The Chef & I

Went to The chef and I a few weeks back and I must say it is by far my favorite restaurant in Nashville! Cameron Hack is one of the most talented up and coming chefs in the Nashville scene!

Came here with some friends to try the brunch while waiting we met the owner Erica! She explained to us the restaurant and her vision with it! They change the menu weekly for brunch and dinner! They also cater! We sat at the bar and saw the chef prepare everything, they were so friendly, given that we asked so many questions! I listed below what I ordered from the pre set brunch menu!
4 course brunch for $ 35 and $ 2 mimosas!
1. Steak and eggs
2. Shrimp and grits
3. Sweet potato ravioli
4. Crème brûlée
I’m definitely coming back again and telling everyone about it!

I just love this place, I definitely recommend it. The food, the service, the atmosphere and the whole experience was wonderful. I’ve been there couple of times and both times I loved the food.

This is one of our favorite places. This visit was for our 15^th anniversary! Loved it. Sad we missed Chris but Peter made it an outstanding experience anyway. Sit at the chefs table and your experience will be magnified! Thanks guys, see you again!

I’ve never enjoyed a 4 course meal as I did at The Chef and I. We were celebrating a friend’s birthday and found this restaurant on Unilocal
Fantastic food, service, and interactive experience. I highly recommend it.

Took my mom here for her birthday dinner; I wanted something special, but not uptight or snooty, and The Chef & I fit the bill.
We split the eight-​course tasting; at $ 75, it’s a little pricey, but our waitress assured us it was enough for two people… and she was right! Especially thanks to my crappy cancer-appetite…I was so sad when I had to start packing the food away in a to-​go box instead of shoving it in my face hole.
The food was rich, wonderfully seasoned, and creative. If you’re on a diet, or have a wimpy stomach like mine, take it easy… they don’t skimp on the butter and other good stuff. Our favorites: the yellow beets in that bourbon-​sage butter sauce, linguine with cremini mushrooms and chicken in a browned butter sauce, and dark chocolate crème brûlée. Unfortunately, since our palates are a little more used to bland food, the oyster mushrooms with parmesan and unagi were a little too salty for us, and the jalapeño-​sweet corn soup was a bit spicy (duh)…not like it stopped me from inhaling the whole bowl though, it was damn good.
Chefs Chris and Cameron were a treat to watch and chat with. As a culinary school grad, I really appreciated their upbeat attitudes as well as their efficiency… too many chefs I worked for are downright unpleasant and constantly stressed, but these two had a handle on everything and were cool as very friendly cucumbers.
Our server Melanie was attentive and charming, and such a lovely lady to joke around with. She took my livingsocial voucher without any of the attitude I’ve gotten at other places (yes I know I’m a cheap bastard, no need to make me feel bad about it)! And even stuck a little candle in the cake I’d brought in. Really appreciate her attention to detail!

A few years back I discovered the Chef and I and have now become a frequent visitor. There are few places in Nashville where you can expect a brand new twist and newly inspired menu each week! Tonight’s dish prepared by Chef Cameron was a Hand-​cut seared Beef Filet Tenderloin, topped with a Bleu Cheese Butter, served over an herb chimichurri purée, with sautéed cremini mushrooms, caramelized onions, and house cured bacon. Not only was this one of the best meals I’ve had in Nashville, but also one of many weekly inspired dishes you’ll receive from their team. Also, for those of you who have a sweet tooth be sure to ask about Chef Liz’s weekly creations!
I can’t speak highly enough about the owners, chefs, servers, and overall individually tailored dining experience. When in Nashville be sure to add this one to the must visit list!
Tip: Be sure to call ahead and make reservations if you’re wanting to sit at the Chef’s table to get the full experience.

This is in my top 5 restaurants of Nashville. Everything I’ve had there is absolutely amazing! The atmosphere is great, the chef and his wife are very friendly and obviously love what they do, and the food is Top Chef worthy! For a unique and fabulous dining experience this is the place to go!

We used a Living Social deal for dinner on a Saturday night, but we will DEFINITELY be back and will be happy to pay full price. The food was excellent, and in contrast to some other nice places in town (cough, Flyte, cough), the portions were a good size. Seems like in general, as prices go up, portions go down — not the case here. My husband was very satisfied by his steak with a horseradish sauce, cherry tomatoes and shiitake mushrooms; it’s hard to describe how it all came together, but it was amazing. I got the sea bass with a bell pepper/​onion/​white wine sauce, which was equally good. The appetizers were really good, too — I especially recommend the slider with brie cheese on a crusty bun!
Modern interior, friendly staff. We didn’t sit at the bar, but you can sit there and watch the chefs prepare everything, which was pretty cool. They were chatting with some of the people at the bar as they cooked; we’d do that next time. The restaurant looks small and not-​too-​enticing from the outside, but give it a chance! We’ve lived in Lenox Village for 3 years and had never tried it (mostly because we thought it was going to be over-​priced — wrong!), but we’re already planning to bring friends there.

