Broadway may be where Nashville turns the volume up, but The Gulch is where the city sharpens its edges.

In this episode of Retire Southern, James Lewis sits down with the team behind one of Nashville's most compelling hospitality experiences: Executive Chef Brack May, Beverage Director Todd Johnston, and Executive Pastry Chef Natalie Moorer of The Thompson Nashville.

From oysters sliding across the raw bar at Marsh House to espresso martinis climbing toward the rooftop at L.A. Jackson, this conversation explores what actually makes a hotel feel alive. Not just the food. Not just the cocktails. The feeling.

Together, the group dives into:

• The ecosystem philosophy behind modern hospitality
• Seafood sourcing, raw bar culture, and caviar service at Marsh House
• Soft-shell crab yaka mein and elevated Southern seafood
• The rise of espresso martinis and rooftop culture at L.A. Jackson
• Building a pastry program that feels refined yet approachable
• Why locals genuinely spend time at The Thompson
• The team's version of the perfect Nashville weekend
• What Southern hospitality looks like when it is done correctly

Chef Brack brings decades of experience from San Francisco to New Orleans, shaping Marsh House into one of Nashville's defining seafood destinations with an approach rooted in authenticity over performance.

Todd has helped build both Marsh House and L.A. Jackson since opening day in 2016, creating spaces that feel elevated without ever becoming pretentious.

And Chef Natalie quietly ties the entire experience together through desserts, pastries, brunch, and small details that guests remember long after checkout.

What emerges is a conversation about hospitality, energy, rhythm, and the kind of places people return to because of how they feel when they are there.

The Thompson Nashville is not trying to compete with Broadway.

It is offering a different frequency altogether.

A little calmer. A little sharper. A little more intentional.

Read. Watch. Listen.

Rooted in the South. Driven by Purpose. Built for Living.

James Lewis sits down with author, food writer, and TrueSouth host John T. Edge to discuss his memoir House of Smoke: A Southerner Goes Searching for Home.

The conversation explores inherited identity, childhood trauma, Southern culture, accountability, unintended consequences, and the stories we unconsciously carry forward.

Best known for his work with the Southern Foodways Alliance and the Emmy Award winning series TrueSouth, John T. reflects on family, purpose, leadership, and what it means to confront the truths that shape us.

This is a conversation about more than food. It is a conversation about identity, memory, and what to carry forward from our past.

Watch. Read. Listen.

Companion essay:
"The Story We Inherit"

https://www.retiresouthern.com/lifestyle/the-story-we-inherit

Most people think success in music looks like the spotlight.

The front man. The headliner. The name on the marquee.

But there is another path. One built on preparation, consistency, and being ready when the call comes.

In this episode, I sit down with Frank Grocholski, a professional guitarist, session player, and touring musician for Cowboy Mouth, to talk about what it really looks like to build a life in music.

From getting his first guitar at three years old
to teaching himself by ear off Nirvana, The Beatles, and Metallica
to touring the world before he was 20
to stepping on stage at Jazz Fest in front of 30,000 people

Frankie's story is not about chasing the spotlight.

It is about becoming the guy who gets the call.

We talk about the grind, the moments that mattered, and what it means to build a career between airplanes and amplifiers.

If you have ever wondered what it really takes to do what you love for a living, this one is for you.

Read the full feature here: https://www.retiresouthern.com/retiresouthernpodcast/frankie-g-guitarist-cowboy-mouth-story

Read. Watch. Listen.

Rooted in the South. Driven by Purpose. Built for Living.