From Paris to Nashville: Meet Anna Watson Carl of The Yellow Table
Anna Watson Carl planned her first four-course dinner party at age 10, and never looked back. What started with Valentine's Day steaks for her parents turned into a life spent cooking across continents, from Burgundy chateaus to late-night bakery shifts in Nashville. Along the way, one thing remained constant: the yellow table, a family heirloom turned culinary anchor.
Today, Anna owns crêpe-centric The Yellow Table in Nashville and is the author of a cookbook by the same name. Meet the woman who's turning a well-worn table into a way of life.
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What inspired you to open The Yellow Table?
I grew up in Nashville, eating around my family's big, yellow table … The yellow table was the center of our home, a place for conversation and connection, and delicious meals. It taught me what community looks like and inspired me to create a food blog, a cookbook, and a café — all called The Yellow Table.
Another big inspiration for the café is my time in France. We had several French exchange students growing up, and I became obsessed with France at a young age … I studied abroad in Paris in college and was amazed by the food — the markets teeming with fresh produce, the bakeries and cheese shops on nearly every street, and the way the French took time to savor mealtimes.
This was also when I fell in love with crêpes. I ate at a little family-owned crêperie in the Latin Quarter for lunch several times a week, and a tiny seed of an idea was planted in my head that one day I should open a crêperie in Nashville. Crazy to think that 24 years later, I actually did it!
After France, I spent the next 11 years in NYC, working as a private chef, recipe tester, and food and travel writer for a variety of magazines … I moved back to Nashville in 2018 with my husband, Brandon, and our two kids, Evie and Grayson, and began thinking a bit more about the possibility of opening a cafe.
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Is there a family recipe or culinary memory you return to again and again?
It was during my first trip to France, at age 13, that my taste buds came alive. You know how, in The Wizard of Oz, it's black-and-white for the first part of the movie and then turns into brilliant Technicolor once Dorothy gets to Oz? That was how it was for me, culinarily speaking.
Suddenly, the simplest things — like fresh strawberries, a crusty piece of bread with salted butter, or a flaky croissant — had so much FLAVOR! I kept a diary of all of our meals. I tried snails, duck, and double crème de Brie for the first time. Little did I know I was a chef/food-writer-in-training.
You've worn many hats — personal chef, food writer, teacher … How does all of this experience show up at the Nashville café?
I love making food that is both delicious and beautiful. I've learned we eat with our eyes first, so I want everything to be visually appealing. I care deeply about ingredient quality, and like to highlight the seasons in my food. We have specials that change daily, reflecting what's in season and what I'm in the mood to make.
I also intentionally created (with the help of my dear friend Jenn Elliot Blake) a warm, cozy setting. I wanted people to walk in and instantly feel a sense of delight. Everything from the furniture to the artwork, the fresh flowers to the choices of plates and mugs, was chosen to spark joy.
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What have been the most meaningful challenges and rewards of this venture?
For me, the greatest rewards have been the people. I LOVE welcoming in people from both the neighborhood, and all over the world. Not only do I enjoy sharing my story, but I love hearing theirs. We have the most amazing neighbors in the building and the neighborhood. People walk to the café pushing strollers and walking dogs, and it's just such a sweet community spot.
The biggest challenge for me has been running the business. I'm a creative and a connector, so creating the concept for the café and bringing it to life was the easy part. Now, trying to figure out how to grow the business and make it profitable … that's the challenge. I'm not a spreadsheet gal, but I feel like I'm earning an MBA on the job!
If you could invite three dream dinner guests, who would they be and what would you cook?
Ina Garten, Oprah, and Ruth Reichl. These women all inspire me SO much, as storytellers, writers, and entrepreneurs. (And in the case of Ina and Ruth, as chefs!) I'd love to meet any of them, much less have them over for dinner.
In a nod to Ina, I'd probably make something really simple and delicious. If it were summer, maybe an heirloom tomato, peach, burrata, and basil salad to start, with pickled shallots. For the main course, a homemade pesto spaghetti with roasted cherry tomatoes and lemony grilled shrimp. And for dessert, a brown butter financier cake with whipped cream and fresh peaches.
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Outside of cooking, what brings you joy?
Yoga, hiking, time with my husband and kids, dinner with girlfriends, prayer, journaling, and helping others
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Worry about the things that matter and let the rest go.
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LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite comfort dish? Really good pizza (in Nashville, that's Roberta's)
Favorite self-care product or treatment? A massage! I don't get them often, but wow — it's an amazing splurge.
Most memorable recent meal in Nashville? I ate at Noko recently with my brother. We didn't have a reservation and were lucky enough to get a table on the patio. We shared a bunch of small plates that were all amazing, but I especially loved the crispy rice with spicy tuna, the salmon carpaccio, and the Szechuan green beans.
Three things you can't live without: Good bread, good coffee, good wine
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For more inspiring stories, visit our FACES archives!
About the Author Jenna Bratcher
Jenna Bratcher is StyleBlueprint Nashville's Associate Editor and Lead Writer. The East Coast native moved to Nashville 17 years ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.
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