Austin Smith

00:00When talking about what chefs want Really the question is how do they do it? No fees. No fuel charges. No surcharges never This allows you to order as much or as little as you need as often as you need seven-day delivery Access products every day trimming your waste increasing your valuable shelf life and allowing you fresher product 24 7 customer support call text chat email anytime from anywhere They take a team approach to serving you at 800 600 85 10 or what chefs want calm They have a very they have very diverse product lines So their chefs have access to thousands of items across many different categories that allow them to receive fresh products daily This type of flexibility helps chefs with the ability to offer and test new menu items with ease They have hundreds of trucks on the road every day to reach their vast Market their focus is tight urban areas where groups of restaurants and chefs are located Additionally, they have trucks from coast to coast bringing products to farms and artisans across the globe You can order through your phone app or online They truly are what chefs want check them out at what chefs want dot-com You Welcome to Nashville restaurant radio the tastiest hour of talk in Music City now, here's your host Brandon still Hello Music City And welcome to Nashville restaurant radio My name is Brandon still and I am going to be joined with Jen Ichikawa. She is back on the show Today we are gonna be talking with Austin Smith and I hope that you got to check out our Wednesday rewind with chef Bart Pickens because

02:05he is referenced in this interview and Austin is a he is a Memphis guy and He was born in Memphis and he was raised in Nashville and he tells his entire story and I love his story because You know, I've lived here for 33 years and I've met so many people that started off like him you know, we want to I went to Lipscomb he went to Lipscomb and You know, he worked for a liquor distributor for a food distributor But he opened a restaurant and just kind of made it happen It was kind of his passion and I just love hearing stories like this and he goes through the entire story And he teases us with some pretty big news that he's got coming up in the next couple weeks And I can't wait to hear what he has going on. This is a really fun fun interview we get to catch up and talk about a lot of stuff, so excited that you're here today and excited I got to go to Chopper tiki last night and I finally got to eat my's de la vida Right outside of chopper tiki. I want to give them a shout out because man Obviously Julio is a good friend of mine I've talked to him forever But actually getting out there and getting to eat his food was second to none You guys want the authentic taco and enchilada and his elote and even the churros. I mean gosh Everything was fantastic Go check him out. I think he's there every single day starting at four o'clock at chopper tiki in East Nashville I'm given a chopper tiki. That place is super duper cool. And while I don't drink it's all you know Drinks they made me some really fancy mocktails to where I felt super duper special You can check my stories over at an Instagram at Brandon underscore in our are that is my Instagram handle you guys go follow me and I'm gonna keep putting up there all the little times that go out and see people and We had a lot of fun hanging out with you know, some other restaurant owners. We had a good time So Lots of fun things happening coming up in the future next week. We are gonna have our la dom de scoffee a

04:12Table talk series. We're gonna have another one coming up next week on Monday and then Sean Lyons of the Germantown Cafe Yes, Germantown Cafe is back after the tornado. They are back and better than ever Jeffrey Martin and team are putting out some amazing foods. If you're making plans out there go make reservations Go check out the Germantown Cafe. We're gonna be talking to their new General manager managing partner director of operations. I don't know what his actual title is. I cannot wait to learn more about him He's such a fantastic and fascinating guy So just hang out and I hope that you enjoy this episode. This episode is gonna be brought to you by what chefs want it's also brought to you by complete health partners and sharpies bakery enjoy Super excited today to welcome in Austin Smith, who is the owner of party foul? What's going on Austin? Oh Man, just another day about yourself. I I'm fantastic. Let me let's talk about you for a second. You look Amazing. I've been following kind of your journey. I guess on Facebook. How much weight have you lost?

05:20so I'm right at a hundred pounds down and Been Lifting and doing hit and cardio tracking my food and tracking my sleep and everything for about a year and a half now So just trying to get after it my I turned 40 in March and the goal is to be under 20% body fat by then And my trainer says impossible which just pisses me off and makes me want to even you know, go for harder So, you know trying to look better at 40 I did 20. I guess that's my midlife crisis Hey, man, that's fantastic. That is awesome But so just working out eating right and you turn 40 in March what day in March? Tenth. Oh, man. I'm March 8th Nice Brandon what it is Well, yeah, well we now we're back we're next season it's on so a little backstory if you're listening this Austin is one of the better he has the best softball team in the restaurant world State champs, I mean how many years?

06:24Well, we've got we've got three of the last four Championships y'all edged us out on one. So who has that other one? Is that was that was that one? I think we played you three out of four of those championships. It was pretty much always, you know us going back and forth But yeah, we we're still out there swinging Love it. Well, we're gonna next year Make sure that we link up because we're good. We have a team. We're gonna we got a whole it's on now we have to get like six more teams because The restaurant league just hasn't come back yet. So we might just have to go play in another league so we can play each other Well, you know who we're talking with right now, right? We're talking to the entire Nashville restaurant community so if you're out there and You want to start a softball team? How many people do you need to start a softball team? I Mean, it's always good to have 10 that are gonna show up every day But that's never gonna be a something to happen. Everyone's short staffed So, you know usually having people who are on your staff who have a significant other that also likes to play having them involved I usually like to have 12 being people, you know, and you know this league You know, we I've been playing in it for 15 years was one of the best kept secrets. I mean like Everyone's regulars came out They roll grills out there and everyone brought their own beer and cheered for each other I mean it was a whole thing I've never seen anything like it in all my softball years and I've played for over 20 years now You know, it was just so cool and and we've we lost, you know, Derek No, no one New York who one of the co-founders the league and ran the league and after that and COVID we just haven't popped back So we've been playing rec ball in Donaldson hermitage area and patiently waiting We got to get that league back that if you're out there and you are a manager in a restaurant you own a restaurant you Want to do the softball league? We need six more teams, right?

