Nick Speed's nonprofit Ujima is dedicated to cultivating community through food justice, environmental stewardship, and youth empowerment in St. Louis.  From his own time at Americorps and EarthDance Farms, through overseeing Ujima's apprenticeships, founder Speed joins us to share stories of programs that are making a real difference.  Learn about vermiculture, building a home garden that flourishes, and hear about Ujima's plans for expansion and collaboration throughout the region.   EPISODE LINKS Donate to Ujima today or learn more on UjimaSTL.com Follow Ujima on Facebook, Y ..read more

The wonderful Kimberly Neil joins us to share her Fuzzy's favorites, how they've grown through the challenges of the past year, and what's in development among the chain's ever-expanding array of tacos ..read more

We're joined by Joy Millner and Gabrielle Cole, who together run The Fit and Food Connection (FAFC), a nonprofit based in St. Louis that serves people living in food and fitness deserts. Their two main areas of programming -- wellness (group fitness, nutrition classes & 1-on-1 help) and food access (an organic garden & delivery-based healthy food pantry) support healthy living in low-income communities and impact hundreds of families. In today's episode, they share the story of their nonprofit, and how the pressures of the pandemic led them to rethink their offerings -- and what this n ..read more

Aaron Teitelbaum's restaurants in St. Louis and Clayton, Mo. have grown to be a beloved staple of local dining. He joins us for a timely conversation about the current situation for restaurants in December 2020. Topics covered include: How his restaurant concepts have grown and changed since opening Herbie's 15 years ago and the first Kingside Diner 5 years ago The emotional rollercoaster of being an employer in a pandemic What top-tier safety measures look like and what they mean to staff & guests Relief measures & the needs of the industry ... and fascinatingly, he shares how ..read more

Tara Gallina, owner of St. Louis' Vicia and Winslow's Table in University City, joins us to discuss the state of the industry and share how she and her husband Michael have been keeping their beloved restaurants alive and relevant from the initial weeks of the pandemic throughout all the difficult trials of 2020. Hear how they've kept afloat and true to their ethos of wonderful food, supporting local food systems, and great hospitality... from finding ways to keep staff employed to creating all-new giftable experiences as an alternative to holiday gift cards. Links from the episode: Vicia webs ..read more

NFL athlete. Apparel entrepreneur. Bar manager. Karl Schmitz of Clayton, MO's venerable BARcelona Tapas Restaurant and ❤︎OMS Clothing has a background like no other. He joins us to share his story -- from growing up in Bermuda, to working with his family to weather the pandemic, and much more. Episode Links BARcelona Tapas Restaurant: website, Facebook, Instagram Heart On My Sleeve Clothing: website, Facebook, Instagram ..read more

Could you carry 40 lunches on a bicycle? Keep a pizza balanced while you pedal around town? Food Pedaler is St. Louis' only locally-owned food delivery service... and they do it all on bikes! Owner Alex Ward comes on to share: - How a chance encounter at lunch led him away from the world of PR and down a different (bike) path  - How to carry 40 lunches or a stack of pizzas on a bicycle - The impact of COVID-19 and how he kept his customers and couriers safe - Giving back locally: Meals for Meds and GiftAMeal - What the future holds for Food Pedaler and the industry ...and more! Episode ..read more

Ken Mao joins us at Food on the Table for our longest and most in-depth episode yet.  Ken started his career in education, traveling the world and creating his own test prep company before working as a teacher on a private yacht. He learned to cook delicious healthy meals for himself, and when he came to St. Louis for his MBA, his classmates at Wash U wanted in on his meal prepping. And that's how he got the idea for what became "Ful.", a health-focused meal prep company with pickup locations all over St. Louis. He's also done a ton to lift up the community, from coaching kids to feeding ..read more

David Kirkland is the owner and Executive Chef of Turn Restaurant. His background is far-ranging: He spent years honing his craft in the kitchens of acclaimed cafes and restaurants throughout St. Louis before his decade-long career as a DJ in San Francisco. In 2007, he returned to STL where he helmed Cafe Osage before opening Turn Restaurant and David Kirkland Catering in 2016. Since then, he's delighted customers with his health-centered and unique takes on American comfort food.   He sits down with GiftAMeal founder Andrew Glantz for a timely discussion about his background, the genesis ..read more

In 2008, John Matthews opened Pappy's Smokehouse in St. Louis, MO. Today, customers drive hundreds - sometimes thousands - of miles just to eat their award-winning 'cue. The Pappy's Family of Restaurants is has grown substantially, and is commonly credited with putting the St. Louis barbecue scene on the map. There's a reason the Food Network named them the "The Best Ribs in America" Their Memphis-style BBQ has won too many awards to list, and in early March of 2020, things were looking great. Southern Living had just named them the 'Best BBQ' in the state of Missouri; Pappy's and sister rest ..read more