11 minute read
Short Orders
21
[PIZZA TIME]
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Pie’s the Limit
Pizza Head’s new owners promise great pizza served with purpose
Written by CHERYL BAEHR
When Dylan Dodson and Sam Driemeier first started patroni ing Pizza Head (3196 South Grand Boulevard, 314-266-5400) a few years ago, they never dreamed that they would one day own the place hat all changed this past September when something inspired Dodson to reach out to i a Head’s former owner, Scott Sandler, to see if he’d be willing to sell As Dodson explains, he didn’t expect a yes, or even now what he would do if that yes came, but he still felt compelled to go for it I ust too a leap and messaged Scott, Dodson says I’m not sure why, but it ust occurred to me to do so I figured the worst case was that he would say no and I would ust go bac to my day ob ou don’t now until you as I felt li e there was a percent chance he’d say yes hough both Dodson and Driemeier have spent significant time in the restaurant business, neither were wor ing in it immediately prior to buying i a Head Driemeier has been a pharmacy technician for the past few years while Dodson has been in the manufacturing industry, most recently wor ing in a cardboard factory Despite their obs outside of the food and beverage field, they both longed to ma e their way bac into the business, both because of a genuine passion for it, as well as a desire to be the change they wanted to see in many of their former restaurant obs e’ve been there, and we now how we wish we were treated at the time, so we want to ta e our employees’ input and respect their ideas, Dodson says I am very into communication, and I feel li e I haven’t always had that in past obs Now that I am the owner, it’s very important for me to have that
Dodson and Driemeier are especially cogni ant of how the ownership transition might be felt by their employees, and they say that they are ma ing every effort to involve them and hear their opinions on how things are going In turn, they are leaning on the wor ers who wor ed at i a Head under Sandler to learn a great deal about the restaurant’s recipes and processes heir guidance, coupled with the time they spent wor ing alongside Sandler himself as the deal was being finali ed, ma e them confident that they are able to continue providing the i a Head experience the restaurant’s patrons have come to now and love o that end, Dodson and Driemeier want i a Head’s loyalists to rest assured that they plan to eep the recipes, ingredients and menu items the same as they have always been he only changes they anticipate are additions, not subtractions the pair plan on expanding the restaurant’s hours they even suggest that brunch may be something to loo out for in the future , as well as its vegan offerings urrently, they are wor ing on bringing bac salads and developing vegan cheese bread, coo ies and breadstic s, which should be available soon e don’t want to turn i a Head into anything it’s not, Driemeier says e ust want to ta e the same idea and expand on it ventually, we will see what happens down the road, because we don’t want to run before we are wal ing e feel li e we are doing well since the transition, so we don’t want to do too much too soon eyond the food, Dodson and Driemeier hope to eep another important aspect of i a Head up and running its charitable efforts In particular, the pair hope to bring bac their own version of the restaurant’s former ay It orward program, which provides pi a to those in need, as soon as possible Dodson and Driemeier have been wor ing with local shelters, nonprofits and churches to figure out how to best reinstate the initiative hough they are not uite ready to announce their plans or the name of their new initiative, they are in the process of finali ing the details and hope to ma e their vision for the program public shortly
In addition to helping the hungry and unhoused members of the community, Dodson and Driemeier hope to focus on food waste, a problem they have noticed during their time in the restaurant business hey emphasi e they are committed to using their business to be a force for good, and they are eager to figure out ways to give to the community that go well beyond simply serving up great pi a Now, we are in a position to be a small part of the solution, says Dodson. n
Popular South Grand pizzeria Pizza Head is in good hands under its new ownership. | JJ, BE LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHY
[PROFILE]
Painted Plates
For Food Raconteur, the dining table is a canvas for connection
Written by CHERYL BAEHR
Ashok Nageshwaran has traveled all over the world — throughout Europe, Asia, North America and Australia — and if there is one thing he has learned from those experiences, it’s that food is a vehicle for connection.
“Food connects everyone,” Nageshwaran says. “It doesn’t matter one’s race, religion or where they live; it’s a connecting agent and catalyst. One of the bright spots during [the COVID-19 pandemic] has been food. It was the one thing people could look forward to. Even when everything was closed, people could bake or cook or try out something new in their homes. I truly believe it helped many people come out of depression. It’s a fantastic agent, and I feel blessed to have chosen this industry.”
Nageshwaran founded Food Raconteur (www.foodraconteurmo.com) in 2017 as a multifaceted culinary business that provides catering, consulting, education and private chef services to individuals and companies in the St. Louis area and beyond. A former marketing executive, the chef was inspired to leave his career behind and enter the culinary field after moving to St. Louis ten years ago for his wife’s job. Here, in a new country and new culture, he found himself questioning his path and felt that he was in a good situation to make a significant life change.
