Photograph by Katherine Bish
Two self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneurs” are quickly becoming the dynamic duo of local dining--counting their current restaurant projects now requires both hands. In the last three years, Gurpreet Padda and Amy Grimes launched Chuy Arzola's, Sanctuaria, Cafe Ventana, and Cathedral Square Brewery (the latter two are expanding), and they have four more projects on the near horizon. SLM wondered why, after establishing a successful medical corporation, the duo would attempt so many restaurants when that industry is saturated and suffering and learned—in statements both insightful and unique (“My family’s been in the restaurant business for 800 years,” says Padda)—that all of their projects are interrelated, like spokes on a bicycle wheel. We admit, we enjoyed the ride.
Are you both originally from St Louis?
Dr. Gurpreet Padda: I was in India until age 9. But I’ve been in the Midwest—Kansas City, Chicago—almost my entire life. I went to Parkway North, then medical school in Kansas City and business school at SLU.
Amy Grimes: Grew up in Murphysboro and moved here when I got married. I was working for a chiropractor, leasing space in a building Gurpreet owns, who virtually left overnight. At that point, Gurpreet and I decided to maintain the physical therapy component of that business and not long after, I began managing his other properties.
When did you become interested in developing restaurants?
AG: Five years ago. Our first acquisition was the Playboy Club building on Lindell. The decrepit building that’s now Ventana was part of the deal. When we discovered the big glass ceiling, we decided we couldn’t demo it…and that’s where we got the name “Ventana.”
The down economy stalled our fine dining idea for the main building, so we proceeded to do Cafe Ventana first.
GP: And in hindsight, we’re very lucky that we did so.
Then you expanded it.
AG: The addition will maintain Ventana’s indoor/outdoor New Orleans theme. That’s the whole premise of the restaurant.
We started with one building for Ventana, and then purchased the bldg to the east to do another restaurant [DiSilvio’s] and after that, the 8-family to the west, so we could expand Ventana. There’s old brick, reclaimed light fixtures, and recycled wood everywhere—the space is new but looks like it’s been there forever. The rear courtyard will be one contiguous space, with built-in heaters for winter and a/c in summer, otherwise fans will be running.
How big is the new addition?
GP: There are now 60 seats for dining, plus 2 conference rooms—Skype-enabled and wired for video conferencing, between the two rooms or anywhere else. They’re and visually- and sound-isolated from each other as well, ideal if there’s a mediation or two separate groups that require privacy. These rooms, this entire space, is part of a bigger plan for us.
And that plan is?
GP: Well, we want to be vertically integrated, we want to own the means of production. We just acquired a 31 acre farm in Belleville to produce both organic produce and goat cheese for our restaurants. We’re shooting for complete sustainability there, while controlling as much production and delivery as possible. We should be able to grow 75% of what our restaurants need…both now and in the future.
And the new Ventana space is part of that bigger project as well?
GP: The space above will be a technology incubator for micro-app companies we call iNeoCortex, “the new brain.” We believe the next big leap in software will come about from tiny little application companies, ones that go from zero to half a million dollars in 6 months. For example, DealCurrent is a white label coupon company we own that can be easily integrated into anyone’s business to compete with companies like Groupon. We set up the entire backend and in two days the entire program can be implemented, specific to your company’s needs.
Does this relate back to Ventana?
AG: These companies need high-tech space to meet as well as a place to eat.
GP: We are in a technology corridor here, right next to 2 major universities. We hope to partner with SLU’s business school and help them develop their entrepreneurial students. This is our way to bring more volume, good volume, and the right kind of people to this neighborhood, people who will, in turn, be instrumental in restabilizing it. We will initiate financial viability—businesses--that will attract people who are respectful to property and to each other. Amy and I are serial entrepreneurs, that’s all we are.
But you have day jobs as well…
AG: Right, Monday through Friday Gurpreet runs the medical corporation and I’m its CFO.
GP: …as well as supervises all of our companies. What I do is float between companies. I get bored once a task is accomplished…I have to then move on to the next task. I’m a great leader but not a really good manager. We provide leadership…and hire the good managers to maintain what we establish.
AG: People like our chef, Chris Lee.
GP: He’s that rare combination of great creativity and great execution—with any concept or cuisine.
How did the idea for Sanctuaria come about?
GP: We were hiking at Macchu Picchu--literally a sanctuary--when it hit us: Why not build a place, with this same indigenous Catholic-art mix, that serves appropriate Latino food?
Where did you find all that wacky art?
AG: We bought one piece in New Mexico and ended up meeting the artist at a flea market while carrying it around. We commissioned her then and there to create several more pieces for Sanctuaria. She was as excited as we were. It was a right place/right time situation.
GP: Ends up she’s a famous folk artist in Mexico. Apparently the Rockefeller’s collect her pieces.
And the bathrooms have a common theme.
