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.

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