Savor The Ozarks

In this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy Robertson chats with Shawn Kraft, owner of Nonna's Italian Cafe in Springfield, to uncover the rich history and authentic flavors behind this local gem. Shawn shares his journey from flipping burgers at Wendy’s to owning one of the most beloved Italian spots in the Ozarks. With a deep passion for Italian cuisine and spending nearly half the year in It...

In this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy Robertson sits down with Colleen Smith, owner of Tea Bar and Bites, and Eleanor Taylor, owner of Prairie Pie, for a heartfelt conversation about big changes at this beloved local spot. After 21 years of serving up cozy vibes, delicious food, and over 70 types of tea, Colleen is passing the torch to Eleanor—who used to work at Tea Bar as a teenager! Hear the...

In this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy chats with Sam Hedrick, the Director of Food and Beverage at Silver Dollar City, who’s been serving up unforgettable food experiences at the park for 33 years! Starting as a 14-year-old busboy, Sam shares his journey to leading the culinary scene at one of the Ozarks’ most iconic attractions. From their famous giant skillets (serving up to 10,000 portions a...

On this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Laine Scholz, owner of Springfield’s beloved Garbo's Pizzeria. Laine shares her journey of growing up in the family restaurant, to now leading it into its next chapter. Hear about their signature St. Louis-style pizza, famous house-made dressing, and Laine’s sweet addition: baked cakes! She also opens up about her passion for empowering her t...

In this special episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy Robertson dives into all things Thanksgiving with Jeffrey Bates of 417 Good Eat'N  and Billy Dove, the 417 Foodist . They chat about must-have dishes (dressing or mac and cheese, anyone?), holiday cooking mishaps, and their takes on Thanksgiving classics. Get inspired by unique recipe twists, fun appetizer ideas, and even a debate on cranberry sauce...

On this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Chaz Koeppen and Matt Gann, the heart and soul behind Cafe B-29 in Ozark, where they’re serving up more than just amazing food—they’re honoring heroes. With Veteran’s Day around the corner, Chaz and Matt share the incredible story of how their WWII veteran grandfathers inspired them to open a cafe that celebrates the American spirit. Get a ta...

On this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Landon and Stephanie Campbell, the new owners of Pappy's Place in Springfield, Missouri. Pappy's Place has been the longest-running restaurant in Springfield's history, starting in 1926 (although the name hasn't always been Pappy's!) The Campbells strive to maintain the fun traditions, like "Hacker Day", while also keeping things fresh by int...

In this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Clif and Lauren Brown, owners of Neighbor's Mill Bakery & Cafe in Springfield, Missouri. Neighbor's Mill is a family-owned bakery/cafe specializing in handcrafted, all-natural breads, grilled and cold sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts and coffee/espresso drinks. The idea for Neighbor's Mill started in the mid '90s with Lauren's parents,...

On this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Pat Duran, the owner of Metropolitan Grill in Springfield, Missouri. Pat's passion for cooking was sparked by watching his mother cook for their large family (He's one of TWELVE). In 2005, Pat took over Metropolitan Grill and has crafted a very eclectic menu, featuring steaks, seafood, pasta, and unique dishes inspired by customers whose name...

On this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Eleanor Taylor, founder of Prairie Pie. Prairie Pie is a sweet and savory pie company located in downtown Springfield, Missouri that offers unique, handmade sweet pies and pot pies. Eleanor began her baking career here in the Midwest in her grandmother’s kitchen, baking and decorating hundreds of Christmas cookies. Since the age of 16 she has...

On this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Lyle Foster, the fun-loving owner of Big Momma's Coffee and Espresso Bar. What started as Lyle coming to Springfield to watch his daughter play in a college basketball game in 2004, led to him exploring Historic Commercial Street and falling in love with it. He took an old condemned building and turned it into the beloved coffee bar we know a...

On this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Andy Hampshire, owner of JW's Kitchen! Andy was born and raised in Middlewich, England, and came to the Ozarks in 1999 for an internship at Big Cedar. Eventually, Andy and his wife took over the Ozarks favorite, Farmer's Gastropub. The brunch that they put on at Farmers Gastropub was so successful, that they decided to open a whole new restau...

