Through the historic wooden front door of The Foundry Gastropub awaits a culinary experience not easily forgotten by your tastebuds or memories.

While the main menu intentionally offers familiar favorite options, expect fine-tuned flavors and high-quality ingredients that amp up the entrees and drinks to new levels of tasty. The weekly Chef’s Playground menu introduces new, short-term dishes that highlight seasonal ingredients in experimental and bold ways, so there is always something new to try.

Kevin Goewey, Owner and Culinary Visionary, shares his inspiration and passion for creating a restaurant that excels in both food and flavor as well as atmosphere.

Q: Where did the interest in becoming a chef start or your desire to enter the restaurant industry? What was your original inspiration?

A: Hospitality has always been woven into who I am. Some of my earliest memories are of cooking for the neighborhood and discovering how something as simple as sharing a meal could bring people together. Long before I understood the industry, I understood the joy that comes from making people feel welcomed, cared for and connected.

That passion found its direction while studying Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University. It was there that I realized my calling extended far beyond the kitchen. I became fascinated by every facet of hospitality, from leadership and team development to culinary innovation and the art of creating memorable guest experiences. I wasn't simply drawn to restaurants; I was inspired by the opportunity to build places where people genuinely wanted to gather.

Following graduation, I spent nearly two decades building my career in hospitality, taking a path less traveled through casino operations. Those years provided invaluable experience in leadership, operations, culinary development, and guest experience, shaping the philosophy I carry with me today.

That philosophy became the foundation of The Foundry. More than opening a restaurant, my vision was to create a place that reflects the spirit of Franklin and the surrounding areas, a gathering place where exceptional hospitality is the standard, every menu is thoughtfully crafted, and every guest leaves feeling they experienced something meaningful. While I work alongside an incredibly talented culinary team, I remain deeply involved in shaping the creative direction of our menus, ensuring every dish reflects the values and standards that define The Foundry.

Q: Describe your culinary philosophy or approach to cooking.

A: At The Foundry, every menu begins with two questions: What does this season have to offer, and what are our guests looking for right now? Those answers become the foundation for everything we create. We believe food should reflect the season, celebrate exceptional ingredients, and feel both familiar and exciting.

Once we establish the vision for a dish, it becomes a collaborative process. I work alongside our culinary team to refine recipes through tastings, thoughtful discussion and continuous improvement. At the same time, we're working with trusted vendor partners to source the highest-quality ingredients that meet the standards we've set for our guests.

One of our greatest sources of inspiration is our weekly Chef's Playground. It allows us to introduce new ideas, gather honest guest feedback and better understand the flavors, ingredients and experiences our community is looking for. Many of our seasonal menu items began there before earning a permanent place on our menu.

Ultimately, a dish belongs at The Foundry only if it represents the very best version of itself: seasonally inspired, thoughtfully crafted, consistently executed and worthy of the trust our guests place in us.

Q: What are your favorite ingredients to work with and why?

A: I'm always drawn to seasonal produce and the highest-quality proteins we can source. When exceptional ingredients are treated with care and respect, they don't need to be overcomplicated; they simply need to be prepared well.

We're not trying to create the most inventive or unexpected dishes. Instead, we're focused on creating the very best version of a dish through thoughtful execution and The Foundry's perspective. We believe familiar flavors, elevated through refined technique and quality ingredients, create the most memorable dining experiences.

As a scratch kitchen, that philosophy extends well beyond the ingredients themselves. Nearly everything we serve is prepared in-house because great food takes time. It takes intention, patience and a team that genuinely cares about every detail. We don't believe in shortcuts because craftsmanship matters, and we believe our guests can taste the difference.

As we develop menus, we think about where our guests are on their culinary journey. We want to meet them with flavors they recognize while gently expanding their expectations. If someone leaves having discovered something new while still feeling completely at home, we've accomplished exactly what we set out to do.

At its heart, that's what a gastropub means to me: comfort food elevated through craftsmanship. It's approachable without being ordinary, refined without feeling pretentious and always rooted in quality.

Q: Tell me about a dish that you created that you are proud of.

A: Every dish on our menu represents countless hours of collaboration, refinement and tasting before it ever reaches a guest's table. We don't believe in adding a dish simply to fill a menu. Every item has to earn its place.

If I had to choose two, it would be our Braised Short Rib and our Bone-In Pork Chop.

The Braised Short Rib embodies everything I love about comfort food. It's a dish that requires patience, care and attention from start to finish. Through slow braising and thoughtful preparation, it becomes something that's both comforting and refined. It's one of our signature dishes because it reflects exactly what we strive for at The Foundry: familiar flavors elevated through technique.

The Bone-In Pork Chop tells another story. Finding the right pork was just as important as creating the dish itself. I had worked with this pork during my time in Idaho and knew there wasn't anything comparable available here. It took nearly six months of working with our partners to bring it to Indiana because I wasn't willing to compromise on quality. Once we had the right product, our goal was simple: let the pork be the star and build everything else around it.

Hearing guests tell us it's the best pork chop they've ever had is incredibly rewarding because it validates what we believe. Exceptional food begins with exceptional ingredients, careful preparation and a commitment to never taking shortcuts. We also believe elevated dining should remain accessible, delivering incredible quality and value at the same time.

