Biscuit Love has become a Nashville staple for its playful take on Southern brunch.Owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Karl and Sarah Worley (with the help of the Biscuit Babes in the kitchen), Biscuit Love serves a variety of breakfast and lunch options made entirely from scratch. Originally operated as a food truck before moving into its brick and mortar restaurant, Biscuit Love remains steadfast in its commitment to sourcing from local purveyors, and actively gives back to the Nashville community.
Chef Karl Worley grew up in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, where he learned to cook from his grandfather in Bristol, Tennessee. He received his culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University in 2010. After spending time in the kitchens of Rioja in Denver, he further developed his passion for sustainable agriculture and farm-to-table restaurants while working for the Coon Rock Farm in Hillsborough, NC. Through sourcing top quality seasonal ingredients, he is known for creating delicious dishes that honor the deep-rooted traditions of the South.
Sarah Worley was born and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania, yet she considers the South her home now that she’s spent nearly half of her life in Nashville. She holds a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales and an Accounting degree and MBA from Belmont University. She and Karl work side by side not only in their restaurant, but also in being the proud parents of their incredible daughter Gertie.
When Karl and Sarah first started Biscuit Love, they set forth to support and work with like-minded businesses who share their vision of supporting and giving back to their local community. Here, we get to know more about what drives Biscuit Love and the people we have partnered with!
BONUTS
Fried Biscuit Dough, Lemon Mascarpone, Blueberry Compote, Order of 5
HUMMINGBIRD FAMILY RESERVE
Drop Biscuit, Pineapple, Pecans, Banana Jam, Topped with Cream Cheese Frosting
The Nashville Predators’ push for the Stanley Cup might not have ended in a parade, but the economic benefits of their quest for the cup will be felt throughout Music City for awhile.
Thousands came out to watch the historic event as the Nashville Predators played the… more
Overall, the estimated economic impact of the Predators’ 11 home postseason games was $50 million, according to local officials. And that number only includes money generated from the games and watch parties, not the additional revenue that poured into the city’s bars and restaurants. For comparison, CMA Fest — which happened the same weekend as the Predators’ final push for the Cup — has an average economic impact of $60 million.
Here’s how the $50 million breaks down (officials didn’t have data for the opening round):
Round 2: Roughly $3 million per game
Round 3: Roughly $5 million per game
Finals: $8 million per game
Officials also estimated that during their playoff run, the Predators brought in roughly $2.7 million for the city in ticket, merchandise and concession sales.
“Those numbers are incredible, and we’re probably going to build some sidewalks with them,” Barry joked during the day’s event.
Another interesting economic data point from the day’s event was that the Predators — through both existing and pop-up shops — sold more merchandise during the two-month playoff run than the team does during a regular 82-game season.
The success of the Predators comes 10 years after the team was almost forced out of Nashville, before it was ultimately saved by a local leadership group, which is now led by chairman Tom Cigarran. At the time, the focus was boosting the amount of season-ticket holders, which are already up following the team’s Stanley Cup run, according to Henry.
“The financials of this team have been reset for generations,” Henry said during the conference.
A run to the Stanley Cup Final can do wonders for a town, and while the Nashville Predators fell just short of a championship, the city of Nashville still had reason for a standing ovation on Thursday.
Predators President and CEO Sean Henry, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and President of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation Butch Spyridon were on hand at Bridgestone Arena to discuss the economic impact delivered by the deepest postseason run in franchise history – and the numbers were impressive.
Spyridon and his team estimate the overall economic impact from a record 11 home playoff games for the Preds exceeded $50 million, including $8 million for each game of the Stanley Cup Final.
That’s not to mention the amount of national exposure and attention for not only the city, but also the franchise and the game itself.
“There’s no doubt, it was a great season,” Henry said. “It was a special year, and when we get a chance to raise that Western Conference banner, we’ll really appreciate what a wonderful year it was. We’ll get to celebrate with our fans, and most importantly, once we do that we start our opportunity to build upon the success we had this year.”
Sean Henry on Economic Impact
12:33 • 2:39 PM
Henry offered his thanks and appreciation to Mayor Barry and the city of Nashville, stating that the public/private partnership the Preds enjoy with the city is “the envy of the country.” Henry also thanked the CVC, Downtown Partnership, Chamber of Commerce, Sports Authority, Music City Center and the Country Music Association for the roles each played in helping to make the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs in Nashville one-of-a-kind.
The Nashville Predators Foundation also played a part, making donations from money raised throughout the playoffs from watch parties and other vehicles over the past two months.