On this week's episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Jimm Swafford, owner of Jimm's Steakhouse and Pub. Jimm has always been in the food industry at some capacity, and when theopportunity came to have a steakhouse of his own, he seized it! Voted one of 417's finest restaurants, Jimm's Steakhouse and Pub offers the finest foods you would expect from a prestigious Award-Winning Steakhouse....

On this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy sits down with Split Social Kitchen co-founder, Kristen Brunelle, to talk all about the fun and intriguing ways they approach food and drink at Split. With a passion for food and a good time, their mission each day is to give every guest an experience they can feel good about. Their menu is innovative and fresh with a casual feel, not to mention, thefun nam...

Listen in on Joy's final conversation at the National Restaurant Show with a very intriguing guest. Joy's old friend Guy Mitchell has quite the resume, and the stories to accompany it. Chef Guy Mitchell has served as Executive Chef for the Philadelphia Eagles, all of the "Rocky" Hollywood film sets and has hosted the famous QVC television show as well as the The Atlantic City Food and Wine Festiva...

Join Joy at the National Restaurant Show with a fun new guest. Tony Abou-Ganim, aka The Modern Mixologist, is celebrated as one of the foremost bar professionals globally, currently lending his expertise to Royal Caribbean Cruise lines as a beverage consultant, focusing on innovative drink programs for their newest ships. Renowned for his pioneering contributions, Tony has appeared on numerous nat...

In this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy continues her conversations at the National Restaurant Show with two businesses that represented Missouri at the Taste of the States exhibit.  First, meet the owner of 1820, The Family Restaurant in Keytesville, Missouri, Nathan Asbury. What caught Joy's eye in their exhibit was the 1820 Sauce. The restaurant came first, but Nathan and his wife, Michelle, s...

The National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago is the largest gathering of foodservice professionals in the Western hemisphere, with more resources, information and connection opportunities than any other industry event. The event averages over 2,200 exhibitors with over 900 categories of products. In this episode of Savor the Ozarks, Joy talks with Lisa Malikow, the Senior VP of Event Operat...

Hold Fast Brewing is a brick-and-mortar representation of all the principles important to the McLeod Family. What started out as a passion for beer and home brewing has blossomed into a successful family business celebrating delicious craft beer, the vibrant Springfield, Missouri community, and the memory of a father. It is a place of community, friendship, family, creativity, and love. It is a we...

Nearly Famous Deli & Pasta house is proud to be the same friendly neighborhood establishment you've known since 1976. Nearly Famous remains a Springfield institution, the place where everyone knows your name and everything is prepared with love. Joy Robertson speaks with Nancy Miller, owner of Nearly Famous Deli and Pasta House. Joy and Nancy chat about how Nancy bought Nearly Famous Deli and...

Van Gogh's Eeterie is a bit of The Netherlands in Springfield, MO. A contemporary take on a traditional Dutch Pancake House. Joy Robertson speaks with Joseph Gidman, owner of Van Gogh's Eeterie, Chabom Teas & Spices, and Café Cusco. Joy and Joe chat about Joe's experience in Europe including his education background and passions from traveling, the inspiration behind Van Gogh's Eeterie, Americ...

Thunder Ridge Nature Arena is America’s most beautiful outdoor amphitheater, a one-of-a-kind immersive outdoor “musical postcard from Mother Nature." Located in Ridgedale, Missouri just a few miles from Branson, Thunder Ridge Nature Arena combines the natural beauty of the Ozarks with the stunningly beautiful architecture that seamlessly integrates into the surrounding environment. Joy Robertson s...

London Calling Gourmet Pasty Company is a British restaurant and food truck company that offers gourmet British comfort food. Their emphasis is on the handheld pot pie known as the Cornish Pasty and on British Fish and Chips but offer lots of other iconic British food from Shepherd's Pies to Sausage Rolls.  Joy Robertson speaks with Carrie Mitchell and Neil Gomme, co-owners of London Calling Gourm...