By George Mahe
Photograph by Katherine Bish
When star chefs like Daniel Boulud, Jean Georges Vongerichten, and Mario Batali descended on New York City in the 1980’s, they brought with them fresh ideas and a European philosophy: Young chefs with talent should be passed around and shared. Everyone benefited. For four years, Cary McDowell, an “inspired burger cook from Tennessee,” was on that circuit. Shortly thereafter, he opened The Crossing in Clayton with best friend Jim Fiala, another gifted pass-around. Fresh off a traveling stint with Wolfgang Puck, McDowell now has a fresh idea for the sentimental space vacated by King Louie’s. His Revival—home cooking with a pedigree—was scheduled to debut in February. Glory be.
You have a soft spot for King Louie’s. I met my wife there. I had ignored a fix-up for a year till I saw her across the room and said, "Ohhh, I hope that’s who they’re talking about." Then-owner Matt McGuire thought I kept visiting to commiserate with a fellow restaurateur, but the truth is, at the time I just came to see her.
You’ve chosen a great space. It was originally the hospitality room for the Otto Stifel brewery. The building has a life and a history of good times—plus, every business that operated there has been successful. Hope I don’t jinx it.
Louie’s was very, very popular. When a place like that closes—apparently due to road construction—where does that leave everybody else for the next two years? At the very least, the “destination” white tablecloth places will suffer.
Where does that leave you? People drive for hours in Texas to eat BBQ and for hours in Missouri to throw some rolls. I hope we’ll be dynamic enough to be one of those places.
Was there discussion of just reviving Louie’s? No, “same name, different owner” rarely works. Louie’s operated at a price point that’s higher than the casual, approachable place we want to be.
Revival sounds Southern ... or religious. It’s a revival of home cooking, properly seasoned and prepared using techniques I learned in Italy and France- a simple-elegance, right-sized–portion place. My Southern past might peek through … my religious beliefs won’t.
You’re casting aside your gourmet skills? It won’t be on the printed page, but if a table calls ahead for a special tasting menu, I will accommodate. Nothing makes me and my guys happier.
For a special party, would you ever replicate your mentor’s $50 DB [Daniel Boulud] burger? I would. I’ve done it several times.
Will you use artisan suppliers? If it makes economic sense, absolutely. But guys who try to sell Caprese salads in December pay too much and get too little. You can’t be afraid to stay seasonal—and to maintain any kind of quality here, it’s a necessity.
Price point? We will make a concerted effort to keep prices low. We think it makes more sense to sell 50 and make a nickel than sell 10 only to make a dime.
I’ll take the sackful of nickels anytime. I’m gonna roll the dice: $7 for a burger, maybe $6. Pricing is a fatal flaw in a lot of restaurants. Raise an item $2 and you can cut sales in half.
Separate lunch and dinner menus? It may be the same menu. I’m not a “What’s $8 for lunch is $14 for dinner” kind of guy.
Is there a restaurant trend that disturbs you? Not a trend, but I discovered early on how introverted St Louis is. In France and then in New York, it was all about sharing, visiting each other’s places, learning, growing. That culture was not present here. And it is such a big reason why I’m so passionate about what I do—only recently has that begun to change.
The St. Louis Originals are trying to do just that. The entire dining scene gets elevated when that kind of knowledge is shared. Sharing gets you out of yourself; the chefs that are successful know this. Wolfgang Puck knows it.
You worked alongside Wolfgang Puck for four years. Nice guy? There’s a graciousness, a humility, and a respect and appreciation of his peers. I discovered that’s true with all great chefs.
You really respect Boulud as well. You can’t put a value on a guy like Boulud. Sure you can read his recipes, but until you work right next to him and share his knowledge and passion, you won’t get it right. You’ll miss something.
What’s your most profound discovery after 20 years in the business? I realized that cooking is a gift and who I cooked with is a blessing. But in order to keep it, you gotta give it back. Teach it.
So do you aspire to do a cooking show? [Grinning] Right now, I’m scheduled for a daily show at Revival.
Do you watch any? I watch Good Eats with Alton Brown—he is who I strive to be. He understands things and can explain why. And Nigella Lawson … and not just for the visual aspect.
Do you have a kitchen tip you can share? The most important lesson I ever learned is so simple: Taste everything. Most issues relating to food quality stem from the chef simply not tasting the item in question.
Do you taste every dish you put out? I do. It was drummed into me: “Did ya taste it, did ya taste it?”
Do you drum it into your staff? [Smiling] I try. I try to instill the basics. I teach them to cook scrambled eggs for the dishwasher as properly as they cook foie gras for the high roller.
Do you eat out often? Yes, and I can find good food anywhere. I like McDonald’s. I’d love to go to Hamburger U. And don’t get me started on Chick-fil-A: a perfect chicken and a pickle on a bun.
Do you ever travel just to dine? That’s what’s cool about St. Louis. There are great restaurants in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Nashville, even Little Rock and Birmingham. And it’s all so close. It took me years of traveling to appreciate that.
Are you glad to not be traveling? I am … but I will miss doing those birthday gigs with Wolfgang.
