The Sauce - A St. Louis Restaurant Show

On this episode of The Sauce, host Lauren sits down with Travis Howard, co-owner of On Point Hospitality, the group behind Yellowbelly, Lazy Tiger, and St. Louis’s newest hot spot, Extra Wavy. Travis talks about how Extra Wavy came to life in the old Centennial Malt House (better known as the Vin de Set building) after a fire and flooding forced a full interior rebuild, and how he and partner Tim...

Lauren sits down with Stacey Brouk, a dietitian at Siteman Cancer Center who helps patients get the nutrition they need during chemotherapy and radiation. Stacey breaks down what a cancer-preventive diet actually looks like: a mostly plant-based plate, less added sugar, and limits on red and processed meat. The good news for Midwest burger lovers is that “limit” doesn’t mean “eliminate.” They also...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Daisy Hudspeth, co-owner of Good Hospitality — the St. Louis group behind Good Ice, Good Company, Aperi, Malo, Chico Bueno, Baia, and Trust. Daisy describes a company built on real friendship between partners, and on giving back to the neighborhoods it calls home, from The Grove to downtown and soon Shaw. Daisy goes back to the begin...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren Healey sits down with Adrian Maldonado, executive chef of Malo and Chico Bueno — the two new Mexican concepts from Good Hospitality in The Grove. Chico Bueno is the casual counter for tacos, tortas, and bowls, while Malo, tucked behind the curtains, is the polished side, with a ten-course tasting menu and a growing à la carte lineup. Adrian traces...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Brandon Holzhueter and Brad Merten, the best friends (since eighth grade) behind Narwhal's Crafted — the St. Louis bar that's spent the last decade changing what a frozen cocktail can be. Fresh off their 10-year anniversary, they explain why everything is made from scratch in a full in-house kitchen: real strawberries, real...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Chef Chris Anderson, who now leads the culinary team at The Inns at St. Albans — a hidden-gem hotel, event venue, and vineyard destination about 45 minutes west of St. Louis. Chris walks us through the property, from the lodge, chateau, and cottages to the historic Head's Store, a general store reimagined with barbecue, dry-aged...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Tara Gallina, co-owner of Take Root Hospitality, the team behind Vicia and Winslow's Table. Heading into their 10th year in business, Tara shares how she and her husband, Michael, brought the farm-to-table philosophy they learned at Blue Hill at Stone Barns back to St. Louis — building a menu around what's growing, not the...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Drew Jameson, managing partner of Atomic by Jamo in the Grove, for a conversation about bringing one of St. Louis's most iconic music venues back to life. Drew was a talent buyer at the space (then Atomic Cowboy) from 2015 to 2020, and after the pandemic shut it down, he came back to reopen it under a new name and a new mission:...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Tassia Rezende, owner of Tre Cuori, for a conversation about competing on the world stage of gelato — and how her small, family-run shop just brought home Missouri's first-ever Gelato World Ranking crown from a ceremony in Rome. Tassia walks through how she got into gelato in the first place — growing up in Brazil with an Italia...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Trey Stevenson and Spencer Strode, who run Aubrey, the new hospitality-driven fine dining restaurant in Midtown, for a conversation about how two former rivals became best friends and business partners, why every detail at Aubrey — from a folded napkin to a champagne toast — is built around making guests feel like VIPs, and what&apos...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Kimberly Pitliangas, owner of The Thaxton in downtown St. Louis, for a conversation about running a speakeasy and event venue inside a circa-1927 Art Deco building that was once the Eastman Kodak Building, and why the space has stayed a hidden gem for locals even after nearly two decades in business. Kimberly walks through how The Th...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Cory Jobe, President and CEO of Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, for a conversation about the only place in America where Route 66 and the Great River Road intersect, why Alton, Illinois is known as the most haunted small town in North America, and everything travelers can plan into a 3-to-5-hour road trip through southwest...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Arlene Maminta Browne, co-owner of Madrina in Webster Groves, for a conversation about building an Italian-American restaurant with her husband Stanley and their longtime friend Frank Romano, balancing a full plate of community work, and why Webster Groves has become home. Arlene talks about the road to Madrina, which she opened with...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Brandon Panosh, chef and co-owner of Scout's and The Biscuit Joint in midtown St. Louis, for a conversation about building two restaurants from the ground up, staying true to his own vision, and the sobriety journey that changed how he cooks and leads. Brandon walks through how The Biscuit Joint started as a farmers market tent...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Evy Swoboda, executive chef at Pastaria and head of private events for Niche Food Group, for a conversation about coming full circle at the restaurant where her career began, building restaurants from the ground up, and balancing life as a mother of three with a demanding career in the kitchen. Evy walks through her path with Niche F...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Elliott Brown, chef/owner of Scout's, a new fine dining restaurant in Midtown, and The Biscuit Joint, St. Louis’s beloved scratch-made breakfast sandwich shop, for a conversation about pandemic pop-ups, family, and building two very different restaurants off the same philosophy. Elliott walks through how it all began with Dinner...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Nick Bognar, chef/owner of Indo, Sado, and Pavilion, and Hana Chung, Indo's new chef de cuisine and the star of our June cover story, for a lively conversation about the evolution of one of St. Louis's most beloved restaurants and the exciting new concept on the horizon. Nick and Hana walk through the new dishes coming to I...

