St. Louis Culinary on the Rise!

Shelley S

3348 days ago.

It’s no secret that the bloggers here at Real Life STL love good food and we especially love it local. As hometown ladies and gents, it’s easy to praise the chefs and establishments with roots in the Lou, even if they aren’t topping the charts as the best food in the nation, BUT…what if they are?!

When most people think of the culinary meccas of the US they’re going to look to the East or West coast, with a nod to Vegas and Chicago, but somehow St. Louis has never really caught the attention of the culinary world…until now.

The 2015 James Beard nominations have been released and among the semifinalists are a nice little mix of Lou locals with food and restaurants worth checking out!

Outstanding Wine Program

Annie Gunn’s, Chesterfield, MO

Best Chef: Midwest

Gerard Craft, Niche, Clayton, MO

Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe, St. Louis

Ben Poremba, Elaia, St. Louis

Kevin Willmann, Farmhaus, St. Louis

I’ve had the distinct pleasure of enjoying some of these establishments which I’ll review in upcoming posts. What’s exciting is that 3 of the nominated chefs are creating their own little restaurant empires in St. Louis. Like a delicious version of Monopoly, they’re snatching up property and transforming it into awesome little dining establishments and have already received some notable local accolades.

Stay tuned as I loosen a notch on my belt and try out their tasty fare!

Mills Properties

Shelley S

Shelley is a St. Louis native, but a nomad at heart and has lived in most areas of the city. She is mom to two miniature versions of herself that keep her laughing all the time. A self-professed fitness and nutrition junkie, you’ll usually find her at the gym or in the kitchen. One of her favorite things to do is take delicious recipes and make them healthy. Known for randomly busting into song and/or dance, Shelley has never turned down a challenge and secretly believes she can do anything.