The Foundation first made a $50,000 donation to the Nashville Public Education Foundation and its Pre-K Enrollment Program, followed by a $5,000 donation to Operation Stand Down Tennessee. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Second Harvest Food Bank also received $1,000 donations from the Foundation.
Mayor Barry on Economic Impact
07:51 • 2:21 PM
Henry admitted he would have rather been planning a parade than attending Thursday’s press conference, but he knows how much this run does and will continue to do for the city of Nashville and Middle Tennessee for years to come. And the hope is the Predators will make a habit of continuing to show Music City is indeed one of the great hockey cities in America.
“We’ve always said as a franchise, we can do a lot more than just win games and bring concerts in,” Henry said. “The growth, the economic impact, the effect on the community and organizations that change people’s lives every day, that’s more important to us. But it comes with winning and it comes with filling the building up for hockey games and concerts, so it really is impactful. What a great city to work in, to live in, to play in, and now we play a slightly larger role in bringing better things to life.”
Specializing in Hot Chicken and cold drinks, Party Fowl offers diners a one-of-a-kind experience in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. The menu, created by executive chef Bart Pickens, includes a number of hot chicken dishes with heat levels ranging from mild to “Poultrygeist,” as well as creative spins on the classics. Party Fowl offers more than 20 local beers on draft, and is home to a craft cocktail program created by consulting beverage directors Freddy Schwenk and Matt Buttel of Nashville Ice Lab. With 13 large-screen TVs and a stage for live music performances, entertainment abounds at the hot chicken restaurant. Owners Austin Smith and Nick Jacobson opened the restaurant with the hopes of bringing together the best of Nashville under one roof by combining great food, great drinks and great music.
Austin Smith – Founder/Owner
A Tennessee native, Austin Smith is no stranger to Southern comfort food. Born in Memphis and raised in Nashville where his parents worked in the music industry, Smith is an expert on southern-style hot chicken, a Nashville staple.
After spending a decade in the restaurant industry, holding a number of positions from busser to manager, Austin earned a degree in political science from Lipscomb University. Shortly upon graduation, Austin recognized his true calling in the restaurant world and left politics behind.
Austin went on to work at The Grape and 360 Wine Bar Bistro with now-partner Nick Jacobson before becoming a wine and spirit distributer. It was the latter position that fueled his desire to open his own restaurant in 2014.
Austin currently resides in Hermitage, Tennessee, with his wife, Amanda, their children Harper Anne, Ellie Kate and Gary Wayne II. In his free time, he enjoys spending time on the water at his property on the Duck River in Bucksnort, Tennessee. He is also an avid softball player, a hobby that ultimately brought together his dream – his first team became the namesake for Party Fowl.
Nick Jacobson – Owner/Partner
Nashville native Nick Jacobson is co-owner and partner of hot chicken restaurant, Party Fowl.
After pursuing career paths in law and venture capitalism, Jacobson quickly realized his passion lay in the restaurant industry when he began working as an investor in The Grape, a franchised wine bar concept out of Atlanta. After a few years, he broke away from the franchise and became independent, opening 360 Bistro guided by his love of wine. Jacobson has successfully run the restaurant for 11 years now as owner and wine director, and brings his experience and passion for the industry to his newest venture, Party Fowl.
It was at 360 Bistro where Jacobson met his partner, Austin Smith, who had been toying with the idea of opening Nashville’s first full-service hot chicken restaurant. The pair opened Party Fowl in 2014, and continue to work together on the project.
He currently resides in Brentwood, Tennessee, with his wife, Ashley, and their children Cameron and Avery. In his free time, Nick enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and enjoying the great outdoors while skiing, running, and scuba diving.
Rob Wigington, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority president and CEO
Nathan Morgan | Nashville Business Journal
The airport has been awarded the Airport Traffic Growth Award from Airline Network News & Analysis (abbreviated anna.aero), according to a news release, recognizing the airport’s 11.2 percent growth in passenger traffic during 2016 in the mid-sized airport category.
The recognition is the latest example of Nashville’s boom correlating to growth at the city’s airport, which has consistently set passenger volume records in recent years. More than 12.9 million passengers traveled through the airport in 2016, according to the release, its fourth-straight record-year. The airport expects to beat that figure by more than a million passengers in 2017.
“BNA, like Nashville itself, is on a pace of rapid growth, and all projections indicate that trend will continue,” Rob Wigington, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority president and CEO, said in today’s release. “The robust increase in travel demand underscores the need for BNA Vision, our dynamic growth and expansion plan designed to keep Nashville International Airport a world-class facility for today and beyond.”
Eleanor Kennedy covers Music City’s tourism, hospitality and music business industries.
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