Photo by Nathan Zucker.
Great inspiration often comes from great travels. For chef Andy Hayes and his wife, Beth Owens, a family trip in San Sebastian, Spain, became the springboard for Rosie Food and Wine.
Seasoned chefs, the couple had long wanted to open their own restaurant in Nashville—a costly prospect that required investors and had jostled different concepts. Over an incredible meal at a small, family-owned tapas bar, they had an “A-ha” moment. “This is what we want,” Hayes recalls. “We can edit, simplify. We just need the courage and find a place to cook. And we don’t have to do it in Nashville.”
Originally from White House, a town north of Nashville, Hayes was familiar with Hendersonville, miles down the road. He still has family in the area. Why not there? After scouting many locations, he and his wife found a prime spot that had been a barbecue joint. Through self-funding, they put together the restaurant of their dreams: a chef-driven wine bar. It is a culmination of the talents and experiences of a couple who first met sixteen years ago, working side-by-side at Manhattan’s Gramercy Tavern. Hayes was on the pasta line, Owens in pastry. Hayes would be able to make the kinds of Spanish and Italian influenced dishes he loved; Owens would make all the desserts; and a wine aficionado and expert would preside over the wine program.
In December 2019, Rosie Food and Wine opened its doors, and despite the pandemic, hasn’t missed a beat. “Close to 90 percent of our customers are regulars,” Hayes says. “So many people have thanked us for coming here and filling a void.”
Their vision is an unpretentious, neighborhood place, where you can pop in during the daily happy hour for a glass of wine and a nosh, or linger over a multi-course meal. With mainstay dishes like Spaghetti Bolognese and Meatballs in Sunday Sauce, families will appreciate Rosie’s approachability.The menu is divided into five sections: To Start, Market, Pasta, Meat and Fish, and Dessert, with five to seven dishes in each category. Hayes notes that about two thirds of the menu has remained the same since opening. He likes to change out dishes, based on seasonal produce or product availability. “We cook what we like to eat,” he says.
For starters, the grilled octopus is a must-have. Charred and succulent, the meat is nestled in potato puree, dressed with pimenton (smoked paprika) and Spanish olive oil. From the Market section: Both Caesar salad and Brussels sprouts in sherry agrodulce give gratifying evidence of Hayes’ assertive yet balanced approach to seasoning. A salad of strawberries, baby beets, and sugar snaps brings springtime tastes to his roasted pork belly. Rosie Potatoes are made in authentic Spanish tapas manner, patatas brava, crunchy spuds napped in bold red salsa and garlic aioli, although Hayes introduces herbal notes of rosemary to the preparation.
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Hayes makes sublime pastas, most of which he offers in full or half orders. Having wild ramps on hand, he’s created a marvelous ricotta-stuffed ravioli dish, bathed in a brilliant green ramp pesto, and surrounded by English peas and asparagus tips. Garlicky toasted breadcrumbs and threads of pickled red onions finish it, lending distinctive texture and pop. You’ll be intrigued, too, by the blueberry lasagna. Hayes created this eight-layer wonder many years ago as lead chef at MOTO. It combines traditional Piedmont cuisine with Hayes’ own heritage. His maternal grandmother had a blueberry farm outside Jackson, Tennessee, where he worked every summer—blueberries are in his blood! Each layer is spread with wild mushroom béchamel followed by a spark of blueberry gastrique. Ever in the mind of refining, Hayes has added black truffles to the meld. (Aside: He still uses his granny’s Kitchen Aid to make his pastas.)
Hayes describes his wife’s desserts as refined, yet homey. They reflect seasonality, and she likes to incorporate fresh herbs and floral elements to drive the flavors. You’ll always find a budino, the tangy custard a canvas for fruits of the moment. While the sweet local berries are available, she makes a beguiling strawberry-rose jam to top her strawberry budino, embellished with candied basil and pipes of toasted meringue. Chocolate lovers should look no further than her chocolate pie, a luscious assembly of chocolate mousse, pastry, toasted hazelnuts, and mocha ice cream. Owens takes great pride in her wine program.
“My criteria? Cool, interesting and affordable,” she says. “We enjoy introducing our guests to a familiar grape, but from a different and perhaps unfamiliar region. My choices are wines best enjoyed with food.”
A current favorite in her roster of more than forty vintages is Petalos. It’s an organic/biodynamic Mencia from the region Castilla y Leon, made by Alvaro Palacios, a celebrated winemaker whose work is called the spirit of New Spain. On the third Thursday of each month, they close the restaurant in order to hold a special Wine Dinner. Anywhere from thirty to forty guests attend. Owens works closely with wineries, importers, and distributers, and selects a narrow focus for the experience of five wines paired with five of chef Hayes’ dishes. One month, guests sampled the wines of north Spain; in April, rosés from Southern France were highlighted.The couple revels in the freedom of having their own place—so many possibilities. There’s $25 bottle Wine Tuesdays. Wednesdays are for Paellas. There could be a bar takeover on a given Thursday, a collaborative meal with fellow chefs, or wine and cocktail classes.
“We’re small but intentional. We tend to under-sell and over-deliver,” says Hayes. “And, we are dedicated to work/life balance, with our staff, and our family.” “We want our guests to feel like this is their place,” Owens adds. “Enjoying good food and drink doesn’t have to be an event.”