New owners, new name, new menu. Plans for former Wicked Hen Restaurant in Columbus

A new restaurant is replacing a midtown Columbus foodie favorite.

Chef Scott Ailsworth and his wife, Wesley Ailsworth, announced on Facebook they are taking over ownership and management of the Wicked Hen Restaurant, 1350 13th St.

The couple is transforming the restaurant into a French-Southern cuisine bistro, renaming it Lou Lou’s Bistro and Foster’s Bar.

Here’s what the couple told the Ledger-Enquirer about their new restaurant:

Why did the Wicked Hen name change?

The couple said the new name is personal and reflects two distinct experiences within the same building. Their pet dogs inspired the name.

“Lou Lou is our French bulldog, and Foster is our Australian shepherd mix,” Wesley said. “Lou Lou is bold, spunky, and full of personality, and she’ll inspire the tone of the downstairs bistro. Foster is just very laid back, gentle, friendly, inviting, and he’ll be the vibe for the space upstairs at the bar.”

Who are the new owners?

Scott has worked as the head chef at the Wicked Hen for about a year. The current owner, Bryan Walker, approached him in November 2025 about taking over the space. Scott said the opportunity was a surprise, but it came at the right time.

“I’ve wanted to have a space of my own for a very long time,” he said. “Starting something from scratch would have been a lot more difficult, and so I was really excited and was just like, ‘How could I make this work?’ I wanted to do everything I could to do it.”

Wesley added, “We’ve always wanted to open something. We’ve had so many ideas before we moved here. We’ve talked about catering, we’ve talked about a market, and we’ve talked about a Greek counter-service place. I mean, you name it, we’ve had an idea about it. This opportunity just came at the right time.”

The Ailsworths plan to split day-to-day responsibilities based on their backgrounds. Wesley will focus on front-of-house operations while continuing her job with a Columbus interior design firm. Scott will lead the kitchen as executive chef.

Wesley expects to be at the restaurant regularly in the evenings and will take on some hosting duties.

“This is our new home,” she said.

Taking on a restaurant together has added a new layer to their relationship, Wesley said, and it has reinforced what matters most as they move into business ownership together.

“It definitely gives us another level of respect for what each other does outside of our relationship and what we can do to support one another and ourselves financially and on another level of emotional support,” she said. “I think communication is important, and respect is key.”

Scott added, “Having Wesley come on board, I already knew her immense talents and creative mind, and seeing it come towards this dream I’ve had, and we’ve grown to have together, has just been very, very impressive. I love having her on my team. It’s bringing us closer.”

What’s planned for the new menu?

Scott said the new concept will keep some popular items from the Wicked Hen menu and add French-inspired dishes alongside Southern cuisine.

He said Lou Lou’s Bistro will incorporate French “tones,” including dishes such as steak frites, French onion soup and croque monsieur sandwich, while still serving items that fit a Southern neighborhood restaurant and bar fare.

Scott said decisions about what stays on the menu are guided by what regular customers already order.

“Being the head chef here in the last year, I’ve seen what sells,” he said. “I see what works, and I see what people keep coming back for.”

Scott also mentioned having pimento cheese crackers, a Georgia peach chutney pork chop, fried green tomato BLT and a daily crab cake sandwich.

Timeline for closing Wicked Hen and reopening as new restaurant

The Ailsworths said Wicked Hen will remain open through the end of April before the space closes for renovations. Construction is expected to begin in early May.

Their goal is to reopen around Memorial Day weekend, though they noted renovation timelines can shift.

This story was originally published March 23, 2026 at 5:00 AM.