In December of 1986, in a small, unassuming strip mall tucked away on Bandywood Drive in Green Hills, Daisy King and three investors made plans to offer a new alternative to Nashville’s discriminating diners. King, a fan of author F. Scott Fitzgerald, wanted to name the new establishment Zelda’s after the famed author’s wife. Unfortunately, the name was taken. She moved on to the obvious next choice, and F. Scott’s was born.
The following May, Randy Rayburn, a well-respected Nashville restaurateur, took over management duties of the modest, one-room venue from original manager Mark Rubin. Serving an ever-changing lunch and dinner menu, the team of Rayburn and Chef Anita Hartell brought fine dining to the up-and-coming suburb of Green Hills. Immediately, Nashvillians took to F. Scott’s cozy atmosphere and charm.
May of 1989 brought new owners to the restaurant – Hoyt Hill, a former maitre d’ at Julian’s, Nashville’s legendary four-star restaurant, and his wife, Elizabeth. The couple hired beloved local pianist Ron Mabe, which marked the beginning of live music as an important ingredient in the success of F. Scott’s. Additionally, Hill hired Josh Weekley to take over kitchen duties from Hartell, who left to open her own restaurant. Along with his industry expertise and extensive wine knowledge, Hill’s ownership began to foster an unparalleled enthusiasm and a broad clientele base for F. Scott’s.
By 1990, F. Scott’s regularly served as a host to many Nashville notables. On any given night, one might spot the mayor at one table, country music legend Dolly Parton at another, or Fred Thompson – in the days before he was a U.S. senator or a television star – at another. And it’s been that way ever since.
Around this same time, Hill hired two new faces to the service industry who shared his enthusiasm for fine food and drink: Wendy Holcomb and Elise Loehr. They worked hard, learned a great deal and, for the time being, moved on to other pursuits.
In November of 1994, with the expansion of neighboring grocery store Kroger threatening F. Scott’s survival, entrepreneur Dr. Tom Allen bought the venue and moved it to its current location on Crestmoor Road. Dr. Allen poured his heart and his money into the new location, creating three dining areas that seat a total of 145. An avid art collector, he decorated the walls so that one might sip a martini underneath a Degas, Renoir, Picasso, or Miró. Leadership of the kitchen passed into the capable hands of South Florida’s Emile LaBrousse, who brought with him exciting food based on classic French techniques with a Mediterranean flair.
The following year, LaBrousse departed and Californian Louise Branch took over the helm in the kitchen. She brought a Pacific Rim influence along with a sunny disposition to the restaurant, and a number of local kitchen staff members honed their craft under her careful tutelage.
New additions to the F. Scott’s staff ensued. Allen Fiuzat took over general manager duties, and early in the spring of 1996, Branch appointed Margot McCormack, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), as assistant chef. Fiuzat and McCormack would figure prominently in F. Scott’s future and success.
Tragedy struck F. Scott’s when Dr. Allen passed away unexpectedly in 1996. Ownership of the restaurant transitioned to the Z1 Corporation, which Dr. Allen had founded. However, in September of 1996, Fiuzat and Ben Robichaux purchased F. Scott’s from Z1.
Throughout the next four years the duo made significant changes to the look and feel of the restaurant while maintaining F. Scott's core concept. They softened the color scheme and painted trim and walls in white and beige tones. They removed the high-back, high-gloss black chairs and replaced them with more inviting seating. They pared the artwork down to two artists: contemporary local artist the late Creason Clayton, and the late David Schneuer, internationally renowned German expressionist painter.
Arguably, the most inspired change proved to be an exciting and essential ingredient in the whole F. Scott's experience: live jazz. People from near and far return time and time again to hear world-class jazz performed by Nashville’s finest jazz musicians.
Another Fiuzat and Robichaux decision, which remains in effect today, is the discontinuation of a lunch menu in order to focus fully on dinner service. However, the doors still open in the daytime for Mother’s Day, Easter brunch, and the occasional luncheon event.
On the food front, the new owners announced the status of McCormack as executive chef. McCormack brought a clean, fresh, Alice Waters-meets-Julia Child approach to the cuisine. It did not take long before out-of-towners started to take notice. Such a strong team combination led F. Scott’s to new levels, winning the restaurant an unprecedented ‘Best Restaurant in Nashville’ award three years in a row from the readers of the Nashville Scene.
In January 2001, McCormack decided to leave and open her own restaurant. Jason McConnell, another CIA graduate who had served as McCormack’s sous chef, filled the position. Under McConnell’s watch, the menu became more global, Latin American, and Southern, all at the same time. Moreover, Fiuzat and Robichaux instituted a “9-Dine” program which continues to this day. Except for Sunday, anyone seated after 9 p.m. in the main dining rooms receives half off his or her food check. Thanks to Fiuzat, Robichaux, and television personality Rachael Ray, “9-Dine” proves to be very popular indeed, and reservations are recommended.
In 2003, two new owners came aboard. Both are alumni of the old Bandywood F. Scott’s, both a little older and wiser in the ways of the service industry. Wendy Holcomb Burch and Elise Loehr Solima established a partnership and gained ownership of F. Scott's on Nov. 24. Another transition occurred the following year when F. Scott's dining rooms became smoke-free to better serve guests.
Together, Burch and Solima fine-tuned the restaurant and proved their mettle, with record-breaking years in 2004 and 2005. By hiring a new general manager, Steve Lapiska, a new executive chef, Will Uhlhorn – whose notable credentials can be seen elsewhere on this Web site – and pastry chef Jessica Reinhardt, they ensured a bright future for F. Scott’s. Many of Nashville’s finest restaurant professionals have walked through those wrought iron front doors (the original Bandywood doors) and committed to giving their best. While some have moved, a number of loyal employees are celebrating years of service at F. Scott's.
Despite seasons of change, F. Scott's has stuck to its original concept – seasonal menus that change from top to bottom four times a year and feature the freshest ingredients available.
Everyone is invited to F. Scott’s to dine in an elegant, yet relaxing atmosphere. A casual but professional feeling is what the management and staff strive for, along with great food, great service, and great jazz. And if they ever fall short, they want to know about it.
The team at F. Scott’s feels truly blessed. They serve the best clientele in the world, and that’s something they will never take for granted.
The restaurant’s history has now come full circle. With tremendous care and expertise, Burch and Solima welcome a new generation of diners, alongside the loyal regulars, to F. Scott’s, a valued and admired participant in the Nashville food scene.
