Forty Under 40: Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson thinks about food constantly and is always changing the menu at his restaurant.

“I’m the chief creative officer,” he said.

Tusk & Trotter showcases High South cuisine with ties to Provençal cuisines.

When his restaurant opened in June 2011, it was the highlight of his career. People were lining up at both doors to get in.

In 2013, he was a James Beard House performer. He and his restaurant staff were invited to perform there this New Year’s Eve.

In 2015, revenue rose 40 percent to $2 million.

The Columbus, Georgia, native has worked in the restaurant business since he was 18. His father, a master baker who runs a commercial bakery in Hope, sparked his interest in the business.

His first executive chef position was at Ella’s Restaurant in 2004, the same year he graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in political science.

In 2007, he moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend Culinary School of the Rockies.

After earning a culinary arts degree in 2008, he moved to France to study at Le Marmiton Cooking School in Avignon and Universite du Vin in Suze-la-Rousse. Then, he worked at La Mirande, a Michelin one-star restaurant. His mentor, with whom he studied, is master chef Julien Allano.

Since 2011, Tusk & Trotter has closed each Christmas Eve to offer a free community meal.

In 2014, Nelson co-founded Bentonville Chefs Alliance. He is treasurer for the Arkansas Restaurant Association and works closely with Brightwater, the culinary program of Northwest Arkansas Community College.

In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with his wife and daughter and playing golf.