About us

Still Cooking with Heart after 15 Years

In May 2011, Bonni and Drew McDonald had a vision of what a neighborhood restaurant could be: a place to gather and enjoy elevated comfort food made with ingredients sourced from local farms. Their dream was realized when they opened The Plaid Apron. Fifteen years later, they're still working hand in hand with the same local Knoxville farmers, still turning out the cinnamon rolls, grits, almond cakes, and smash burgers that guests rave about by name, and still hosting intimate wine dinners that turn a great meal into a memorable occasion. Made from scratch and with care, every single day.

Our passion for scratch cooking means we make our own bread. Our own pastries. Our own sauces. It means our menu changes based on what’s growing and in season. The farmers and growers we work with aren’t vendors, they’re people we’ve known for over a decade. We know their names and the best weeks for their seasonal produce. And when something exceptional comes in, it ends up on your plate.

Fifteen years in, the dining room is still full on Sunday. We’re still cooking from scratch, and we still think Knoxville deserves a neighborhood restaurant that takes food and community seriously.

Come in for brunch. Come back for dinner. We can’t wait to see you.

Drew McDonald

Drew came to the culinary world a little later than most. After two years of pre-med at Lipscomb University, it was a stint at Park Cafe that made it clear cooking was his calling. He finished his degree in Food Systems Management at Lipscomb, then headed to Sullivan University in Louisville, KY, to earn a degree in Culinary Arts.

After his time at Sullivan, Drew spent three formative years at Blackberry Farm, a Relais & Châteaux property in Walland, TN, where he developed a deep respect for local ingredients, artisan bread, and scratch-made cuisine. Then he and Bonni moved to New Zealand, where Drew cooked at Huka Lodge, an experience that further shaped his culinary philosophy and commitment to scratch-cooking with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.

Back in Nashville, Drew served as Sous Chef at The Hermitage Hotel and Capitol Grille. But the pull of East Tennessee was strong, and within a year, he was back in Knoxville, where he and Bonni put down roots for good and opened The Plaid Apron.