“It gets to the point where you ask yourself if you are really happy with what you are doing,” Nageshwaran says. “My job looked really good from the perspective of LinkedIn — I had a good salary, 200 people reporting to me and all of that — but inside, I felt that I had another calling.”
Nageshwaran always had a passion for cooking, though he never thought of pursuing it as a career. Instead, he undertook both undergraduate and graduate studies in business and dove headfirst into the corporate world, finding great success in the marketing field.
Continued on pg 23
Wine and Dine
City Foundry introduces City Winery to St. Louis this summer
Written by JENNA JONES
The City Foundry (3730 Foundry Way) is adding another national brand to its lineup: City Winery will make its debut in St. Louis later this summer.
City Winery doubles as a live music venue and a winery. Situated next to the Food Hall, the venue will boast a pizza bar, coffee roasting station and a “proprietary tap system with eco-friendly glasses of wine straight from stainless steel kegs,” according to a press release. The new addition can handle 175 people and can seat 70 people in its restaurant, with an extra 50 spots outdoors. You can also rent out the space for a private event.
The winery currently has locations in New York City, Boston, Nashville, Chicago, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Philadelphia and New York’s Hudson Valley.
“St. Louis has always been one of my favorite cities in the country, it’s where I went to college, and it is an honor to be opening in the historic building of City Foundry STL,” Michael Dorf, City Winery founder and CEO, says in the release. “We are excited to bring our unique multisensory experience to the local community and become part of it.”
Will Smith of New + Found, the City Foundry’s parent company, says in the release that the organi ation has been focused on finding partners that bring unique, curated experiences to St. Louis. The addition of City Winery allows St. Louisans to enjoy live music and wines made on site, Smith explains.
The winery joins two other national brands: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and mini-golf spot Puttshack. The mini-golf experience with a “night club vibe” is slated to open as early as July, but may be pushed back to the fall, with a similar timeline in place for the cinema.
City Winery’s opening date has not been announced but is slated for late summer. n
A winery has joined the list of destinations at City Foundry. | COURTESY OF CITY FOUNDRY/CITY WINERY
FOOD RACONTEUR
Continued from pg 21
However, while he was pursuing his second MBA in Australia, he took on a side job as a cook in a high-end Italian restaurant. There, studying under a classically trained French chef, he felt a stir that told him this was more than just a part-time gig.
It would take fifteen years for Nageshwaran to heed that calling, but once he did, he decided to go all in. In 2013, he enrolled at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in St. Louis where he excelled in his studies, then did an externship at a secluded resort outside of the famed Spanish culinary town, San Sebastián. When he came back to St. Louis, he immediately went to work for the Ritz Carlton, St. Louis in Clayton, where he honed his fine-dining chops, then went on to the corporate dining company Sodexo in order to learn the business side of the industry, as well as high-volume dining. After gaining that knowledge, he felt ready to finally jump out on his own.
Now, four-plus years into his business and with over 700 events under his belt, Nageshwaran is both thrilled and humbled by what he has been able to create. He sees Food Raconteur as not just providing food, but also experiences to his patrons, and he loves that the nature of his business constantly pushes him to learn about different cultures, which he is passionate about sharing with others.
“I believe people have preconceptions about a lot of different cuisines,” Nageshwaran says. “If I say ‘Indian’ people immediately think of biryani and curry; If I say ‘Japanese,’ it’s sushi. The world has given us so many things, and each country has so many different ingredients and cuisines. I don’t think it’s fair to judge a country by just a couple of different dishes, and I think there is a lack of understanding of different places. I try not to be preachy about it, but I like to explain why and where a dish originated and the history and stories behind it. This makes for a fun and interactive event.”
Nageshwaran credits STL Foodworks, a local culinary incubator, with helping him realize his vision for Food Raconteur. He not only uses its facilities to prep his dinners; he teaches cooking classes and conducts seminars, both virtually and in person, because he believes education is the cornerstone of his enterprise.
“I believe there are no such things as kitchen secrets,” Nageshwaran says. “If our ancestors held back, there would be nothing to share with the next generation. Food is about innovation, and it constantly needs to evolve.”
Nageshwaran plans to build on that education component in the future by engaging with elementary and high school students on all matters surrounding the food system. Already, he has spoken with students of the Rockwood and Ladue school districts on everything from school lunches to food waste. He hopes to expand those relationships to figure out a way to address the lack of healthful and wholesome school lunches available to children; it’s an issue he believes is a serious problem, though he understands that it is complicated and difficult to tackle.
Still, he is up for the challenge. In fact, those not-so-easy answers, together with a desire to connect people around food, is what keeps him going every day and confirms that he is on the right path.
“My wife always tells me that it’s like I am communicating with ingredients,” Nageshwaran says. “I feel like this is a destiny or a calling, and very few people ever find that. It feels like a fairy tale; I think I am very fortunate, and that’s the reason I never want to take it for granted.” n
