A talented Houston chef has amicably parted ways with the barbecue restaurant where she established her reputation. Michelle Wallace’s tenure at Gatlin’s BBQ and Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers has come to an end after six years.

Known for her creative, Southern-inspired fare, Wallace joined Gatlin’s BBQ in 2016 after stints at Pesce, the acclaimed upscale seafood restaurant, and a high end catering company. Initially hired to help Gatlin’s owner Greg Gatlin bring more consistency to his operations, she created dishes such as the smoked bologna sandwich and the H-Town Hot Chicken sandwich. At Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers, a comfort food restaurant that opened in 2022, the chef developed a menu that includes fried chicken, roasted oysters, and gumbo.

Wallace earned a CultureMap Tastemaker Award nomination for Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2021. The James Beard Foundation named Wallace as one of its TasteTwenty, a group of 20 chefs nationwide who helped promote its Good Food for Good initiative. She and Gatlin appeared in an episode of Netflix's High on the Hog documentary series.

“I’ve learned so many things working with Greg — when it comes to barbecuing, and just being able to express myself as a chef in his space,” Wallace said in a statement. “Greg didn’t have to share his space so willingly with someone like me, but he carved out a place in his business for me to create. I am so excited about what’s next, and I am so grateful for him.”

True to her Instagram handle, @betweentheslices, Wallace’s next project will be called b’tween Sandwich Co. The chef will introduce the concept with a series of pop-ups in the weeks to come.

“Michelle is just a really humble and genuine human being,” Gatlin said. “Professionally, she’s grown so much. She was already in a good place when she got here, but this gave her more space to become the chef and business person she’s now ready to be. I couldn’t have asked for a better six years.”