08:15Cuz you can count me in so you have Maribor will have party foul and then you got we got what is it? Six more or four more after that Well, I'm sure we can get three or four of the OGs back out there you know, but my thing is all these folks are coming into town open up new restaurants and and You know, let's let's get that community back. Let's get that back-and-forth banter You know throw a gift card on the team that wins. I don't care. Let's talk. Let's talk some trash Oh, man, that was my favorite part you because we're both pitchers on the teams I don't know but we get up to the plate I like to talk shit to every single person that gets up there like where do you want? I'm gonna you ain't going anywhere That's the thing about me like I'm talking shit to you the entire time But I'm also like kind of fun and you're like I want to hate him, but the guy's kind of nice We you know that's the now I so you've been a year and a half of Hustling and getting into shape. I just hit two years of sobriety. So Awesome, man I would not be that was one of my favorite things because I would always bring a couple of tall boys But then when you play party foul, he always had a Gatorade container full of like a basically a boozy slushie Which is what they're famous for at party foul. So I would always sneak over another dugout I'm talking everybody. Hey, can I hit that one?

09:35I mean people who aren't even playing us came over to get their cup, you know But that's we've been doing that we started there and it's just one of those things Even the umpires come get a cup every once in a while, you know So, you know, whenever they make a bad call be like, I know why Well, I will tell you one of my favorite moments of softball this is not a softball podcast But I will tell you one day we were playing in the championship. We beat you guys I think to go to the championship I don't know if we're playing you that year But I show up at the ballpark and there's like this this whisper abound like hey did you guys hear that Shaq is gonna be here Shaq's gonna be here I was like What like who they go Shaquille O'Neal? I'm like, why the hell is Shaquille O'Neal gonna be here? what is this and lo and behold like ten minutes later all these Suburbans roll in and Frickin Shaquille O'Neal gets out of a car and there's Austin Smith and the party foul team with a bunch of cameras and They're playing softball with Shaq The greatest big man in NBA history is is in Madison at this little ballpark next to us And you're just out there hanging out with them. Like what is what is the story behind that?

10:43So Brandon, I have to tell you, you know We were talking about how we talk shit a little bit and everything This was not an accident that that's the night that I filmed that When y'all knocked us out of the playoffs I was like, oh, yeah good luck getting anyone to watch your game tonight, baby I'm bringing Shaq to the softball field Shaq Shaq was opening up his new restaurant called Big Chicken and and so they were going around doing a Facebook show and They filmed a part here in Middle Tennessee and they had I mean he went out on a farm and chased chickens like Rocky and he came and ate some food with us and Every time that he went and filmed with somebody about their southern food and what they loved the most about it and kind of you're Brainstorming what they're gonna do with their menu and everything He would always do something fun with them And so they were like you play softballs like we actually yeah, but we lost out of the playoffs last week I tore my calf muscle again. One of my buddies broke his tailbone Rough shape I said, but you know, we could we could go play a little game on Sunday night I said the championship will be on the other field But that means the other fields could be wide open so we can just go film over there. I did that on absolute purpose Thank you for that. It was a cool moment for me. I didn't give a shit. I'm like that is shit Oh my god. He was a giant. Is that the first time you ever felt small? I mean, no Moment in my life and I still feel like it's like the smallest thing in the world insignificant I'm like looking at what good Lord how He's seven foot something right Right. I think so. Yeah, I mean he's seven foot seven. I think Jen, do you know who Shaquille O'Neal is? Okay. Let's not of course I do I How do you Listen, oh because basketballs played indoors sports are like not my thing and like actively not my thing

12:44But yeah, I know Shaq. I know Michael Jordan. I like I know like the big ones. He's on the commercials. Yeah, I got you Yeah, he's funny too. So Brian like my husband watches like videos of him Yeah, yeah so And he owns like a ton of like Papa John's or so he does so he like has all these he's a businessman And I remember his Cribs episode He's literally one of the nicest human beings I've ever met to Everyone who he filmed with for this, you know series that he did He flew all of us out to Las Vegas for the opening of his restaurant and it was for his friends and family with all his Celebrity friends and family like Dana White was there Then we get a Fox and you know, we just like constantly just people walking by we're like, this is the coolest damn thing ever Vegas for the opening Yeah, they paid for our round trip flights. They put us up in the hotel They they fed us and it was just man. I said what a top-notch dude Yeah, you don't have to do any of that stuff. He just did because he's cool We love okay, but wait, how was the chicken?

