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How many restaurants in St. Louis still offer so-called chef's tables for dinner service? —J.P.D., St. Louis
Almost every facet of the restaurant industry has changed over the past 18 months, and the chef's table experience—with tasting menus cooked (and often served) by chefs at dedicated (typically kitchenside) tables—is no exception.
When restaurants reopened In the early days of the pandemic, table contact was minimized. There was little interest in servers, chefs, or anyone else making frequent visits to the table. Today, however, you can find options. Here's how just a sampling of St. Louis restaurants are approaching it:
- Basso: Two farm tables seat 10–12 diners each. Blaise Pastoret, director of restaurants at Lodging Hospitality Management, says that Basso executive chef Tudor Seserman will soon accommodate tasting dinners; contact bpastoret@lhmc.com for details.
- BEAST Butcher & Block: At the popular barbecue spot in The Grove, owner David Sandusky and chef Ryan McDonald host "group carvings, live-fire tastings, and pit-to-plate classes" at The Skullery, the only live-fire experience in the area.
- The Bellwether: Executive chef Thomas Futrell says chef's tables are not currently available but are "something we are looking at doing."
- Blood & Sand: Owner Tim Murphy says a multi-course tasting experience can still be arranged at the four-top nearest to the kitchen but with limited chef interaction.
- Boundary: The restaurant at The Cheshire had a hammered steel–topped chef's table located steps from the pass. Currently, however, it's only open for private events.
- Bulrush: One could say that Rob Connolly's Midtown restaurant, where 24 diners are seated around an open kitchen, was predicated on the concept of a chef’s table.
- Cinder House: The 10-person chef's table can still be reserved for a standard dinner but not for a multi-course culinary experience, as in the past.
- J. DeVoti Trattoria & Grocery: The restaurant on The Hill has a designated chef's table (for six or more), where guests can order a la carte or from a six-course tasting menu, according to chef-owner Anthony DeVoti.
- Olive + Oak: Co-owner Mark Hinkle suggests tables of two at the Webster Grove restaurant offers distinct tasting experiences; five courses and wine pairings are also offered at the chef's table, near the kitchen.
- Peno: The restaurant so intimate, practically every table qualifies as a chef's table. Owner Pepe Kehm is happy to book a tasting dinner.
- Perennial on Lockwood: Situated under the same roof as Olive + Oak, Perennial offers multiple courses paired with beers, often with head brewer Chris Kinast presiding.
- Polite Society: As with sister restaurant The Bellwether, Futrell says the team is evaluating the idea, though chef's tables are not currently available at the Lafayette Square restaurant.
- Vicia: Co-owner Tara Gallina says the restaurant's "grill table" can accommodate eight to 14 guests for the popular Farmer's Feast dinner though not a tasting menu experience, per se.
The pandemic also affected dining "at the pass," where customers sit at a counter directly in front of the kitchen staff. In December 2019, SLM suggested several restaurants that offered this option. Today, as a safety precaution, diners might expect plexiglass barriers but more spacious seating.
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