Dining Dutch

The Gulch’s Newest Dining Destination

BY STACIE STANDIFER | PHOTO BY RACHEL VANNI DUTCH

When Robert De Niro was seeking a culinary talent to master the dining experience of The Greenwich Hotel, his target was Chef Andrew Carmellini. Once that 2009 partnership was formed, the hotel’s Locanda Verde was up for James Beard’s Best New Restaurant, earned stars from The New York Times, and went on to become the wildly popular Tribeca neighborhood restaurant that many enjoy today. No stranger to accolades, Carmellini had previously been recognized as a top chef by Food & Wine magazine, Best NYC Chef, James Beard, and a Michelin star or two along the way for his other restaurants. Although he was well into his career as a young man, he was really just getting started and has been opening acclaimed city favorites since - from Miami to Detroit.

Like De Niro, Mark Bloom sought out top talent when planning the dining options to be offered in Nashville’s first W Hotel. He headed to Tribeca, discovered an appreciation for Carmellini’s food and service, and a new partnership was born that’s about to raise the bar for dining out near downtown.

“Mark convinced me to consider Nashville, and he was so passionate about the project and the city that I was instantly intrigued,” Carmellini told me recently over drinks at the Thompson Nashville hotel. We were chatting about the final phases of The Dutch, which will be the first of the restaurants he’s opening at The W and one that I personally am particularly excited about after visiting the Soho NYC location several times since its opening in 2011. If you haven’t been fortunate enough to visit The Dutch, then you’re in for an unexpected treat. Far from tourist-driven, the setup and atmosphere feel more like a neighborhood pub – but with elevated comfort food, you won’t find elsewhere. The menu isn’t complicated or vast but instead includes a curated array of items suited to please palates, simple or sophisticated). “If I hadn’t become a chef, I think I would’ve been a record producer,” he tells me, “which really fits with being in this city.” He’s not only passionate about music but has a fullscale recording studio at home, which is his hobby outside of cooking. That and travel are both big rewards for him and also sources of inspiration. His family immigrated from Italy, his wife is Canadian, and he’s an avid globetrotter that appreciates everything European while also savoring excursions to places like Japan and the Faroe Islands.

He brings the flavors from his adventures back to his teams and chefs (who he credits for his restaurant group’s ongoing success), where influence can become an experiment in those kitchens. He explains that ‘inspo’ can come from many sources……including grandmothers. That’s right, they’ve brought Korean and Italian home cooks from family trees to teach them more about authentic flavors and cooking. Perhaps this is why things like their Grilled Hanger Steak with Kimchi Fried Rice and a Farm Egg reflect the cuisine of origin.

For those seeking to visit The Dutch after the September opening, Carmellini says to expect American Classics taken up a notch. He fondly refers to the menu profile as New American Soul Food, which sounds like a winning mix to us.

We also got to chat a bit about the hotel’s second restaurant under his wing, Carne Mare. The Italian Chophouse is slated to draw Italian fare enthusiasts from all over the region with a spectacular wine list and what Carmellini defines as high service. “There will be some impressive tableside preparations with unparalleled sourcing and presentation of meat, seafood, and even vegetarian entrees. “It will definitely be the spot people will want to reserve for celebrations, as every meal at Carne Mare is a special occasion.”