13:52The chicken was great his sandwiches, they're not it's not like Nashville hot chicken restaurant, right? So he different styles of sandwiches and I'm telling you they were on point His his banana pudding was good He his mac and cheese he actually takes cheese It's and crumbles it up and bake those on the top of the so I mean, I liked the food I can't get every day really like Well Austin I have to say thanks for doing the show This is the second time that you've been on Nashville restaurant radio. Did you know that correct? Yeah, you remember doing the first one Yeah, cuz that it was the beginning of kovat and you were like, let's cut let's tell everybody how to make a boozy sushi and I was like Well get a blender and you know, it's like we're just kind of like Everything is shut down. What are we what are we gonna do? So I told the girls over bread and butter was like I want to do this again with them And have some fun the first one was was no video it was just you know audio and and Man, it was just it was a very somber time. I I was just sort of like We make the drinks Where was That episode was aired on I put it out March 22nd 2020 so we were like one weekend. This was like my seventh episode I think I had ever done and I felt bad everybody stuck at home and I thought let's get some really amazing people on Let's do a show. We're gonna call it a virtual happy hour Do you know who was on that show with you? We had you came on and gave us a recipe for a cherry lime aid spooky slushy Jessica long who was a Mixologist came on and gave us some ideas and for some drinks to make with leftover shit in your in your cupboard If you need to just make a drink and you can't go to the store this you probably have this stuff already Make a drink how holden bach from Lachlan table came on and gave us his cornbread recipe and chef Ed Butler

15:53From US Foods came on and gave some more cooking right. You know what that show only had 38 listens To this day the shows around it have hundreds of listens But since it says virtual happy hour and it doesn't show who's like on you have to like look to see that it's oh Austin Smith and how holden bach and that by like that show is the least listened to show that I've done so far So if you're listening this right now go back to March 22nd 2020 and you can listen to a pretty good episode the audio is terrible, but it's a good episode It was the first week we did this podcast and thank you for doing that absolutely, brother So now here we are we're almost post-pandemic and I think we have we have to continue talking about sports because You are like me a die-hard Titans fan. Oh Huge ridiculous how about that game? Fanatic is what you know fan comes from and I am absolutely a fanatic. Yes. So now you have a party foul at Nissan Stadium I Have to to have one one in the south end zone right when you come over the walking bridge and you go in there And then one on the west third level facing first and broad And I did that because when you're on first and broad and you look at Nissan you could actually see the Logan signage and I wanted to have that and Just for a personal thing. So those are the two units we have over there It's a very limited menu, but they are executing fantastic The line is so freaking long I haven't even eaten there yet I go up there and I'm like No, I'm gonna miss too much of the ball game. So, you know, I've had it before. I'm good. I'm good, but How does that make you feel though? Oh Man, are you kidding me? It's a dream come true. I mean my team the stadium I mean besides when they put the coupe in last year when they were kind of in between Logan's has been there since the day we opened I mean since the day the stadium, you know took on its first people, you know

17:56It's been Logan's I'm in there now, you know and and and as a Titans fan I I can see the end zone one from my seats and every once I just look over I'm just like when our logo goes up on the screen. I'm like What happened like how how did we get here? This is just it's insane That is the best segue that I've ever had somebody give me. How did we get here? This is a good opportunity to talk about how exactly you got there So you are a local boy. Are you Nash? Are you growing you were from Murfreesboro, right? No, I lived out there. That's what I brought my first home So I always tell everyone made in Nashville born in Memphis We lived when when my parents got pregnant with me. They lived at the Hermitage exit of 40 Okay Arbor Anyway, the apartments are still over there, but they lived at the apartments right off the exit My dad was on tour at the time I believe with Barbara Mandrell that was her live in London days And so my mom drove to Memphis and I was actually born at Memphis East Hospital where my mama and Papa You know live in that area so they could help, you know with the whole thing But we came right back home. And so I have I tell everyone made in Nashville born in Memphis Mom moved here when she was 17 to sing at opera land USA. So I mean legit like Music family dad's the piano player producer mom's a singer and dancer and So yeah, I went to easel-harding For elementary school. We moved away for a little bit while mom had a record deal And then she did a show in Branson, Missouri for a little bit So we moved away for about five six years total came back and I ended up at easel-harding again So right over here in Antioch graduated from me Went to Lipscomb University graduated from Lipscomb University and I've never left and I never will now This is this is my home and this is where my where my people are when we Brought our first two kids home from the hospital that was

20:00We had our first house in Murfreesboro. My dad lived there at the time My mom was back in Branson doing another show. So I wanted to be near a grandparent because Those kids man, they run you I bought a house two houses down from my parents I know exactly what you're talking about Right. I have twins and my mom moved in with us basically from Florida. So You know good stuff so You were at Lipscomb. You didn't go to Lipscomb. You were after you graduated you worked on a couple political campaigns, right? I Did I worked? I worked on Phil Bredesen's back-to-back gubernatorial campaigns. I was a political science student I After we finished the second gubernatorial run I actually went work for Van Hillary who was his opponent in that second gubernatorial run and worked on in the other party I wouldn't work with him for a US Senate race and We did not win that one. I'm to it. I'm two and three. I'm two foot or two for three two for three Yeah, that's all-star status But that wasn't that wasn't your future You know at first I want to be president, you know, I knew exactly what I was gonna do I was gonna write a big book and say, you know everything I'd ever done so they can just scrap that and get that crap I like, you know, that was my goal And then once I got into it, I just realized I didn't want any part of it I I couldn't deal with that many people, you know hating who I am or what I stand for I you know, it's so different now with social media. It used to be oh this guy seems great or this guy seems cool Or well, I heard some bad stuff, but I don't really know what it's all about So we're good to go now it's everything is aired every second of every day and it's not just your One party of the other it's there's just hate. There's negativity and man, I Not I don't want to touch it. I don't want to touch it that I'm going back to the restaurant industry I'm gonna go back and sell some cocktails. I'm gonna sell some chicken and I was I ran for the hills well, it's it's interesting you say you want to be president because I wonder growing up with parents who were like

