If you walked into a high-end kitchen ten years ago and mentioned Sean Brock, you’d probably trigger a heated debate about bourbon collections or the exact DNA of a Jimmy Red corn kernel. The guy was the face of the Southern food revival. He was the "seed saver" who turned Charleston into a global dining destination with Husk. But then, things got quiet. He left his Charleston roots, moved to Tennessee, and started over.
Lately, if you’re looking for a table at a Chef Sean Brock restaurant, you might be a little confused. One day he’s opening a hi-fi vinyl bar; the next, he’s handing over the keys to his flagship. It’s a lot to keep track of. Honestly, the story of his current portfolio is less about "expanding an empire" and more about a guy trying to find a way to cook that doesn't kill him.
The Nashville "Big Three" (And Why They Keep Changing)
When Brock landed in East Nashville, he didn't just open a restaurant. He built a compound. The Meridian Street building became the laboratory for everything he wanted to say about his Appalachian heritage.
Audrey is the soul of the operation. Named after his grandmother, it’s basically a love letter to Southwest Virginia. You won't find the greatest hits of "Southern food" here—don't come looking for Lowcountry shrimp and grits. Instead, it’s about the "hard-scrabble" ingredients: pawpaws, black walnuts, and hickory nuts. It’s fancy, sure, but it feels like a museum of a lost world.
But here is the twist: as of mid-2025, Brock actually stepped back from the day-to-day operations of Audrey. He handed the reins to Southall Farm & Inn. While he’s still the "founding chef," the move shocked a lot of people who thought this was the place he’d retire in. It turns out, managing a massive flagship while trying to stay healthy is a brutal balancing act.
The Experimental Sandbox: June
Sitting right above Audrey is June. If Audrey is the heart, June is the brain. For a long time, it was a 37-seat gauntlet of 20+ courses. We’re talking about "flaked ice of fermented tomato" or "shaved frozen venison."
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By late 2024, June went on a "short break" to be reimagined. Brock realized that the ultra-fine-dining tasting menu format is exhausting—for the guests and the staff. The word on the street for 2026 is that the space is shifting toward workshops and "The School of Brock," where he can actually teach people how to preserve seeds instead of just plating them for $300 a head.
The Burger Obsession: Joyland
Then there’s Joyland. It’s the weirdest part of the portfolio if you only know Brock from his James Beard days. It’s a fast-food joint. No, seriously. He spent years obsessing over the physics of a cheeseburger and the exact crunch of a fried chicken skin.
He didn't just want to make a "good" burger; he wanted to make the logical conclusion of a burger. The "Joyburger" and those "crusty" fries are now expanding. He recently partnered with the Pihakis Restaurant Group to take Joyland beyond Nashville, hitting cities like Birmingham. It’s his most accessible project, and frankly, the one where he looks like he’s having the most fun.
The Short Life of the Vinyl Bar
One of the most talked-about Chef Sean Brock restaurants wasn't even about the food. It was Bar Continental.
Brock is a massive audiophile. He took the space in the Grand Hyatt (which was originally a fancy spot called The Continental) and turned it into a Japanese-style "kissa" bar. He brought in his own 5,000-album vinyl collection and vintage McIntosh tube amps.
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It was a vibe. You’d drink a classic martini and listen to Duke Ellington on speakers that cost more than a mid-sized sedan. But it didn't last. By mid-2024, Bar Continental closed its doors. It was a beautiful experiment that proved maybe Broadway in Nashville isn't quite ready for a silent listening room when there’s a bachelorette party screaming outside every five minutes.
Why Does Any of This Matter?
You might be wondering why we’re tracking a chef’s real estate moves like they’re tech stocks. It’s because Sean Brock changed how we value our own history. Before him, "Southern food" was often treated as a monolith of fried stuff.
He helped bring back:
- Carolina Gold Rice: Which was almost extinct.
- Benne Seeds: The ancestor of the sesame seed.
- Sea Island Red Peas: The original ingredient for Hoppin' John.
He basically acted as a bridge between 19th-century farmers and 21st-century diners. Even if some of his restaurants close or shift hands, the seeds he literally put back into the ground are still there.
Is He Still Involved with Husk?
This is the most common question. People still walk into Husk Charleston or Husk Nashville expecting to see him in the kitchen.
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Short answer: No.
Brock officially cut ties with the Neighborhood Dining Group (the owners of Husk) years ago. He is a "founding chef," but he doesn't design the menus or run the line. If you’re looking for the current Sean Brock experience, you have to go to East Nashville or catch one of his pop-ups in Los Angeles, like the recently buzzed-about Darling in West Hollywood.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Visit
If you're planning a food pilgrimage to see what the fuss is about, here is how you should actually handle it in 2026.
- Don't bet on a "standard" meal at June. Check the website for "The School of Brock" sessions or guest chef residencies. The days of a 3-hour tasting menu there are mostly behind us.
- Audrey is the must-visit. Even with the Southall management, the kitchen is still using the R&D lab Brock built. It’s the best way to understand Appalachian "terroir."
- Go to Joyland for the "Joysticks." It’s a weird hybrid of Japanese kushikatsu and Southern fried chicken on a stick. It sounds like a gimmick; it tastes like a revelation.
- Watch the "Sho Pizza Bar" space. Brock recently dipped his toes into neo-Neapolitan pizza. It’s his newest Nashville pivot and shows he’s moving toward "high-quality casual" rather than "stiff-white-tablecloth."
The reality is that Sean Brock’s restaurants aren't a static list. They’re a moving target. He’s a chef who gets bored easily and cares about his mental health more than a Michelin star. That makes the dining experience a bit unpredictable, but honestly? It also makes it a lot more human.
Keep an eye on the East Nashville "compound." Between the research lab and the new pizza ventures, the "Brock-ifyied" version of Southern food is still evolving, even if it looks a lot different than the Husk days.