For the first time, TEDxNashville members gain access to a yearlong series of invitation-only dinners and tasting experiences at Nashville’s most imaginative restaurants and bars.
Joyland is built on a surprising truth from food psychology: the meals we remember most from childhood were never really about the food—they were about the people, the novelty, and the spark of experiencing something new. As kids, we didn’t have the language to describe flavor; we only had the joy of discovery. And when a moment sticks, it’s the memory that stays, not the dish.
That’s the heart of Joyland, chef Sean Brock’s joyful, memory-driven restaurant. Familiar favorites—burgers, fried chicken, the iconic crustburger—are intentionally reimagined to recreate that childhood spark. Comfort meets creativity, and the result is food that feels nostalgic and brand new at the same time.
Butcher & Bee’s TEDx Tasting explored a simple but transformative idea: the walls of a restaurant are an illusion.
Chef Chris DeJesus challenged the assumption that kitchens operate independently from the world outside them. Every dish, he argued, begins in the soil, in the weather, and in the relationships between farmers and cooks. When we ignore time and place, food loses more than flavor — it loses connection.
Across each course — from zero-waste mezze to preserved summer flavors woven into winter dishes — guests experienced what it means to treat seasonality not as a restriction, but as a creative ingredient.
Each TEDx Tasting is held at the respective establishment hosting the tasting.
We list our scheduled tastings on our Events page (see top menu). But we hope to present at least one tasting per month.
Typically our tastings run for 2 hours.
This is considered a “premium” member benefit, and does require an additional fee to attend. As a member only you have access to purchase tickets, but you may purchase more than one so you can bring your friends, family, and network.
