The pandemic has had a major impact on restaurants but the challenges it鈥檚 created has not prevented two local chefs from getting recognition in Sauce Magazine鈥檚 .
Sauce executive editor Meera Nagarajan explained how this year鈥檚 list looked a little different: 鈥淲e look at our 鈥極nes to Watch鈥� list sometimes for years, and people will stay on our radar and we'll just kind of follow them along and see what they're up to,鈥� she said on Monday鈥檚 St. Louis on the Air.
鈥淪o [the people on this year鈥檚 list], when we first started watching them, they were doing something totally different. And where they landed now is a little bit of a growth pattern that we've been paying attention to 鈥� and we think they're all doing incredibly amazing and different things.鈥�
Two of the honorees joined host Sarah Fenske to delve into their culinary journeys.
Juwan Rice revamped , a business he started when he was only 14 years old. As a result of that, the teen chef also established , a crowdfunded service project that made meals for frontline workers and now 鈥� teachers.
鈥淚t was very encouraging for me, just to see how impactful something as simple as a meal could go along and brighten up someone's week,鈥� Rice said.
After spending about three years in California, chef Justin McMillen returned to St. Louis in May last year. While out west, he helped open SingleThread Farms, a restaurant that received three Michelin stars, a high honor in the food industry.
McMillen is now the director of culinary operations for the Niche Food Group. He immediately started working on trying to safely reopen the restaurants. He鈥檚 using his past expertise at SingleThread, as well as St. Louis鈥� Sidney Street Cafe and Overlook Farms, to thread together Niche Food Group鈥檚 eclectic offerings that cover Italian, French, Brazilian and American cuisines.
鈥淒on't be afraid to pivot and be creative ... just think outside the box,鈥� he said. 鈥淒uring this time, people want so many different things 鈥� they just don't know it yet. And you're just trying to intrigue everyone to come eat at your restaurant, or to get takeout, and feel that sense of security and comfort from your food.鈥�
鈥淚 honestly believe that culinary is one of the biggest attributes to the creative industry that gets overlooked. And so hence the term 鈥榗ulinary arts,鈥� because it is an art form for people like me and Justin. We're creating edible art,鈥� Rice said.
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by and produced by , , and . The audio engineer is .