22:06Called celebrities, but they're performing in front of these groups of numbers of people Did you ever aspire to that? Did you ever aspire to anything like that? Like hey, both of my parents are big performers Being a president is basically being a performer to a degree. I Started playing baseball when I was about five six years old t-ball, you know, like everybody My dad had played ball and had some I guess minor league offers and he chose music over playing baseball and I just I always played and so that was my love was was baseball and Now there was a time when we lived in Branson, Missouri I mean, well shoot when I was a kid I sang the national anthem for Memphis in May one year when I was a little kid I When we lived in Branson, I opened for the Osmonds and the Rockettes for the Christmas lighting festival for the city of Branson My mom and I had our own show at Mutton Hollow theme park in Branson, Missouri for a little while So there was a time where I was doing that actually wrote a few songs with a buddy of mine We recorded it and there was a time where where that was an interest of mine, but it always I Don't know I guess because I had grown up in the in that kind of arena and I've been around it so much You know, I kind of wanted to do my own thing, you know I wanted to put my own, you know fingerprints on something my own stamp. So I switch gears So you worked at the cooker while you were at Lipscomb in Green Hills?

23:34Yes, I worked that way you got bit by the bug No, I Actually started in hospitality at 12 years old My mom was a Patsy Klein at a closer walk with Patsy Klein over off Music Valley Drive at the Texas Theatre and I started as concessions and Do some staffing issues. Yeah, they had those back then too. Just not nearly as severe as they do now Yeah, so I actually ended up doing lighting For the show so I do concessions before run up do the lighting for the whole show and I also greeted the tour buses So literally I would when they tour buses arrived, I would go on and do Q&A's about Patsy's life during intermission I'd go up there and do the same thing and then you know, so the concessions did the lighting like that really Kind of got me, you know my juices flowing now I had done some you know Some other things but you know running that concession program and and and being kind of like the guy it was kind of fun And so then I became a host at a place called on the border in Antioch I don't know if you remember on the border is no longer. There's not a building right there anymore. I Was there when I was 15 and I almost got fired Because the music City miracle happened while I was hosting and I said some very colorful words because of my excitement level And I got snatched real quick And it just it just stuck with me. I loved dealing with people. I loved communicating I love taking someone who's having an okay day and Seeing it completely turn right in front of your face and and just see the light come come to them and then be like I'm having A great time that is so addicting to me. And so that's what eventually led me down I loved serving. I love bartending. I love managing because I got to do table touches, you know remedy situations Did I think I was ever gonna be where I am today? Hell? No, I had no idea like this is I'm serious

25:34I I pinched myself all the time. I'm like what how what what? Crazy Jen. Do you see any similarities between us here at all? Well, I have to ask I know you're a Tennessee three and three is not the California bear on your arm though So my father my Smith side is from California Okay, my dad he was my best friend and he passed. So this is my arm for him Whoop, so I've got his piano His signature his roses and then my Smith family comes from California Gotcha I'm sorry Got my Tennessee with my iris He will have her microphone and her roses here, but she said I'm not allowed to do that until she is dead and gone She does not want me jinxing that so she cannot have her tattoo until later on But yes, so good question that way I can say where you from I go Tennessee California, that's where my family comes from easy peasy. So yeah, I'd say there's a lot of similarities between you guys It's crazy, isn't it? What part of California?

26:38Modesto Houston, okay so I'm I'm from Southern California and right in Orange County and we did an interview with a lady a couple weeks ago who said I'm California and I said what part we went to the same elementary school That's nuts. It was crazy. I'm like I went to low Maria. She's like I went to low marine. I'm like, this is weird This is a small small small world. So you you met a guy named Nick Jacobson Who's a probably equal Titans fan Predators guy. I see I'll see him more times I've seen him at Predators games than I've ever seen him anywhere else Awesome guy Nick Jacobson you work with him at 360 Bistro And then I believe you left there to go work at Athens distributing Yes that accurate am I following the timeline, right? We're gonna take just a moment to break away to hear a word from our sponsors complete health partners is Your choice for primary and urgent care you get direct access They provide direct in-person access to their providers without the two or three week wait It's affordable starting at $50 a month. No premiums copays deductibles regardless of insurance coverage Proven results keeps employees healthy through goals and continuous access minimizing lost shifts innovating patient care in the community here in Nashville, they have three convenient locations right here in Nashville This is what you need. This is what restaurants right now need to help retain their employees This is the right thing to do offering urgent and telehealth care for your employees right now. That's complete health Partners go check them out go to Nashville restaurant radio comm click the sponsors tab Scroll down to complete health partners and click that link Need you to do that that lets them know that you heard about them on our show

28:41It's primary care that doesn't feel like you're at the DMV Sharpies bakery has been delivering fresh bread to the back door of your restaurant since 1986 six days a week fresh bread delivered daily Erin Mosso and her family are happy to work with you to identify exactly what bread you need and get it delivered to you Immediately. Look if there's one thing that we've learned throughout the pandemic It's that supporting local mom-and-pop businesses has never been more important And this is exactly who you're working with when you work with Sharpies bakery Sharpies is spelled CH a R Pi er s bakery and it's Sharpies calm check them out on Instagram at Sharpies bakery And you can find all of their posts all the cool stuff They're doing and if you go to Sharpies calm, you can see over 200 breads that they are currently making for customers So if you have your own bread your own recipe that you like to make they'll make it for you and deliver it to you Six days a week give Erin Mosso a call. She's at six one five three one nine 64 53 or at Sharpies just email them Sharpies CH a R P I E R S at Gmail calm Sharpies bakery your local bread baker for 35 years So so back in about 2005 2006 Nick was opening his first well his restaurant three at the time It was not called 360 at the time. It was actually a fast called the great and the grape was really really cool Small plate tapas I went work for him there. I knew nothing about wine when I started but they quickly trained me Well, the grape was really cool because you had the restaurant and then next to it was a wine store Yeah, and I ran that one them for a while too, okay And so when we met, you know, Nick and I were very close in age a couple years difference And Nick started playing softball with me. We even had a dodgeball team at one point We tried flag football and it was all under party foul. I had started that

