Chef David Bartlett runs the pop-up food event Macon Supper Club through the Grey Goose restaurant in Macon.
Courtesy of David Bartlett
There are chefs who learn recipes, and then there are chefs who spend their lives chasing perfection. For Chef David Bartlett, that pursuit began long before culinary school or luxury hotel kitchens. It started around the family dinner table in Macon, where Sunday meals weren’t simply about eating, they were about bringing people together. His mother’s gourmet Sunday dinners and the rich traditions of Southern soul food sparked a passion that would eventually take him from washing dishes at Grey Goose Players Club to some of the South’s most respected kitchens before bringing him right back home again.
Like many young people, Bartlett’s career path wasn’t always clear. He enrolled at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where he earned a degree in History and Political Science with plans to attend law school. But somewhere along the way, he realized his passion wasn’t in a courtroom—it was in a kitchen. That realization changed the course of his life.
He went on to attend Johnson & Wales University in Miami before beginning his culinary career at Atlanta’s renowned Ritz-Carlton Buckhead. From there, Bartlett went on to serve in executive chef roles at several acclaimed restaurants and hotels in Atlanta and Houston, experiences that further shaped both his leadership style and culinary philosophy. It wasn’t just the food that influenced him. Watching the professionalism, pride and teamwork displayed by the people around him taught him that a great restaurant begins long before the first guest sits down. In sitting down with him, I immediately got the pride vibe when he talks about his food.
To this day, Bartlett believes communication is one of the most important ingredients in a successful kitchen. Before every service, he gathers his staff for a conversation, making sure everyone understands the vision for the evening and shares the same goal: creating the best possible experience for every guest.
His years in professional kitchens also taught him that memorable food doesn’t happen by accident.
Every menu Chef David creates begins long before the first ingredient is prepared. He carefully considers what’s in season, how ingredients complement one another, how flavors build throughout the meal, how ingredients can be thoughtfully cross-utilized and how familiar dishes can be elevated without losing the comfort people love. Every component serves a purpose. Every course is designed to tell part of the story.
“I’ve been fortunate to cook at the highest levels of fine dining, and I have a real appreciation for that craftsmanship,” Bartlett said. “But I think the best food blurs the line between elevated and approachable. I love taking the techniques I learned in those kitchens and applying them to familiar food in a way that surprises people without intimidating them.” Listening to Chef David speak, it became obvious that every dish begins long before the stove is ever turned on. In his mind, great food starts with purpose.
Some of his stories are every bit as fascinating as the meals themselves. While working at the Ritz-Carlton, Bartlett maintained beehives on the roof of the hotel, harvesting honey that eventually found its way into dishes served in the restaurant. He enjoys transforming everyday comfort food into elevated cuisine, whether it’s honey-glazed seared salmon, braised fennel prepared in the style of hash browns or visually stunning marbled soups created by blending two different homemade soups into a single work of art.
After years of building his career away from home, Macon called one of its own back. Judging by the excitement already surrounding the Macon Supper Club, I’d say the timing couldn’t have been better.
Returning to Macon in late 2025, Bartlett founded the Macon Supper Club, a weekly chef-driven dining experience that grew from meals he began preparing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the Macon Supper Club operates as a Sunday pop-up experience through Grey Goose Players Club, where guests eagerly anticipate a new three-course menu each week. One recent menu featured barbecue popcorn, burrata caprese, basil pesto deviled quail eggs, chicken parmesan with truffle white lasagna and olive focaccia, finishing with a Ferrero Rocher-inspired tiramisu. It’s the kind of meal that makes you slow down, savor each course and look forward to the leftovers the next day.
If the Grey Goose Players Club sounds familiar, it should. It’s one of Macon’s longtime dining landmarks, and Chef David is quick to credit his uncle Joe, the restaurant’s owner, for believing in the Macon Supper Club from the very beginning and helping make it a reality.
What impressed me most wasn’t simply Chef David’s résumé or the creativity behind his menus. It was his desire to bring everything he has learned back to the city where it all began. And let’s face it, Macon is ready for some more elevated food options.
Macon has earned a well-deserved reputation for incredible barbecue, burgers, Southern cooking and locally owned restaurants. Chef David isn’t trying to replace those traditions. Instead, he’s adding another layer to an already thriving food scene by introducing elevated cuisine that’s welcoming rather than intimidating. His goal isn’t to change what Macon loves. It’s to broaden the conversation by showing that fine dining techniques and familiar comfort food can exist beautifully on the same plate.
As our conversation came to a close, one thing became perfectly clear. Chef David Bartlett isn’t chasing fame, and he isn’t cooking to impress critics. He’s cooking because he loves the craft, respects the people he works beside and believes every plate should leave a lasting impression.
Whether the next chapter is an expanded Macon Supper Club or a permanent restaurant of his own, Macon food lovers have every reason to be excited. One of the city’s own has returned home, bringing with him years of experience, endless curiosity and a passion for creating memorable dining experiences.
Some chefs cook meals. Chef David Bartlett creates experiences. Macon foodies are patiently waiting to see what’s next for Chef David. I can think of 1,833 reasons that I am excited and food is at the heart of every one of them. Until next time, Macon… Let’s Eat!
