Even before arriving in town and opening their James Beard Award-nominated restaurant, Vicia, the Gallinas were struck by the support they found in St. Louis. Local chefs and restaurateurs—competitors in most cities—welcomed them, understanding that success lifts everyone. That ethos powers their restaurant group, Take Root, where staff success makes the collective stronger. Although their food and beverage programs have earned national recognition, the Gallinas’ true legacy lies in fostering a more connected, compassionate restaurant culture.
2026 QUESTIONNAIRE
What advice would you give to the next generation of St. Louis entrepreneurs or leaders? St. Louis is an incredibly curious and supportive community. They value locally driven expertise and experiences. More than anything as you begin your business or grow your stature within the community, it is so important to genuinely get to know the very people who you need support from. The power of authenticity to the St. Louis community can’t be underestimated. Those leaders and businesses that seem to be thriving amongst us have taken that advice to heart. It’s advice that was shared with me when I was first moved here from New York from one of St. Louis’ most accomplished restauranteurs, Danny Meyer. I keep it with me always, and it has shaped and molded how I think about growing our company.
What’s a risk you took in business that didn’t pan out—but taught you something valuable? We jumped on an opportunity to take a popular summertime pop-up concept, Taqueria Morita, and move it into a brick-and-mortar space in 2024. Sadly, we closed it at the start of 2025, and, looking back, I learned the power of the experience. Our pop-up concept was in a beautiful outdoor space that really transported you someplace else, right in the middle of the city. Moving right next door [into a space with] four walls felt like a no-brainer. What I didn’t take into account was how much the experience, in addition to the delicious food, really shaped how people experienced the concept. It simply did not translate in the space we moved it to, and it was a great lesson—it’s not just about the food, but you’ve got to be able to check all the boxes to really be able to captivate people and get them to come back.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck or uninspired? Walking! Exercise is super important to me, but I have found that above all else getting outside in particular someplace beautiful and just staying in my head without any distractions really allows me to think through what I’m stuck on and uncover ideas that I didn’t know I had. I often walk with my husband and business partner Michael and some of our best ideas and conversations are had on these walks.
Who in your company (or industry) deserves more recognition for their impact? Mark and Jenn Hinkle of O&O Hospitality. I have long admired the restaurants that they’ve built and warm spaces that they’ve created. I don’t get the opportunity to go out often, but if I am grabbing anything from a quick coffee or to a special meal, you’ll often find me at one of their spaces. So many people know them, but I often find they are very quietly behind the scenes. You don’t often read about them in articles or see them on social media. We’ve even traded employees back and forth over the years, and I think that truly speaks to the quality of training and culture that they foster. Not to mention in addition to this fantastic restaurant group, they also personally have created a hugely impactful foundation in honor of their son Ollie that provides support and research for congenital heart failure. They have shaped so many great people within our industry and have truly influenced me as well.
What’s a local organization, nonprofit, or initiative that more people should know about—and why? Women in Charge! They are a small but vital and important nonprofit based in University City that is providing training and resources to women in the community that really need a chance. They help women get their high school diploma equivalency and find meaning and purpose to start a career at any point in life. As a working mom, I can greatly appreciate how hard it is to balance even the basics of life. Add on top of that insurmountable life challenges, and it can be really hard to get out of those shadows as a woman. In addition, they also work to provide ESL training for those in the community that are also trying to grow and make an impact despite not being from this country, which at this critical juncture in our society could not be more important.
2025 QUESTIONNAIRE
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? Responding to the ever-changing demands of our community as it relates to dining means that you are always having to reinvent yourself in some way, and that creative energy and spirit is what drives our company. Food service is a really tough sector with tight margins and high labor costs and turnover. If we can continue to create great conepts and positive work enviornments that will only allow us to grow and thrive more.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? Better resources on a local/state/federal level for our employees related to health benefits and economic resources. So many workers in our industry don’t have the means to afford these crucial benefits and employers are met with rising high costs and limited options to help those in the most need.
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome (excluding the pandemic) and why? It’s hard to take the pandemic out of the equation because it had such a dramatic impact on our business and the overall restaurant industry, but I think our greatest challenge was how to grow and evolve amidst a litany of economic and labor challenges, which i’m proud to say we have.
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MENTORS & PEERS
To whom or where do you go for sound business advice? My father, he’s been an entrepreneur and business owner for over 25 years.
Do you have a business mentor? If so, who and why? There are so many people that I admire and look to from a distance or on brief connections, but as a busy mom and business owner, I would really like to make more time to find a more influential and steady mentor I can look to in our community.
What piece of advice has had the most significant impact on your career? Danny Meyer once told Michael and I right before we moved to St. Louis to open our first restauanrt, that if you listen to the St. Louis community and build their trust, then the sky’s the limit. And I have always held that near and tried to approach each new venture from a lens of trust-building as priority No. 1.
If you could have dinner with any two area business leaders, who would you choose and why? Carolyn Kindle of STL CITY because I hugely admire her as a strong female business leader who essentially created a brand and huge following from the ground up, something that I aspire to create. Her energy seems infectious, and her marketing know-how is so inspiring to me. I would also love to be joined by my friend and fellow female business owner, Tamara Keefe, owner of Clementine’s. Tamara has so much know-how as it relates to growing a brand in the St. Louis market while also confronting challenges and growth hurdles. Plus, she’s a great conversation starter and would keep the energy flowing!
Who is the most interesting under-the-radar/emerging business leader in St. Louis and why? Lisa Govro, founder and CEO of Big Heart Tea. Lisa has essentially grew her business from a tiny trailer a decade ago selling tea to creating a national brand that is disrupting the marketing. On top of that, she is also working to create more sustainable practices in her industry, which I hugely admire.
What is one thing you would change about the St. Louis metro area business environment and why? More synergy between starting businesses in both the city and county. It can be redundant and inconsistent across many fronts and ads a number of hurdles and red tape that feel unnecessary.
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? I was born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida.
What was your childhood aspiration? To be Katie Couric!
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? I started in off in retail and food service as a teenager, and no matter what i’ve done since, those jobs and the work ethic i learned from them have always stuck with me.
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? I have a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Central Florida and a culinary degree from the French Culinary Institute in New York City.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
If you were not in your current profession, what would you be doing and why? Hosting my own TV show on Food and Travel.
What is your favorite St. Louis-area restaurant, and what do you typically order there? My family and I love to dine at O + O Pizza in Webster Groves. The food is so good, the service is so warm and lovely, and they always make us feel like family. Don’t miss the spicy pepperoni pizza, toasted ravioli (my kids’ fave!), and chopped Italian salad.
What is one item you recently crossed off your bucket list? Spending three weeks traveling across France and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea!
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, who wrote the ultimate guide to what hospitality means in a way that translates across all industries.
What’s your hobby/passion? I love to cook, garden, and read. When I get a little down time, it’s spent cooking with my two children, growing my plant collection, and getting my hands in the dirt.
What is your most prized possession? My family.
What would people be surprised to learn about you—a fun fact? One of my first entrepreneurial endeavors was selling Mark Kay Cosmetics in my early 20s.
What is your go-to karaoke song? “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” by Billy Joel