On this episode of The Source Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Jordan Goodman, founder of Good Hospitality, for a wide-ranging conversation about building one of St. Louis's most exciting and fast-growing restaurant groups from the ground up. Jordan shares the origin story of Good Ice, the handcrafted clear ice company he launched in March 2020 that has grown to serve over 100 bars, restau...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Fred Burmer, CEO of Lion’s Choice, for a conversation about one of St. Louis’ most iconic restaurant brands, the loyal customers who have sustained it for nearly six decades, and the challenge of honoring tradition while continuing to innovate. Fred shares the story behind Lion’s Choice, from its founding in 1967 by a former Monsanto...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Qui Tran, founder of Mai Lee and co-owner of Nudo House, alongside chef and business partner Marie-Anne Velasco, for a conversation about food, community, resilience, and the stories behind two of St. Louis’ most beloved restaurant concepts. Qui shares the remarkable journey of Mai Lee, from its humble beginnings as a small family-ru...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Vince Valenza, founder and owner of Blues City Deli, for a conversation about family, food, blues music, and the journey of building one of St. Louis’ most beloved sandwich shops. Vince shares the story behind Blues City Deli and how what began as an idea for an Italian market evolved into a neighborhood institution known for its aut...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Eddie Hsia, general manager and bar manager at Saigon Café, for a conversation about cocktail creativity, Vietnamese cuisine, Asian food culture, and the growing hospitality community in St. Louis. Eddie shares how he helped develop Saigon Café’s evolving cocktail program — from clarified cocktails and bottled drinks to presentation-...

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast , host Lauren sits down with Amy Guo, co-owner of Sando Shack and Hello Poké, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, Japanese comfort food, food halls, and the unexpected path that brought her family back to St. Louis. Amy shares the story behind Sando Shack — the Japanese-inspired sandwich concept known for its katsu sandos, fruit sandos, and creative flav...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, mental health struggles, paranormal themes, and substance use that some listeners may find sensitive or distressing. On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with longtime St. Louis radio personality Dave Glover for one of the wildest and most entertaining conversations yet — covering everything from his unexpected j...

“The Sauce” with Jeff & Alex Henry – Bringing Yucatán Cuisine to St. Louis Through El Molino del Sureste On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with brothers Jeff and Alex Henry — the owners of El Molino del Sureste and Taqueria del Sureste — to talk about their journey from growing up between Missouri and Mexico to building one of St. Louis’ most exciting and celebrated r...