Nestled in The Factory at Franklin, etch Franklin has quickly become a culinary destination. With an open-seating layout and a warm, inviting design inspired by chef Deb Paquette’s vibrant dishes, this newcomer to Franklin offers a visually striking and flavorful dining experience. Beyond great food, etch Franklin thrives on strategy and vision, like all 16 restaurants under 4Top Hospitality.
Ali Buchanan, Director of Strategy for 4Top Hospitality, oversees public relations, advertising, and operational consistency across all locations. “We look at the needs of the demographic for each restaurant,” Buchanan says. As a sister restaurant to etch Nashville, etch Franklin offers a more intimate, locally-tailored experience, including brunch every weekend.
Here's what the dynamic all-female leadership team of executive chefs Deb Paquette, Jess Lambert, and Megan Williams, and sous chef Olivia Ariana have to say about etch Franklin.
Megan Williams, executive pastry chef at etch
You are known for your creative desserts. If someone had never tried one of your desserts before, which one would you have them try first to understand your style, and why?
In the current menu, I would say the apple sesame tart with burnt honey ice cream and apple miso butter. When creating desserts for etch, I try to make them comforting and nostalgic, but with some unexpected ingredients and always contrasting textures. The
miso adds umami to the dish, and the burnt honey ice cream has a complex, caramelized flavor.
Some sources say that the pastry world has been more welcoming to women than other kitchen roles, especially in terms of leadership. Have you found this to be true? Do you still see barriers for female pastry chefs?
I think there are many reasons women gravitate toward baking and pastry, including the detail-oriented nature of the work and the fun, artistic side of it. I got my first job as a pastry cook at Provence Breads back in 2007 because I loved baking and wanted to
learn more about it. After working there, at Mesa Grill in New York, and the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, I got a job as Deb’s pastry chef to open etch with her. My role has evolved as we’ve opened more restaurants. Industry-wide, there are still barriers to female chefs and pastry chefs. Many jobs require working long hours, nights, and weekends, making it hard to have a social or family life. And there’s still a gender pay gap in the industry.
Your dessert menu at etch Franklin is always evolving. How do you decide what to feature each week?
I rotate my desserts every few months to keep things interesting and seasonal. We have some staples like our sundae and the pavlova, and we always need a rich chocolate dessert on the menu, and something warm like the tart with ice cream. I change out the fruits in my desserts depending on what’s in season and add in other ingredients I want to work with. I also collaborate with my team when creating new desserts, especially my assistant, Breyana Washington.
Jess Lambert, executive chef at etch
How do you stay innovative and continue evolving your style?
I try to read a lot and follow chefs that I admire to see what new techniques and ideas they are working with. Between three restaurants, I get a ton of inspiration from our very talented sous chefs who closely work with me on our menu changes. Each menu change brings great ideas from all of their different culinary perspectives and backgrounds.
You have stated that a culinary career appeals to you because it combines both art and science. Was there a specific moment or experience in your life when you realized this was your calling?
I grew up cooking with my dad and have loved cooking from a very young age.
How would you describe your signature cooking style?
My style has developed exponentially from working with Deb. She is a great culinary mentor, and I have so much respect for her. Her creativity is inspiring, and I have learned to think outside of the box and try flavors and techniques that I would have never thought of.
Deb Paquette, chef and owner at etch
You became the first female executive chef in Tennessee. What inspired you to enter this field and reach this remarkable achievement?
In my teens, I was blown away by how everything my dad and grandfather cooked was always perfectly spiced. My grandma and aunt could have won a Pulitzer Prize for Southern cooking. I did not know it at the time, but they were the fire under my butt. When I discovered that there were cooking schools, I left college and found my dream career. At 20 years old, I was the only girl in the classroom with 17 boys. I learned I could make people happy (and healthy) by gracing their palate with an experience that left them eager to come back for more. This accomplishment took years of practice, hard work, and dedication. Restaurant owners gave me the opportunity to fulfill my dream. A gentleman told me about the American Culinary Association, a group of Nashville chefs and others from the hospitality industry. They were wild characters, and we had a common bond. Doc Jensen, our eldest chef, encouraged me to become a certified chef along with other chefs in our community, which required me to pass a test and complete years of industry work. I just happened to be the first woman to do so. Doc helped us achieve that goal, and I will be indebted to him forever. He was such an inspiration setting us up for what we could do with our lives. Years later, to follow in Doc's footsteps, I took on the role of VP for the association, a true accomplishment.
You have mentored a number of female chefs to help them succeed in this field. What is your favorite advice to give to a woman interested in becoming a chef?
As in any business, there will be challenges. But the restaurant biz is one of the most challenging. It is physical and mental. You must observe and listen. You must taste a whole lot of food—even things you do not like. You have to know how to fix a sauce that
just doesn’t taste right. Be ready for criticism, accept your mistakes and move on. Most of all, especially with women, understand your core values. Can you work 60 hours a week? Can you make time for research and menu development? Can you physically
stay on your feet for 12 hours a day? My best advice for women is to Google information from people who already have awareness of this industry. Practice safety. Keep yourself informed of ideas and innovations in the cooking world. Strive to practice good
leadership skills and watch the gossip. Challenge yourself. Show who you are, but more importantly, create who you are.
The description of etch Franklin says the menu offers "innovative dishes inspired by Deb and Executive Chef Jess Lambert’s favorite regions of the world." Which region or culture has had the greatest impact on your culinary style?
We embrace the global cuisine; Jess’s strength is Asian cuisine and mine is probably Moroccan. Morocco was one of the first countries I culinarily investigated. The flavors I discovered were mouthwatering and intense. Paula Wolfert’s cookbook, Mostly
Mediterranean, was my bible. The book covered France, Spain, Greece, Morocco and Sicily. This book got me started as well as Coleman Andrews' book on Catalan cuisine and Madhur Jaffrey’s on Indian cuisine.
EtchRestaurant.com
"Between three restaurants, I get a ton of inspiration from our very talented sous chefs who closely work with me on our menu changes. Each menu change brings great ideas from all of their different culinary perspectives and backgrounds." - Jess Lambert