Nashan’s restaurants are so successful now, it’s difficult to imagine that their success was ever in doubt. When he first took over Sidney Street, longtime patrons resisted change. But Nashan honored its legacy while transforming it into a James Beard Award–winning powerhouse. Peacemaker, meanwhile, almost didn’t get off the ground after a bank denied funding. “Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, we scraped up enough money and got creative, so we could make our dream come true. The process taught me that if you want something bad enough, you will be willing to do whatever it takes—within reason—to make it happen.”
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2026 QUESTIONNAIRE
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the past 12 months? Consistency
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? Ohhhh there’s a future? that sounds exciting….
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? Healthcare
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome? I don’t know if we have enough time. Let’s see: opening and keeping restaurants open, Highway 40 closure (two years), 2007-2009 market crash, pandemic, high inflation 2021-2022… Just to name a few.
What’s a risk you took in business that didn’t pan out—but taught you something valuable? When looking for funding for our second restaurant (Peacemaker Benton Park) Our bank flat out said no. Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves we scraped up enough money and got creative, so we could make our dream come true. The process taught me that if you want something bad enough you will be willing to do whatever it takes (within reason) to make it happen.
What advice would you give to the next generation of St. Louis entrepreneurs or leaders? Take risks, reinvest in both your business and health, and always pass on the education.
MENTORS & PEERS
What is a key strength of the St. Louis metro area business environment? For our restaurant environment, it’s the ability to help one another and community in any situation.
What is one thing you would change about the St. Louis metro area business environment? Merge the city and county!
Who is the most interesting under-the-radar/emerging business leader in St. Louis? Cody Stokes (Dive Bomb Industries)
Who in your company (or industry) deserves more recognition for their impact? It takes a village, so everyone in our industry is impactful. It’s tough to pinpoint one person.
What’s a local organization, nonprofit, or initiative that more people should know about—and why? No Kid Hungry & Operation Food Search because plain and simple we need to feed our kids, so they can become the very leaders needed to make the Lou a better place!
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? Chicago, Illinois
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? Marketing ( Saint Louis University), Culinary Arts (Culinary Institute of America NY)
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? Working at my family’s restaurant in Santa Fe, N.M. (La Tertulia), daily activity of restaurant life mostly washing dishes and bussing tables. I learned to work with people and communicate with guests.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
What’s your hobby/passion? Being outside (running, biking, fishing, skiing, hiking).
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? Good to Great by Jim Collins—some great ideas on evolving any business.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck or uninspired? Read a book or listen to a podcast, do some type of hard physical activity, go out to eat, or go to a museum.
What would people be surprised to learn about you (fun fact)? I used to have hair.