GP: They all are visually themed. There are collages on the ceilings and always a place to write. We posted a question in the women’s room: Tell me your secret… All I’ll say is that women write the most amazing secrets.
Want to share one?
GP: (smiling) Nah, I better keep ‘em secret.
Then there’s that stainless steel tree above the bar.
GP: The guy who is the IOC chairman for Canada made that for us. Just so happens he’s a metal artist.
AG: I always wanted a metal bone tree, I don’t know why, but it became the cornerstone piece at Sanctuaria.
Your mixologist at Sanctuaria, Matt Seiter, is passionate as well.
AG: Give him any taste profile and he’ll create the best cocktail you’ve ever had using that profile. Or Bryan, our brewmaster—he lives and breathes beer.
GP: He started Black Dog and now is with us at Cathedral Square. We are in the top half of what beer Missouri Beverage sells…and we’ve done that in 7 months. The beer has already won several awards.
And do you own Cathedral Square as well?
AG: Yes. We brew three beers right now, with a fourth—the Hail Mary, an IPA--due for release in the Fall, plus a seasonal.
GP: Since we’ve been getting requests from neighboring states, we think Cathedral can become a major regional player, so we’re expanding production. We now sell it in two different size kegs, 22 oz. bottles, and we’ll soon release 4-packs of standard bottles.
And there’s a chocolate store concept coming to Collinsville?
AG: Ventana Chocolates. We began this by both becoming certified chocolatiers at L’Ecole Chocolat….we won’t work in the store, but we needed to know enough to execute it properly. That project will launch in the winter. And then we’ll do DiSilvio’s [an Italian restaurant], adjacent to Ventana.
Do you have a plan for how many restaurants you’ll open?
GP: We do have a discreet method to our madness. What we do is prejudiced by what we like to eat and which concepts we can do best. We’re not there yet--St. Louis is our test kitchen. We’re also the patron saints of lost real estate causes. We like restaurant projects and we like revitalizing communities. Nothing has worked where Hendricks, our barbeque restaurant, will be located. At least 4 restaurants have failed in that building.
That doesn’t scare you?
AG: No, because it will be different. You don’t get amazing barbeque in 4 hours. We want to replicate the experience when you’ve been cooking all day—or since yesterday--and the day culminates in a fantastic dinner
GP: Casseroles and sides that you just can’t quit eating, where one taste produces fireworks. It’s profound comfort food.
Is there a story behind the name Hendricks?
AG: It’s actually my family’s name. The Hendricks’ are all from Southern Illinois, a place renowned for barbeque. Mike Mills’ 17th St Barbeque started out in Murphysboro.
GP: I was a hard-core vegetarian in medical school, and every day I would drive past Gates BBQ and the smell was incredible. Finally, one day I just had to step inside. It went from that to just a taste, just a little on my tongue. Next thing I knew I was covered—no, smothered--in barbeque…feeling dirty, but loving barbeque. It was there I lost my vegetarian virginity.
AG: Well apparently, I was teethed on rib bones. When my mother told me that, I was horrified.
Do you do tastings to try out different recipes and techniques?
GP: We will have done 15 to 20 tastings before Hendricks ever opens and will have been to 30 to 50 of the best barbeque places in the country. But there’s a second component to Hendricks.
I hope it’s jerky…
GP: We call it the Moonshine Blues Bar. I hate to use the word honky-tonk, but that’s close. Bringing authentic music to the space is thematic for us as well…Sanctuaria has Spanish folk music and Ventana reinforces its New Orleans theme with jazz on weekends.
Where does the Moonshine come in?
GP: We’ll be serving that in mason jars. This version is smooth enough to sip, with a particular flavor profile that enhances the flavor of barbeque. It’s made in the Carolinas.
So what percent is alcohol? Most vodkas are 80 proof.
GP: The same: 80. More alcohol means less flavor. We will conduct moonshine classes to educate people about it.
How do you finance all these ventures? Nobodys lending…
GP: We’re involved in melding technology with health [Padda Institute] and we perform financial services [Padda Financial], services that are tangential but relate to everything we do. Without those, we are lost…it provides all the funding for what we do. We work with banks, but also provide residential and commercial lending to other people.
How exactly do you “meld technology with health?”
AG: We have tech-based systems geared toward weight loss, for example. We can take 20 to 25 pounds off people in a 30 to 40 day period.
How can you do that?
GP: Supplements combined with dietary changes.
Does it include barbeque?
GP: (laughing) We know how to make you fat, and we know how to make you thin.
AG: We love, love, love food but we know it can be bad for you…so we give you both options.
Did either of you have prior experience in the business?
GP: My family owns a restaurant that has been in continuous operation for over 800 years in India. (smiling) And we have yet to wash the pots...they’re really well-seasoned. Seriously, we’ve had the same restaurant in the same location since Genghis Khan; the place serves 800-1000 truckers a day.
