Famed Nashville chef Margot McCormack is resilient, but even she could have never imagined how much that resilience would be tested in 2020. The owner of East Nashville’s Margot Café & Bar, along with the now-closed beloved Marché, Margot was heartbroken to walk away from a business she poured her heart and soul in, but remains firmly committed to keep her remaining Margot Café & Bar thriving.
“My goal has always been 25 years,’ Margot told Nashville Lifestyles. “We just celebrated 19 and are on to 20. I think what 2020 has taught me is to live very much in the moment. You can’t necessarily make too many plans. While we were closed for roof repairs we developed an online platform to do takeout, which has worked extremely well. We also made more outdoor space as people seem to be more comfortable outside than inside. Marché, on the other hand, has proven to be more complicated. We had intended to sign a new lease when our old one came up at the end of this year and we knew our rent was going to increase.
“Our brunch business model relies heavily on volume,” she continued. “To have a tornado, then be closed for months due to civil disruption, which the insurance companies refuse to pay, mounting political and civil unrest, a growing sense of concern over the economy and now a 34-percent increase in property taxes does not make for a confident feeling towards the future. I definitely am not feeling the bravado I felt 20 years ago.”
Margot might have been discouraged, but she learned early on how to fight for what she believed in, which for her includes making great food for others to enjoy.
“My mother taught me how to make wonderful things to eat when I was a little girl,” Margot reflected. “The memories of those experiences have defined my career. To cook simply and with heart. My brother always accused me of being bossy. I just think I have specific opinions and I am not afraid to voice them. I was an athlete all my life and I think that is where I learned dedication, determination, and discipline.
“It completely translates to running a business,” she added. “I also have the ability to envision things, like putting a restaurant in a dilapidated old gas station.”
Margot grew up in Nashville, but it took her leaving — and the returning — to make it truly feel like her home. And without her, Music City’s entire food scene might look entirely different.
“Nashville is my terroir,” Margot maintained. “It nurtured and nourished me. I had terrific freedom growing up in West Meade. To make mistakes and run wild. When I returned from NYC, there were chefs who told me that I would have to do certain things to please Nashville diners but I gave them more credit than that. I did not sell them short and gave them an opportunity to experience more. I have always felt a responsibility to my community. To nurture and nourish them.”
Margot’s Café & Bar is located at 1017 Woodland Street in Nashville. They are currently offering dine-in and take-out service. Find more information at MargotCafe.com.