After a five-year hiatus from the restaurant industry, former Herbie’s and Kingside Diner executive chef Chris Vomund is taking over prepared meal service ful. He plans to set up shop in the former Copper Pig space (4611 Macklind) in Southampton and will begin taking orders next Tuesday, September 13.
The Menu
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The healthy dishes will be made from quality ingredients, with an emphasis on lean proteins, fresh vegetables, and “good starches” such as quinoa. Vomund describes the food as “not too fancy,” similar to what he cooks for family meals, though he plans to draw from his previous experience by using fine-dining French cooking techniques.
Meals will be seasonal, and Vomund hopes to establish partnerships with local farmers. Each 350- to 450-calorie meal will contain approximately 40 grams of protein, 40 grams of carbohydrates, and 10 grams of fat. All of the dishes will be gluten- and preservative-free, and Vomund can make substitutions for vegetarian and vegan options.
Vomund also enlisted the help of former subscribers to test new meals and gather feedback about portion sizes and taste. Popular items include braised beef with sweet potatoes and marinated roasted kale, as well as Kung Pao chicken with broccoli and rice in a roasted red pepper coulis.
The Concept
The subscription base runs from three to 30 meals per week. Meals are typically $13–$14, with a price break based on the number of meals in the subscription. Currently, there are nine meal pickup locations around St. Louis. (See website for details.) All packaging is 100 percent eco-friendly.
Customers will also be able to visit the space on Macklind to pick up a meal or to dine in. In the future, Vomund hopes to offer more family-friendly options for the Southampton neighborhood, as well as breakfast and snacks.
Vomund is working on procuring a liquor license for the space and envisions a kind of “Airbnb for restaurants.” He plans to rent the space out at an affordable price for events and to offer the kitchen space as a “hospitality incubator” for entrepreneurs with a concept but no kitchen. The space will also be used for pop-up events, as well as wine and whiskey dinners.
The Background
Vomund left his position as executive chef at Herbie’s and Kingside Diner five years ago, he says, because he needed a break from restaurant life. Taking a job at food company Sysco meant he could have his weekends and evenings back while still working in the food industry.
Then, Vomund’s wife, Courtney, subscribed to ful., which Ken Mao founded in 2015. The couple became friends with Mao through CrossFit. When Mao was ready to sell the business, Vomund was initially helping Mao find a buyer before realizing that it was the perfect opportunity to return to the industry while still enjoying nights and weekends.
“I’m very fortunate to get handed an opportunity that fits everything I want to do,” he says.