Q: What's your favorite meal at The Foundry or somewhere else?

A: That's always a difficult question because my favorite meal depends on the day.

If I were dining at The Foundry today, I'd start with our Whipped Ricotta & Honeycomb. It's light, balanced, and a great example of how simple ingredients can create incredible flavor. For my entrée, I'd choose the Wagyu Smashburger with Duck Fat Fries. It's rich, indulgent and everything I believe a great gastropub burger should be.

Dessert is an easy decision: our Butter Cake with seasonal macerated strawberries with a touch of white balsamic and vanilla bean ice cream. I'd pair the meal with our house Barrel-Aged Old Fashioned, a cocktail that reflects our philosophy of honoring classic recipes while elevating them through craftsmanship and patience.

Q: Can you describe The Foundry's food concept?

A: At its heart, The Foundry is about bringing people together. We believe some of life's best conversations, celebrations and memories happen around a table, and everything we do is centered on creating an experience that encourages connection through genuine hospitality and thoughtfully crafted food and beverages.

From a culinary standpoint, we're a scratch kitchen rooted in elevated gastropub dining. We take familiar, comforting dishes and prepare them with exceptional ingredients, refined technique and an unwavering commitment to quality. We want our guests to feel welcomed and comfortable while discovering flavors that are just beyond the familiar.

Our menus evolve with the seasons because that's when ingredients are at their best. Every dish begins by asking, What would our guests love to eat right now? From there, our culinary team works collaboratively to refine each recipe through tastings, thoughtful sourcing and continuous improvement until we're confident it reflects who we are.

We're not trying to create food that's trendy simply for the sake of being different. Instead, we strive to earn our guests' trust by consistently delivering dishes that feel approachable, yet memorable. We want to meet people where they are on their culinary journey, gently expanding their expectations while never losing sight of the comfort and familiarity that make people fall in love with great food.

Ultimately, our goal extends far beyond what's on the plate. We want The Foundry to be the place where anniversaries are celebrated, friendships are strengthened, business ideas are born and families gather after a long week. If guests leave feeling genuinely cared for, connected to the people around their table and already looking forward to their next visit, then we've fulfilled our purpose.

Credit to Galbraith Photography

Q: What's the next big plan for The Foundry?

A: Right now, our focus is simple: continue getting better every day.

We'll keep evolving our seasonal menus, expanding Chef's Playground, investing in our team and refining the guest experience. We never want to become complacent. Every season is an opportunity to improve and continue raising the standard for ourselves.

As Franklin continues to grow, we want The Foundry to grow alongside it, not simply by becoming bigger, but by becoming better. At the same time, we're beginning to explore what the future could look like within our current building. We're evaluating opportunities to thoughtfully expand into the second and third floors, creating new experiences that build upon what we've already established on the main level. While those plans are still taking shape, our vision has always been to create more than just a restaurant. We want The Foundry to continue evolving as a destination where people gather, celebrate, connect and create lasting memories.

No matter what the future holds, one thing won't change: our commitment to genuine hospitality, exceptional food, and serving our community with the same care and passion that inspired us from day one.

Q: When you're not eating The Foundry's food, what would we find on your plate?

A: I'm pretty simple. I'm a meat-and-potatoes guy and appreciate a great steakhouse.

But more than the food itself, it's about who I'm sharing it with. Some of my favorite meals are simply grilling at home with my family. Those moments remind me why I fell in love with hospitality in the first place.

Q: Who would you like to see walk through The Foundry's doors for one epic dinner party?

A: Without question, Will Guidara.

His book Unreasonable Hospitality has had a profound impact on the way I think about leadership, service and creating memorable guest experiences. He challenged our industry to think beyond simply serving great food and instead focus on making people feel genuinely seen, valued and cared for.

I'd love the opportunity to share what we're building at The Foundry, hear his perspective and serve him a meal that reflects everything we believe in. If he walked away feeling the same sense of connection that we hope every guest experiences, I'd consider that one of the greatest compliments our team could receive.

Q: Tell me about the restaurant's name.

A: A foundry is a place where raw materials are transformed into something lasting and meaningful. That symbolism resonated with me because it's exactly what we hope to do every day.

The Foundry is where ingredients become memorable meals, where strangers become friends, and where ordinary evenings become lasting memories. It's a place built on craftsmanship, hard work and the belief that the best things in life are created with care.

The name also reflects Franklin itself, a community built on resilience, authenticity and people who genuinely care about one another. We wanted a name that honored that spirit while representing the culture we strive to build every day.

Q: Is there anything else related to you, The Foundry, or The Foundry's chefs that you would like to share?

A: One thing people may not realize is just how collaborative everything is. While I lead the culinary vision and direction of our menus, every dish is the result of an incredible team that's passionate about learning, refining and continually raising the bar.

I'm proud of the food we serve, but I'm even more proud of the culture we're building. We want to be known as a place where guests feel genuinely cared for, where team members feel empowered to grow and where hospitality is never just a department; it's everyone's responsibility.

If people remember The Foundry for anything, I hope it isn't just a great meal. I hope they remember how we made them feel, because long after the last bite is gone, that's what truly lasts.