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!