30:46My college years changed the U to a W and put a rooster on the front and I thought I was real clever You know, I had no idea what that was gonna turn into but we've been playing under the name party foul for 20 years Almost and so yeah, he played with me on party foul and you know for the first like a few years We just joked that that would be a cool chicken joint and then one day I was at his house We were doing a movie night with his wife and my now wife and he and I were driving to Chili's to pick up some curbside and I said Hey, man, I'm gonna quit my job at Athens and I'm gonna open party foul I said you in he goes you have a business plan I said it you know, I've got the beginnings of it and he's some tweaks and stuff Bring it over let's finish it. So we finished it together and I mean within a week and a half I think we were approved and I had already picked out the space on 8th Avenue in the Gulch which everyone mocked me They're like that is so nasty over there. Let's cross that Napa auto parts It was a car quest car quest it was like a Yeah, and so there was like gunshot holes in the window There was you know, some homeless folks live in the basement there was dead rats behind the bar and the building was only 3,000 square feet and I'll never forget. I I got approved for a certain amount. I Had this once I met Bart Pickens and knew that I had this amazingly talented chef I said I can't restrict him to a little 400 square foot kitchen. So I was like, how are we gonna do this?

32:13I'm gonna double the building out back But I need to multiply my my ask times six So what I originally was asking for it open my first party foul times six and I got some definite cross-eyed and some weird looks on that one But it in the end Nick and his father Harry trust me. He said yes, and we were off the races We built we doubled out the size of that little space and now they've built a high-rise every inch around us And we look like we've been there a hundred years and I love it. I love it It's amazing what you've got going on there and every time when I was in sales when I was a drinker I would drive by all the time and every it didn't matter if it was seven o'clock in the morning and it was Hot cold didn't matter. I'm sitting in my car. I looked at the side of your building I'd see a big sign that said boozy slushies and I always thought like god I could go for a bet that the way that that sounds a boozy slushie I'm like that is so right at my alley. I want one of those right now like but it's only eight o'clock in the morning That's not okay. You've been taunting me for years. You even know it. I Love it. I love it the boozy slushies. So Bart Pickens. He's been on the show I talked to Bart for an hour. Hey What are you doing? I love that guy. Tell me about the first time you met Bart. What was that like?

33:32Well, the story of how I met Bart is absolutely fantastic. It is not just a simple story When I was posting my first ad looking for kitchen manager or chef, you know, I didn't write just a generic You know looking for a chef or a kitchen manager wanted no no No, I did a one ad like if you like Pini coladas must love dogs I did a thing that said must love chicken and I basically wrote this letter looking for my counterpart Who loves chicken like I love chicken and it was really funny and I had like 80 something people send me their application and in their resume and Out of those I had three that kind of jumped off the page to me a little bit and One of them I knew I could not afford there was just no way that we still had the 3,000 square foot building and The experience was through the roof open corporate restaurants, you know all over three-star, you know restaurants 800 staff casino, you know kitchen programs like I got a little chicken check, right? So I had the first to cook for me and there was some really great stuff in there but I was looking for someone who's my kind of crazy who gets me and in and is willing to play and then is Not just gonna be a one-note song. You know, I wanted someone who?

34:48blew my mind and Just thinks the way I think and so I kept getting an email every day for four days twice a day It might have been longer, I mean is every day just boom-boom-boom resume resume resume Ernest Bart Pickens and finally I call him and I go what he goes. I love chicken. I said So we interviewed him and It was like the scene from Forrest Gump I you know I said before we get started before I tell you about this concept The number one priority is that we have the best fried chicken on the planet period. I mean that that's everything He goes how you want it you want dill pickle brine saltwater brine sweet tea brine buttermilk brine single dredge double dredge I mean, he just starts rattling he got done. I went Yes, I want all of that. Let's do that. So Bart came and cooked for us and I had this idea in my head that I was gonna have like the old-fashioned kind of hot pickled Hard-boiled eggs behind the bar and I like the Western days and I was gonna call them foul balls And that was gonna be one of my little fun. Haha So Bart's cooking and he comes out and he has a dish called foul balls and it was not that it was his Little orange heenie his little his little New Orleans style dirty rice right into a little ball But the fact that that's where his head was going He was already thinking of these fun cool little plays a baseball reference Switching it up and everything. I looked at Nick. I said this food tastes half as good as it, you know It looks this is over. This is done. We found our guy and we ate the food that was it was fantastic. I mean Bart's as much and he and Tiffany Thompson of EP there is much Part of this success and and who we are Today as I am and I am very very blessed to have those folks with me. They make it as special as it is Do you know I met Bart Pickens when he was at the country music Hall of Fame

36:52Tom Morales is running the way a long time ago. It used to be a place of the so bro grill and I was young I worked for a company I went for creation gardens and I would go in there and Bart would go. Hey, you got isomalt now I go I don't know what isomalt is and you go Let me tell you I come come come and we would go sit on the dock and probably my favorite thing that I did Back then we're talking 2006 okay. Well, this is 15 years ago We're sitting on the dock and he would see smoked and I smoked back then too and we'd sit and I would have cigarettes with Bart Anytime I ever wanted to smoke I would just pull up to the back country's Hall of Fame I'd go find Bart and he would teach me something like I had no clue what all this stuff is He's like this that's baby cabbage. Yeah And he just had a story for every single thing in the world and it meant so much to me He's wacky, but he's like one of my favorite people in the world I'm so lucky that you I'm so happy that you guys found each other yeah, I he left me for three months once to go cook scallops fish and steak because he missed that and he came back and he said the grass ain't greener just effing grass and Everyone think about leaving he tells him you don't know who you're going to work for You know who Austin and Tiffany are you know who I am?

