Matt Gillie is Chef de Cuisine at Tànsuŏ in Nashville, TN. He will be serving up tasty dishes at the 2018 Music City Food + Wine Festival that runs from Friday, September 14 through Sunday, September 16. We had the opportunity to chat with him in our countdown to the BIG event!
Why did you want to get involved with the Music City Food + Wine Festival?
The festival is a great opportunity to showcase our offerings at Tánsuŏ and even introduce them to those foodies who haven’t joined us yet. We are very proud of what we do and love having the opportunity to share what we do with the community.
You'll also be a featured chef during the Grand Taste, correct? Can you talk a little about what and how you'll be preparing for the Grand Tasting?
I will be preparing Dan Dan noodles. We put our own spin on a classic Sichuan dish by including ground chicken, bok choy, a tahini Sichuan sauce and our version of sui mi ya cai, which are preserved mustard stems.
Do you enjoy meeting foodies at festivals?
The people are always the best part of festivals. It is always fun talking with them about our passions, being the restaurant and of course, food.
There is always bound to be musicians and celebrities partaking in the festival. Is there anyone you would love to meet?
I would love to meet Marcus Samuelsson and Tim Love. I've always looked up to them and have been inspired by their work.
Is it good to talk to chefs at the festival and swap ideas, or are you a secretive bunch?
I feel that chefs are often inspired by other chefs, so it's always great to mingle amongst each other and see what everyone is up to.
What sets Nashville apart from all other cities, food-wise?
Compared to other cities I've worked in, most chefs in Nashville are very supportive of each other and all want Nashville's food scene to be heard. Also...hot chicken!
Any new Nashville restaurants or chefs on your radar that you're looking forward to checking out?
I've only been in Nashville for a little over a year now and there are tons of exciting new restaurants opening, my list is always growing.
Finally, what's one tip you can give festival goers?
Pace yourself, try everything, and have an open mind. With so many diverse options you never know what may surprise you and you'll love.
About Matt Gillie, Chef de Cuisine
Matt is a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana. He attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago. After graduation, he went on to work in kitchens across Illinois and in his home state of Indiana. He relocated to Nashville two years ago after accepting a job at Chauhan Ale & Masala House before being named chef de cuisine at Tànsuŏ. In his new role, he has worked to revamp the menu, offering playful dishes made with serious technique.
He currently lives in Mt. Juliet with his fiancé, two dogs and two ferrets.
Tickets & More Information:
Music City Food + Wine Festival ticket options still available include Friday Night Ticket and Saturday Ticket and a limited number of Gospel Brunch Tickets. All attendees must be 21 years of age or older.
The Friday Night Ticket ($165 per person) includes single-day access to Friday, September 14 festival programming at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, including the Official Drink of Nashville competition and the Friday Night Throwdown; Grand Taste, with more than 80 beer, wine, cocktail, and culinary tastings; access to Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint & Friends; and more.
The Saturday Ticket ($165 per person) includes single-day access to Saturday, September 15 festival programming at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, including Grand Taste, with more than 80 beer, wine, cocktail, and culinary tastings; cooking demos; panel discussions; access to Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint & Friends; and more. Gospel Brunch Ticket ($85 per person) will return to Walk of Fame Park on Sunday, September 16, featuring a dynamic roster of restaurants and chefs serving creative brunch favorites. Get a jump-start on the day with eye-opening cocktails, wine, coffee, and a spirited live gospel brunch performance from Gayle Mayes.
For more information, please visit http://www.musiccityfoodandwinefestival.com or follow us on Instagram (Instagram.com/musiccityfw) Twitter (Twitter.com/musiccityfw) and Facebook (Facebook.com/musiccityfw) #MCFW.
Music City Food + Wine is generously sponsored by: Nashville Convention + Visitors Bureau, Toyota and FOOD & WINE.
About Music City Food + Wine Festival:
Music City Food + Wine Festival is produced by GRAMMY-award winning artists (and Nashville residents) Kings of Leon, world-renowned chef Jonathan Waxman, Vector Management’s Ken Levitan and Andy Mendelsohn, and Austin-based C3 Presents – producer of Lollapalooza in Chicago’s Grant Park, and Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin’s Zilker Park.
About FOOD & WINE:
FOOD & WINE is the ultimate authority on the best of what’s new in food, drink, travel, design and entertaining. FOOD & WINE has an extensive social media following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr and Snapchat. FOOD & WINE includes a monthly magazine in print and digital; a website, foodandwine.com; a books division; plus newsletters, clubs, events, dinnerware and cookware. FOOD & WINE is a registered trademark of Time Inc. Affluent Media Group.