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Daniel Meigs

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

After working as a line cook at Sunset Grill, Midtown Cafe and Flyte, I was able to get a job as a line cook at Zola’s. That was a dream job. Deb’s [Paquette] food and flavors were in line with what I wanted to cook. We were responsible for making a daily fish dish, [and] I was able to learn how to craft a plate from the start. After a year or so, I made it to sous chef, [but] unfortunately about a year later Zola’s shut their doors. A Zola server’s husband was one of the owners of Amerigo. They offered me a job as a kitchen manager which allowed me to learn the financial side of restaurants.

JOB PERKS

Never going hungry, at least on days you were working.  

JOB CHALLENGES

The past few years have brought many challenges … [including] not knowing if you were going to survive as a business. But the overall challenge through my entire career is maintaining the passion for the industry. It’s an industry that can take a lot from you —long hours, working holidays, missing out on lots of things — but through all of that I kept thinking to myself that this job is just a way to have fun, and there is nothing else I would rather be doing. Where else can you play with food and make people happy while doing it?

BIGGEST INFLUENCE

I have been able to work in lots of great Nashville restaurants and for lots of great chefs and owners. I think my time spent working for Deb Paquette at Zola’s and Etch [and] for Doug Hogrefe and Paul Schramkowski at Amerigo taught me the most about how to make a great tasting dish and how to make sure I can make enough money off of that dish to make a living. 

GET INSPIRED

I am always a fan of going out to dinner, reading cook books and tossing ideas around with my staff. 

BEST ADVICE

If you want to get into this industry, go find a chef or a restaurant that inspires you and beg for a job. The kitchen is one of the few places where you can learn your craft while getting paid for it. Also, make sure you do every job from dishwashing to line cook to serving. Every part of the restaurant works in tandem, and you should learn how they depend on each other for success.