Last year, Katie’s reached a milestone deal to stock its frozen pizzas, pastas, and sauces in every Target store nationwide. Scaling up to meet that demand has been a herculean effort; Lee only began making frozen pizzas to keep her restaurant staff employed during the pandemic. Even more impressive, she and her team built that line while running multiple restaurants. “I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t be a national, iconic brand in the near future and be able to do that through handcrafting, sourcing really good ingredients, telling a good story, and being super transparent,” Lee says.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
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What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the past 12 months? Expanding our Katie’s [consumer packaged goods] company, born from a COVID pivot, becoming available nationwide, Target exclusive, one of the largest in Target history. Opening a new restaurant in Crestwood. Building our chef collective and C-suite team from around the country.
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? The fact that we’re within striking distance of building an iconic national brand, and the potential of being in all retailers.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? I would change the stigma around the potential for a restaurant food group to be a leader in business.
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome? Convincing banks to lend to a restaurant.
What’s a risk you took in business that didn’t pan out—but taught you something valuable? Vero, a meal kit company that I started and failed. It taught me about consumer buying habits for packaged goods.
What advice would you give to the next generation of St. Louis entrepreneurs or leaders? Start working as soon as possible. Work experience trumps school.
MENTORS & PEERS
What is a key strength of the St. Louis metro area business environment? Loyalty
Who in your company (or industry) deserves more recognition for their impact? In my company, Jake Sanderson. He’s been with me for 11 years, and he’s a huge part of the reason we are where we are. Bernie Lee, who doesn’t get enough recognition for being the best chef and operator in the business, and hardest-working person.
What’s a local organization, nonprofit, or initiative that more people should know about—and why? Every organization associated with the May 16 tornado relief. We helped to start and are supporting an organization called 100 Roofs, which has dried in 100 roofs across North City since the day after the tornado. The people of North City are still without roofs, homes, support, resources, and solutions.
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? St. Louis
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? Dropped out of high school at 15
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? I worked at Crazy Bowls and Wraps in Clayton. I learned how to talk to people.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
What’s your hobby/passion? Hiking and writing.
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? Tao de Ching. It’s the wisest book ever written. Podcast: How I Built This.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck or uninspired? Hike in the woods.
What would people be surprised to learn about you (fun fact)? I don’t know how to use a computer. I do everything from my phone. I was forced to get my first computer on Chapter 3 of my book!
2025 QUESTIONNAIRE
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
What has been your or your company’s most significant success over the last 12 months? Gaining 100 percent ownership over my company, achieving a $450k Giveback Tuesday donation benchmark, opening our landmark Ballpark Village location in downtown St. Louis, growing our Katie’s Frozen business by 50 percent, adding new products to our Katie’s CPG line, which are shelf-stable, including sauces and Old World air-dried pasta, importing specialty items from Italy, and restructuring our leadership team to create a closer bond across our three locations.
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? The rebrand of our company…to a national stage. Touching a larger audience with our food, our story, and our team. Innovating new ways for our CPG products to reach the consumer. Innovating what a restaurant is—it’s more than food; it’s about story, art, people, film, and music.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? Substance abuse in the workplace.
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome (excluding the pandemic) and why? Gaining control and ownership of my company, because without that I’m not able to innovate and grow the company in the best interest of my family and my team.
MENTORS & PEERS
To whom or where do you go for sound business advice? For sound business advice, I go to my brother, Johnny Lee, my COO. I also look to friends and leaders across the industry in leadership roles and my team.
Do you have a business mentor? If so, who and why? I’m interested and connected to so many people in my industry and community that I would say the “mentorship” is just a collective of experiences and connections that I have with people.
What piece of advice has had the most significant impact on your career? One day at a time.
If you could have dinner with any two area business leaders, who would you choose and why? Maxine Clark from Build-A-Bear and Carolyn Kindle from CITY SC.
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? St. Louis
What was your childhood aspiration? To be a restaurateur.
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? Cashier at Crazy Bowl and Wraps. I learned to work every position.
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? I dropped out of high school at 14 years old. I immediately started working in restaurants and worked every position, giving me a complete understanding of how a restaurant operates and the importance of the people who make it happen.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
If you were not in your current profession, what would you be doing and why? Theoretical physicist. I love reading science journals and listening to scientific podcasts. I love the creativity and possibilities around it. While I can’t practice it, I understand it.
What is your favorite St. Louis-area restaurant, and what do you typically order there? Akar. Everything.
What is one item you recently crossed off your bucket list? Traveling through Italy alone. I just finished writing a book about my life and business journey.
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? Tao Te Ching, the wisest book ever written. It teaches you everything about leadership, yourself, life, nature, business. You should also read my book when it comes out.
What’s your hobby/passion? Hiking in the woods.
What is your most prized possession? Tom [Lee, her father] and Rolando [Llerena]’s ashes.
What would people be surprised to learn about you—a fun fact? I can’t keep my shoes tied.
What is your go-to karaoke song? “Anything” by Patsy Cline