38:07You don't know who you're gonna get over there, you know, and so you do a really good impression. I Mean dude, I live with this guy. I mean basically live with this He's my spirit animal I freaking love this dude Where is he from cuz both of you are giving him a weird accent New Orleans But when he gets fiery like when he gets intent his New Orleans sounds almost Boston Jersey in the weirdest way I'm getting water boy That's Cajun you got it He over dramatizes the Cajun when he's talking about something, you know fun And so we try our best we try our best but yes the water boy That's if him and Gordon Ramsay had a baby that'd be Pickens That's a good that's a good marriage right there If you're listening to this and you're like, I got to know more about this guy Probably one of the most unique chefs in the entire city June 4th I Spent an hour and 15 minutes talking about on the patio of party foul cool Springs We had a wonderful conversation that you can go listen to right now So we're we're almost we've got to 8th Avenue is open. You've got this thing going you found your chef Business take off from there. Did it take a little while? What what was that like?

39:34Business was that was not the best corner No, but it was business was better than I expected What I had in my head what I had projected on my Performa we we we killed that but Man, we were learning, you know, it was our concept, but it was our first time doing it It was like, okay, the training wheels are still on right now. So, you know, we we had a very heavy staff We wanted to make sure that we were staying on top of it. We didn't want to get blown out And it but it honestly took you know, two two and a half years to really see That it was gonna start moving in a crazy direction and those first two years I'll tell you there were times that me Tiff and Bart held our payroll And didn't get paid so that we could hit our bills and stuff I mean we we were literally a brand new first timer, you know, we make it look easy, but it wasn't you know Doing what we do takes a lot And and again, I was blessed with some wonderful people who were along for the ride and and they stuck with me and you know As we started to see everything at the beginning. I was the general manager for about the first nine months we brought in a Consultant and the first thing he said was you need to stop being the GM. I said no way, bro This is my store now not happening He said you're never gonna be able to be an owner if you're a manager because you can't see what's happening unless you can step Back and see the full picture so it took it took a few months for me to get to that point and I finally I've moved Tiffany Thompson who's now the VP of party found I moved her into the GM role I stepped back into I was always there But I'd let her work with with all the invoicing and and and hitting labor hitting food costs You know, I checked in on on that weekly We had a Monday meeting to show me where we were on everything, but I got to see but you know more I could see some of the opportunities I could see some places where we could be doing a better job We can be more efficient and sure enough the guy was dead on right The second I relieved myself from being the GM and started to actually be the owner-operator

41:40man, it just Will you be the visionary? Yeah, and and start making some moves and and it was not too long after that that we signed on Donaldson When we signed on Donaldson They said it was gonna take like 15 months for the build out and we were ready to go We had we had finally like cracked the code in our head like how to make this work how to you know Stay in the black how to you know be successful But like let's do it and I said, well, this is gonna take too long So we went to Murfreesboro and we actually opened that store up because it was a second-gen restaurant We opened it up six months before we opened Donaldson so our number two and number three store we did open within six months of each other and that was insane We were not prepared for Donaldson I Was expecting a hundred and eighty four people for friends and family, but I told my team Let's not make any enemies that people come up here and think that we're open see them I'll pay for their food and drinks. I want everyone to enjoy friends and family night. Let's pack the place I want to see it breathe. I want to see it, you know the whole nine I want to see the whole I want to I want to see it, you know Yeah, we set four hundred and seventy five people in an hour. Oh I Still have the I at one point I was in my office upstairs with three fingers of bourbon in the fetal position in the corner Just rocking and people were knocking you in there. We need you to agree a table and I wouldn't say a word I like disappeared for 10-15 minutes. I just needed to like not have a mental breakdown because I had greeted every table We're so mad at me. They're like it's been an hour and a half. I'm like, oh I Let everyone come in and have a party and it backfired I'm one of the the ladies from eater was there and we invited them to the friends and family and they didn't get their Food and won't end up leaving her That was fun. That's when I learned really make friends and family friends and family. Do not invite the bloggers in the room You're gonna step on your toe do it while no one's watching That's what it's for That's what it's for it's to get you a little dry run in

43:42Jen we've been talking over here. You've got to have thoughts Yeah, I I just I remember when 8th Avenue open cuz that what year was that? 2014 yeah, I moved here in 2013 So I remember and I live I worked at merchants downtown and I lived off Wedgwood, Houston So I passed that all the time and so I remember it being built and then coming up and then all of a sudden you were Everywhere like it felt very fast and I remember like that was one of my first introductions to hot chicken Because I'd been to Hattie B's but I'd never been to Prince's and then there was just party foul everywhere and I saw you everywhere You know we We like to play big, you know Even though we're small and we're just a little I mean my corporate team is five people heavy and and we we can move Out and I'm telling you I've got a great team, but we like to play like we're huge So, you know going in the stadium locking in the airport deal Where we're opening new locations, I'm gonna have a new one They'll probably be able to announce in the coming probably two or three weeks, but I cannot do it today This one is a hammer you're gonna go oh my god It's in Bellevue Well, so do you do you have goals for outside of the Nashville arena? Like are you looking beyond middle Las Vegas?

