# Tinker Street Executive Chef Tyler Shortt to Leave on November 13 After a Decade

> Tinker Street executive chef Tyler Shortt leaves on November 13 after 10 years, and owner Tom Main will close the restaurant Sundays and Mondays for now.

- Published: 2026-11-11T19:27:10+00:00
- Section: Leadership
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-11/tinker-street-tyler-shortt-departure
- Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/tinker-street-executive-chef-tyler-185758634.html)

## Key takeaways

- Tyler Shortt joined Tinker Street in 2016 as a line cook and took over as executive chef shortly before the pandemic.
- Owner Tom Main said Shortt's departure is due in part to changing demands and priorities as a new father.
- Tinker Street will close Sundays and Mondays for the immediate future, and a successor will be announced after November 13.

[Tinker](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/005hao8/tinker-street-restaurant) Street executive chef Tyler Shortt is leaving the Indianapolis restaurant after 10 years, with his last day set for November 13. [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/tinker-street-executive-chef-tyler-185758634.html) published the report. Shortt joined the staff in 2016 as a line cook under then-executive chef Braedon Kellner and took over the executive chef role shortly before the pandemic.

## Shortt's Decade at Tinker Street

Shortt announced the departure in a statement posted to social media. "What a long, beautiful ride it has been," he wrote. "I have experienced and learned so much professionally and personally along the way. I have been blessed to work at such a special place for so long."

Owner Tom Main said the chef's exit is due in part to his changing demands and priorities as a new father. Main said he will miss Shortt's sense of humor and his enthusiasm to work with others. "I think the achievement we all care about is that our teammates feel happy that that's where they come to work and that our guests feel welcome," Main told IndyStar. "Tyler's got a big heart; I think those things are what's important to him, too."

During Shortt's tenure, Tinker Street was named one of USA TODAY's Restaurants of the Year in 2024. Last year, Tinker Street and sister restaurant Freeland's, in Carmel, landed Main a James Beard Award Semifinalist nod in the Outstanding Restaurateur category.

Shortt's exit comes roughly two months after former general manager Jourdan Ivory left Tinker Street to help launch the Spanish-inspired small plates and chef counter concept Bóveda in Broad Ripple. Multiple other ex-Tinker staffers have also recently joined the team at Bóveda, Main said. Those departures, along with a handful of unexpected temporary staff shortages, prompted Main to close Tinker Street on Sundays and Mondays for the immediate future. Main said he expects Tinker to return to normal hours before long.

## Tinker Street's Dining Programs

According to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), Tinker Street is a 21+ fine dining establishment in Indianapolis serving seasonal American cuisine with locally sourced Indiana ingredients. The single-location operator runs a reservation-based dine-in model with no delivery or takeout and lists a headcount range of 1-10 employees. The same records list a Chef's Table premium private dining experience starting at $125 per person, with optional wine and cocktail pairings for groups of 6-12.

## When the Successor Is Announced

Main said the restaurant has already chosen a successor for Shortt and will announce the change some time after Shortt's last day, November 13. "I'm excited about the future," Main said. "I hope I'm lucky enough to be involved with Tinker until I fall over."

## Companies in this story

- [Tinker Street Restaurant company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/005hao8/tinker-street-restaurant) · website: https://tinkerstreetrestaurant.com

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