Truly one of the best meals I’ve had in Nashville. The staff was so friendly and accommodating to our wants and needs. We did the 4 course tasting which was catered directly to our tastes. I was told the normal menu changes weekly, so I intend to become a regular! And attend some of the cooking classes too.

The food here is awesome! Fresh and nutricious and you can see it being prepared which is fun. Ahi tuna on risotto w arugula was dynamite. Crispy Duck with grilled oyster mushrooms and sautéed Brussels sprouts — excellent. The drinks and desert are fun too! Check it out.

We were invited to a graduation dinner here. It was cute inside with a snazzy laboratory feel. Sunshine was helpful explaining the menu choices and attentive. The food was cooked fresh but took a long time while everyone chatted and told stories. Good sound system. A lot of the party’s menu contained goat cheese. The arugula salad was ready and had a tasty sweet balsamic dressing with feta cheese and freshly sliced green apples. My medium steak was a little dry in some areas and the potatoes were a little burnt. My ultimate favorite was the crème brûlée but was tiny. We didn’t have to wait for it. When we were finishing up, patrons were welcome to sit at the bar where the cooks were.

Amazing! My husband and I live close by and have been meaning to check this place out for a year now. Finally we made it in on a Friday night. We sat at the bar in front of the chefs and we’re super pleased. The restaurant itself is rather small but cozy enough. The cocktail menu is rather interesting. I tried a cucumber martini of sorts. It was delicious! However, the drinks are all around 10 $ each including beer. The menu is ever changing with a few things that stay the same from week to week. The chef told us to check out their Facebook page for an updated menu each week. I had the shrimp and grits (delish!!). My husband had the pork tenderloin with butternut squash. Again, his was amazing also. The chef also let us taste a few things that he was preparing for others including brisket, lobster mac & cheese, and a few others. Everything was very very good. I would recommend going and sitting in front of the cooks instead of a regular table. I don’t know if we would have had as much fun otherwise. Definitely a must try! We will be back for sure!

Discovered The Chef & I through a Living Social deal. From the outside, it looks like just another strip mall restaurant. Don’t let that fool you. Possibly the best meal we’ve EVER eaten; outdid our $ 300 steak dinner at Opryland Hotel. The atmosphere is unique and the staff are friendly and attentive. It was fun to talk with Chef Liz while she prepared a meal especially for us. We’ll definitely be returning.

LOVED my dinner and experience! Had the 4 course experience from LivingSocial and I will DEFINITELY be back– and soon! Not only did we have specialty meals prepared for us without having to decide what I wanted, it was EXACTLY what my taste buds were craving! And I loved getting to watch and interact with the chef as it was being prepared for me. My fiancé and I loved everything about the Chef and I and we will definitely dine there again soon. The food was unique, gorgeous presentation and fun!

I am always surprised by how amazing the food tastes. It’s is my new favorite place to eat.

I received an e-​mail from Living Social a week before Valentines Day about The Chef and I. I read the offer very closely, twice, looking for any exclusions about Valentines… couldn’t find any. It looked like a great place to try and my girl friend loves watching cooking shows… so it seemed like a win. When I call to make a reservation, I’m told that the Living Social offer isn’t good on Valentines Day, even though the online Living Social offer carried no such exclusion. I feel tricked. The Living Social offer came out 1 week before Valentines Day… of course I bought it to use the Day. Now I’m stuck with a voucher to a place I don’t trust.

Stumbled upon The Chef & I when the nearby place we wanted to go to was too crowded. Did a quick Unilocal search and found this 5 Star gem. So glad we did.
Interesting menu. Passionate waitress. Brilliant chef.

So amazing. Chef Chris is very nice. Orders Pan Seared Duck, it could be the best duck I’ve ever had.

We had been dying to go in for so long so we finally went in for some grazing… as we always do. We were greeted very warmly and everyone was very, very nice throughout the entire time we were there.
It was a while ago so I cannot remember what we ate, I just know it was all delicious. The seasoning for everything was absolutely spot on.
I can’t give 5 stars for two reasons… first, we didn’t try a whole lot, just 2 or 3 appetizers. Second, because the owners were at a huge event for the weekend they only had 1 dessert available. :(
I really need to get my butt back over there, though, I am certain it will be amazing!