45:09You'll find out in the next week or two. It's it is not in Tennessee. So oh But we're playing there we're working on some other airport deals currently so we're gonna be trying to expand that visibility And we were very fortunate you had during kovat we actually lays selected us and did a Nashville hot potato chip with us It was every grocery store in America had it and it was I mean man you grow up going to picnics with your family and stuff and having barbecue and you know cheddar and Sour cream onion chips from lays on then you're all in one of the bags, you know, it was just so freaking cool You know, we we've been very blessed in a short amount of time. We're not even eight years old and You know, we've got eight units right now we're about to add a ninth and Then a bunch more after that and good Lord willing, you know, man, that's amazing We're heading we like to do it. We have a lot of fun building these families and That that's what we are, you know, we have two rules at party foul rule number one We're a family rule number two don't poison the well There's not a rule about chicken or drinks because anyone can make good food and good drinks It's the culture that you create and the vibe that you have in your building that makes you either successful or not successful people remember that more than they'll remember the food I Grew with that wholeheartedly service make people have an experience while they're there It's not just about eating chicken. You can eat chicken anywhere Although your chicken is very good and your shit and bark does a fantastic job is really really good But thank you And you know, I also love about you is that I think that people come to town and they see party foul chicken and it's so Well-done that I would imagine they see it in the airport and they see it here and they go. Oh, it's a chain That's just a chain. You're like while it is getting to be it is a locally owned and operated Restaurant that started here in Nashville and I like to celebrate People that have done really really well and let people know like no Carrie bring those one of those guys people I love Carrie's hilarious, but you know, he's one of your neighbors over there, but people would say

47:13Oh, I'd read online. What's the somebody would say they're coming to Nashville and say what's the best place to get barbecue and somebody would write? You know peg leg pork when they go that place is a tourist trap. That's just a change like No, no, that's it. That is as a local as it gets there's nothing more locally owned and operated than that I get it all the time people think that you know, some of the locals cause a tourist trap And and a lot of people come in they're like so how many how many of these are you and you or are you the franchisee? Or you know, and they think that there's this big conglomerate. I'm like, dude. I literally used to live in my car I'm a Nashville boy. Like I just this is us, you know, and and we're so invested in in our community You know, I I I serve on the board here for the chamber of Donaldson Hermitage And you know, that's where we my kids are, you know They go to school and they play everything and we're just we're as local as it gets and when people have that wrong You know idea I I'm like I just want to tell you Just want to shake your hand and tell you who I am because if you knew you would never even have another thought You know, but people some folks think there were this big thing But you know you should you got to take that as a compliment as well Well, you don't want to be known that way but like first Shane Nasby's one of those guys It's such a great job with honey fire barbecue people walk in and go. Oh, this is a chain like no I just did a really good job With hitting all of the details and it's roughly I can replicate this But it's it's I've done a really good job and everybody thinks it because it's so clean and it just Wow, you guys have a really distinct culture. This must come from Some think tank like no, it's it's not this is just this is Nashville. This is who we are Listen people people notice the little details You know they notice if your menu looks like You meant for every single thing to be exactly where it is and on which page and where your eyes are drawn and You notice these things you notice if you line the salt and pepper shakers up the same way every time on every table People might not just walk through and go. Oh, you see it

49:14It's subconscious you see if someone cares and someone puts the time and the energy into trying to you know I tell my people all the time. This is your home. You are having a house party today Now when you throw a house party, what what are your expectations for your home to look the best? It looks here all year exactly And what do you want for your guests to have the best time ever to leave here going man? They've got their stuff together and the food and drinks were awesome. I said you're throwing a house party. You're the host It's yours. It's on you. It is going to be what you make it, you know, and and and we do it We you know, we we try to do our best to do that all the time We don't we don't hit it. We don't bet a thousand on that, you know, but nobody we strive Like Bart Pickens says if you strive for perfection excellence can be achieved It sounds like a Grant Cardone quote But anyhow, so Thanks for joining us here. We're not done. I we just we're just getting out of a pandemic and Without it being a 45-minute conversation How'd you guys do was it scary? Did you what? How'd you guys pivot to use the way overused word of?

50:212020 how are you doing now? Sounds like you're growing you got more stuff coming on. What's your pandemic story? You know, it was a challenge, but when everything shut down I told my team I was like, we're not we're gonna keep everyone together We I asked my management team to to take a 50% Hit on their salary until you know, we knew some funding was probably gonna come down the pike So I asked everyone to go to 50% and all of my salary employees ran all the stores during the shutdown to where it was delivery and takeout only and Because we didn't have enough shifts to give all of our hourly employees and we knew they were getting their unemployment We instead Bart created these family meals and we did two meals per household per day Whether you had two people in your house or six people in your house We tried to take the food out of the equation for all of our hourly. So we fed our team. We kept them together We managed our finances very well, I'm very proud how we did that So when the pandemic kind of lightened up and we got back to having 50% seating and how to succeed We actually came back with like 95% of our employees coming back in the building Because we told them we're a family that is rule number one And I think more than anything going through that together They got to see that that's real. It's not just words It's not something written in your handbook. That is true to God who we are I don't take for granted one second Anybody who walks in my building and puts on the logo and works that day because they're part of my dream You know without them, I don't have anything So we monitored that we managed that we came out really well We had a pretty full team coming back in Now since then there's been a lot of you know ebbs and flows with staffing You know, it's it's so hard to find consistency And to fill every hole, but we've managed my salary managers are in hourly positions at every store My corporate team is basically running Murphy's for right now. We're scrappy We refuse to lose. We're fighters, you know, and I'm just like I said, I'm surrounded by good people

