Like much of the artwork that surrounds it, Panorama restaurant, located inside the Saint Louis Art Museum’s modern East Building (1 Fine Arts, 314-721-0072, slam.org), is elegant but still relatively unknown—maybe too much so. Now all of that is changing, thanks to the diligence of acclaimed chef Ivy Magruder, whose goal is to “create a St. Louis memory.”
Your resume contains many familiar restaurants. Were any of them particularly memorable?
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I loved Eleven Eleven Mississippi because we had nothing to lose. No one knew me, no one knew Paul or Wendy [Hamilton, the owners]. And being well-received right off the bat is memorable, too. To this day, they’re still my friends and mentors.
What’s one thing that people don’t know about Panorama?
Anyone can have a private party at the museum: inside the restaurant, in certain galleries, in the lobby. We just did one for 1,800, but that was a first. Parties help drive the bus around here. We use electric warmers, though—no Sterno; open flames are a big no-no for obvious reasons.
Are the special dinners buffet-style?
No, the majority are not. When we can no longer plate to order, we go the buffet route: different items and themes at different stations, which is really more fun for the guests.
Which galleries are off-limits?
Those with artwork on the perimeter are usually OK; those with artwork more exposed are not.
Are there minimums for special dinners?
We did a dinner for 10 in Panorama over the holiday. There’s a minimum dollar amount that has to be met, sure, but it’s very reasonable, especially considering that security guards are part of the process. Part of my initial goal here is to get exposure and to establish goodwill, and private dinners are a perfect way to do that.
The décor and the artwork at Panorama is minimalist.
There are pieces on a few walls and flowers on the table—all that’s new. New uniforms added some color, but overall that look is planned, it’s intentional.
Has outside seating ever been discussed?
It’s a logistical issue. Right now, egress is through Panorama’s front door and then outside through the main door, but you gotta think we’ll be able to get out there someday.
What attracted you most to Panorama?
It needed to become a great restaurant for a great city. I needed balance in my life and Panorama was only open for lunch. And I love the art museum; it’s the coolest museum in the coolest park in the country and, in my opinion, deserved a better restaurant. My civic pride wouldn’t let me back away. I love cooking, but working here has also allowed me to be an ambassador for St. Louis, which is very cool.
What was the first thing on your to-do list?
Get to know the museum staff—and have them get to know me—by conducting cooking classes for 10 of them, once a month on a Monday. I’ve been doing that for six months.
Isn’t Monday your only day off?
It is.
Then what?
I had to win over the restaurant staff. Introduce extreme hospitality. Some had to go; we retrained, retaught, and recoached those who remained. Coming in midstream is harder than starting a restaurant from scratch.
Do you have any recommendations about dining at Panorama?
Lunches are consistent, but Friday nights are soft because it’s the only night we’re open. No one thinks of us for a Friday-night date night.
Art at the Table is also held at night.
It’s held every other month, either a themed dinner or one when we invite a guest chef, where the cross-marketing benefits us both. In March, for Women’s History Month, we invited three women chefs to prepare the dinner.
Are other event dinners planned?
There’s an event planned around Art in Bloom. The art museum plans themed events all the time.
What off-site events are planned for this year?
Last year, we participated in the Saint Louis Art Fair for the first time. The art museum needs to be at the art fair for the visibility, if nothing else, because a lot of people still don’t know Panorama even exists.
What menu item will be there forever?
Since the menu’s seasonally driven, there’s nothing I wouldn’t take off. And Bon Appétit [Management Company] is as insistent as I am on using local ingredients. They say, “More local, more local, more local.”
How creative can you—and should you–get with the menu?
Menu-planning is a struggle and a balance—anywhere. The menu here I’d call comfortable, and that’s good. It’s the specials where I introduce the bolder, more unusual flavors and concepts.
What about the brunch menu?
It’s à la carte, both weekend days. There’s a completely different menu: stuffed French toast, eggs Benedict three different ways, steak and eggs…that kind of thing.
Was there ever any discussion to ask members of the symphony to play during brunch, like in the old days?
There will be now. It could play into the new tagline: “Create a St. Louis memory.” I’m totally stealing that idea and claiming it as my own.
