Hell's Kitchen champion and Murfreesboro native Alex Belew is heading back to his hometown with some serious heat: a new full-service restaurant called Chinwag, opening at The Fountains on Medical Center Parkway and targeting a summer 2026 debut.
Belew, who won Season 21 of Hell's Kitchen, is teaming up with Nashville pitmaster Shane Nasby on the project, which will take over a marquee space at the mixed-use development. In a press release via Davidson County Source, the partners describe Chinwag as a casual spot with just enough polish to feel special, promising to "blend smoke, fire, and ingredients and techniques from around the globe."
Belew, who will serve as executive chef, put it this way: "We're serving everyday food prepared with a little extra thought and attention to detail, but without pretension," while Nasby added, "When you have a world-class chef like Alex on board, you just let him do his thing and get out of the way."
Menu, Cocktails And Events
Chinwag will lean into comfort food with a twist. Diners can expect core menu staples alongside seasonally informed rotating specials, plus a full cocktail, beer, and wine program and ticketed collaborative chef events, according to Nashville Lifestyles.
The room is being designed to be vibrant yet cozy, with plenty of space for lingering conversations, a direct nod to the restaurant's name. Nasby has said the term "chinwag" came from an episode of Schitt's Creek, where it means a long chat. The menu is set to mix smoke-driven dishes with globally inspired techniques, aiming to keep things familiar enough for local regulars while still delivering a few surprises.
Meet The Partners
Belew is a Murfreesboro native who rose to national attention when he won Season 21 of Hell's Kitchen and has run local restaurants and catering operations, according to Parade and local coverage. Chinwag marks a high-profile homecoming for a chef whose television win put him in front of a national audience.
Nasby is a Nashville restaurateur behind concepts including HoneyFire Barbecue and Cledis Burgers, and his competition resume includes national honors and a World Burger Championship appearance, per the World Food Championships profile. Together, the partners say they plan to swing between elevated plates and comfort-forward mains to pull in everyone from date-night diners to families looking for a new weekend standby.
Why It Matters
Planting Chinwag at The Fountains reinforces the development's role as a dining and events hub along Medical Center Parkway, an area that has steadily added restaurants, retail, and community programming in recent years, according to event listings and local pages on Visit Rutherford. For Murfreesboro, the combo of a hometown chef with national name recognition and a seasoned neighborhood-restaurant operator could mean a new anchor for dinner, drinks, and special events that also feeds traffic to nearby shops and entertainment.
The partners say construction and hiring are underway with an anticipated summer 2026 opening. They are sharing updates via Davidson County Source and at www.chinwagsocial.com as plans firm up. Expect more details on menu previews and ticketed events as Chinwag gets closer to firing up its first service.
