Nashville’s food scene isn’t just growing — it’s spreading outward. And the latest move? A TV-famous chef and a decorated local pitmaster are joining forces to bring a polished-but-approachable restaurant to the suburbs.

Chef Alex Belew, the Season 21 winner of Hell’s Kitchen, is partnering with Nashville barbecue heavyweight Shane Nasby to open a new full-service concept called Chinwag in Murfreesboro.

The restaurant is headed to The Fountains at Murfreesboro (1440 Medical Center Pkwy) with a targeted summer 2026 debut.

Elevated… but still chill

The duo isn’t chasing white-tablecloth vibes. Instead, Chinwag is being pitched as a casual restaurant with upscale touches, blending comfort food energy with chef-driven technique.

Expect a menu built around smoke, fire, and globally inspired techniques, plus a full cocktail, beer, and wine program.

Belew — a Murfreesboro native — will serve as executive chef, bringing the TV pedigree, while Nasby contributes serious barbecue cred (he’s a Grand Champion pitmaster and World Burger Competition winner).

Their stated goal: everyday food with extra thought and detail, “without pretension.”

Honestly? That’s music to suburban ears.

Why Murfreesboro — and why now

Landing at The Fountains positions Chinwag inside one of Rutherford County’s busiest mixed-use hubs, an area that’s been steadily stacking restaurants, retail, and event traffic.

Translation: this isn’t a sleepy side project. It’s a strategic suburban play.

The partners say the restaurant will aim to pull in everyone from date-night diners to families looking for a new regular spot, with rotating seasonal specials and even ticketed chef collaborations in the works.

The vibe (and the name)

If you’re wondering about the name — yes, it’s intentional.

Nasby has said “chinwag” is a British term for a long, friendly chat, which neatly captures the restaurant’s intended energy: linger-friendly, social, and warm rather than stuffy.

In other words, elevated comfort without the culinary attitude.

Nashville proper keeps getting the splashy openings, but projects like Chinwag show where the smart money is heading next: the suburbs.

If Belew’s TV-honed precision meshes with Nasby’s smoke-forward instincts, Murfreesboro could be getting one of the more interesting hybrid concepts to land outside Davidson County in a minute.

We’ll be watching the smoke signals.