52:24We managed it pretty well. We kept our family intact You're currently hiring Oh, yeah, everything hosts bartender bus food runner server managers kitchen line dish Whatever. I mean, I kind of want to come work for you right now. Like it sounds you're pitching it Well, yeah, like I mean just the whole vibe like the whole thing What you're doing and the expansion and you're growing and it's a family I mean how many people go to work and they hang out with each other? And you're growing and it's a family I mean how many people go to work and they hate their job or like I go to work because they I just come to work I don't like it. But like I come to a place and when I wear this uniform I get to I get to host people I get to impress I get to have fun at work every single day I guess I get to throw a house party every day. That really is my job That sounds pretty fun You know It we try our best I tell people all the time You know that very same thing is it you get to be you get to make this what it is You know, there are jobs that I have where I pulled up to the back door and I was like, oh, oh, I'll get through it I gotta get through today And then I had jobs are like I get to work with Susie and Katie and Jeff and Jim and it's gonna be awesome And it's gonna be busy today. We have the garage doors up. Okay, you know, there there have been times where I've been so Excited to go to work and I told them I was like the day that you don't enjoy coming in Here's the day you need to be looking to do something else and we'll support you on that. But if Yeah, just tell me what can we do but I don't want them to ever be in a position where they have to show up and They don't want to be there. And so I tell people all the time I don't expect you to sign a lifelong contract with party foul I know that everyone has aspirations Just give me your best while you're in this building and I'm gonna be your biggest advocate on your next place you go And so that's the way we treat our team and we try to keep it like that Any shout outs for people on your team?

54:25Who have just gone above and beyond through the pandemic or right now that if anybody that you can do like these are And yeah, I hate doing that because people you in that you forget people but is there anybody out there that you just like man? Well, you are you already know, you know Tiffany Thompson and Bart Pickens I Giovanna Mangino Ryan Hutchinson my corporate team did so phenomenal but to To stop the list there would be be asinine. It'd be ridiculous because Man, every manager did everything we asked him to do I had hourlies who they'd come in and still work when we did need that extra help Even if it affected the fact that they might not get their you know, unemployment check and so no, I just say this my party foul family Oh, man, you'll get me choked up. I love every damn one up there. I love my team. Love my All right, I Think that's a great so we started off with you got a place in The Titan Stadium, which is your dream your team?

55:30This is an amazing honor for you and I said, let's talk about how you got there. I think we did a pretty good job Yeah, I think so too. I think we covered a lot of ground here. I think a lot of ground here Jen you have anything else you want to add before I put them on the hot seat? I just want to know real fast if you feel personally responsible for the garage door trend of Nashville because You guys and I think barista parlor were like the two that started it all Here's what I'll say if I am responsible in any way for the garage door trend, I want to apologize to all my And the surrounding areas because those damn things are a burden I love having We only get like 12 a year Here they just let in too much air mess up your HVAC mess up your heat Let rainwater come in. I mean good lord. I love and hate my garage door trend I'm responsible in any way. I am so very sorry Well Austin one of the things that we do on our show is We like to surprise every guest and let them take us out So we're gonna end the show here, but you get to take us out Jerry's final thought style Whatever you want to say to whoever you want to say it for as long as you want to say it the Floor is yours, sirs, but you're speaking in Nashville Speaking in Nashville. Well, look Most of you if you like hot chicken have already tried my chicken, so I'm not gonna sell that right now Let's talk about something else. Let's talk about our Tennessee Titans. How about that?

57:12No, Derek Henry and we go in there to LA and we whooped their ass. It was fantastic My kids and my wife. Why is he screaming so loud? I don't know maybe because Kevin Byer just did a pick six and we've gotten five sacks in the first half That might be a thing. I don't know maybe you know, the next man thing in Nashville has obviously been working We had the hardest strength of schedule the first half of the season We have the easiest strength of schedule to finish out the season Let's take this thing on down and finish this up in the Super Bowl go Titans tighten up, baby And they say that Derek Henry should be available for the Super Bowl. Should we get there? Maybe even for the playoff run, but you know if anyone if anyone I'm in I'm all in let's get it That's a storyline and a half right there. I think I don't think there's a team in the NFL right now I saw a thing that said should the Titans be respected and I'm like Yes, the Titans. Did you see the last four games? We just played I mean, holy cow and then everyone goes but they lost the Jets and I'm just Whatever whatever get out of those just lost to Jacksonville. You know what?

58:20We got that's a that's a very good end to the show. I love it Austin Smith. Thank you for joining us on Nashville restaurant radio. We'll see you soon, brother Thank y'all for having me. Thank you Big thank you to Austin Smith for taking his time to join us on Nashville restaurant radio It was so fun getting caught up and hearing more of his story I also want to send a special shout out to hope zills with bread and butter She has just been so great to us over here at Nashville restaurant radio and her patience with me and getting all of this stuff lined up Believe it or not takes a small miracle as we've got a lot of stuff happening over here If you run a PR company and you want to get your client on the show, please feel free Send me an email Brandon at Nashville restaurant radio Comm and I will be happy to talk to you and see what we can't do to make that happen All right. We thank you guys for listening today. We hope that you are being safe out there Please go get vaccinated or get your booster. Love you guys. Bye