A new chef is taking charge of Macon Bistro & Larder’s fusion of classic bistro fare and Southern comfort food: Tyler Stout. The North Carolina native was previously the sous chef at Macon and has also worked stints at Bethesda’s Barrel and Crow and now-closed Newton’s Table.
“This is the first real chef de cuisine job that I’ve taken, so I’m very excited, to say the least,” Stout says. “I definitely want to elevate our food. That’s my first priority.”
Stout replaces executive sous chef Ryan Hackney, who started at the beginning of the year. Owner Tony Brown will continue to oversee business operations, while Andra Johnson will continue to run the beverage program.
Stout will begin rolling out new menu items this week with more additions to come seasonally. For appetizers, he plans on adding a caramelized onion tart with Roquefort cheese, spiced pine nuts, arugula, and bitter greens. For entrées, he plans on introducing duck breast and short rib bourguignon.
Macon is also known for its brunch offerings, which lean toward Southern home cooking. Stout wants to give the brunch menu a facelift by introducing extra-fluffy pancakes made using a nitrous oxide cartridge, which aerates the pancake batter.
“I was born and raised in North Carolina, so Southern food is definitely the angle that I want,” Stout says. “But French food is what I know after going to the L’Academie de Cuisine. So when I found Macon, it was almost too good to be true. It’s the perfect fit for me.”
CORRECTION: This story initially stated that Stout has been a sous chef at Macon for five years. In fact, he joined the restaurant in 2015 and has worked as a sous chef in general for about five years.
Maxine is an editorial fellow passionate about covering food, news, and politics. Her work has also been published in Forbes, Marie Claire, and Inside Higher Ed. She recently graduated from Brown University with honors in nonfiction writing.
