood Social. It was just opening the day I left, so I just got a chance to swing by and stick my nose in the door. So I want to be able to go and hang out a little."
Alon Shaya (chef/partner in Besh Restaurant Group's Domenica, Pizza Domenica in New Orleanns, LA): "I met Sarah Gavigan (owner of POP, Otaku South ramen pop-up) in Atlanta and really fell in love with her passion for ramen (which just happens to be one of my favorite things ever). I promised her I'd be there the next time I went to Nashville."
Masaharu Morimoto (Morimoto Restaurants): "I love karaage (Japanese version of fried chicken), and since Nashville is home to hot chicken, I am excited to see if I can stand the heat!"
Michael Symon (chef and TV Personality): "Most definitely Prince's Hot Chicken Shack."
Alon Shaya: "I've heard about the legend of Prince's from my friends at the SFA. It must be a Nashville institution for a reason and I'd like to know why first hand. Plus I love fried chicken."
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