3 minute read
“SHOW ME STATE” CUISINE
When Rob Connoley opened his restaurant Bulrush in 2019, he knew he wanted to offer diners more than just a nice meal. He wanted to give them a multisen-
sory experience. That purpose has served the 54-year- old chef well. This
hot spot in the bustling Midtown neighborhood has garnered Connoley
national accolades — including being named a semifinalist for best chef in
the Midwest this year by the prestigious James
Beard Foundation.
Connoley, who was born and grew up in St.
Louis, describes Bulrush as an in-depth explo-
ration of Ozark cuisine. “Indigenous inhabitants,
settlers, and enslaved people are the population
that comprised the Ozarks, and their food is
something of an enigma,” he says. “My goal is to unearth how they ate
and showcase those traditions on a plate. I do the first part by working
with archaeologists and paleoethnobotanists.”
Bulrush (the European word for cattail, which grows in North Amer-
ica) is a seven-course journey that transports diners to different eras in
Southern Missouri, including the early 19th century. Connoley takes a
hyper-local approach to his cooking, sourcing 90 percent of his ingredi-
ents from within 30 miles.
He applies modernist techniques to these finds for his elevated cre-
ations, changing the menu weekly. That could mean a confit wild turkey
with pawpaw chili sauce and sweet potato gratin, or catfish poached in
tomato okra and served with sweet corn panna cotta.
Then there’s his famous acorn doughnut, served on a bed of veg-
etables and white chocolate potato mousse. Connoley presents it in
a covered, nut-shaped dish filled with persimmon smoke. “When the
lid is opened, the fragrant air wafts up; it feels like being at a campfire,” he says. Even cattails are served, In an homage to the restaurant’s
name: made into a salad along with local fruit like pears. And each
course is paired with a cocktail, wine, local cider, or beer.
Bulrush’s design evokes the landscape’s many hills and beige
patina, further immersing diners in the world of the Ozarks. The 24-
seat dining room has natural wood elements and a shot of color —
much like the hue of a Missouri persim-
mon — on a long wall of drip paint in
shades of blue, purple, and orange.
Though Connoley is already well regarded,
his foray into the industry is relatively new. After
graduating with a doctorate in sports psychol-
ogy from Purdue University, Indiana, he spent
nearly two decades working in nonprofits, a career that eventually took him to
rural New Mexico.
There, as he turned 40, he decided to change course. “I was
tired of the hustle of nonprofit work,” he says. “I’d always enjoyed
cooking, and I told myself I should give it a go professionally.”
Connoley’s first spot, The Curious Kumquat, was in Silver City, NM.
The menu reflected his interest in sustainable sourcing: foraged ingredi-
ents with a contemporary preparation. The crowds soon arrived.
In 2016, Connoley moved back to St. Louis, seeing an opportu-
nity to open a restaurant with a similar concept in a city, as opposed
to a small town. “Bulrush is the result,” he says.
Today, this gem is regarded in food circles and by Missourians as
a destination more than a restaurant — a reputation that Connoley
considers apt. “A good dinner is a dime a dozen in St. Louis,” he
says. “At Bulrush, we want to tap into your stomach, of course, but
also your mind and soul.”
Bulrush.
Above: Rob Connoley foraging, some of the popular dishes at Bulrush.
