The buzz around St. Louis’ dining scene continues to grow. Some of the latest national coverage stems from Explore St. Louis’ efforts to engage media storytellers—and it’s led by one of the region’s most recognized food experts, Cat Neville.
Back in November, a group of writers from across the nation met up in St. Louis for an in-depth, multi-day look at the food and beverage scene, centered around the half-hour film The Flavor of St. Louis, produced by Explore St. Louis.
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“Over the next two days, we visited a number of places and met a bunch of people and of course ate a lot of great food,” says Neville, vice president for communications at Explore St. Louis. Her involvement in the culinary community stretches back more than two decades at local food publications, and she’s the Emmy-winning producer and host of the national public television show tasteMAKERS.
Listen Now: Cat Neville shares local wine recommendations on the Arch Eats podcast
The Tour
Neville explains that “the idea is to bring these media folks in and directly engage them in the story of St. Louis, giving them inspiration and story ideas that are actionable on a variety of editorial levels. The hope is that we will see results immediately, but also over time, which is why we want to ensure that we are connecting the storytellers with great stories, not just surface-level experiences.”
The film interviews award-winning industry leaders including Nick Bognar of iNDO and Sado, Simone Faure of La Pâtisserie Chouquette, and Michael and Tara Gallina of Take Root Hospitality. The dining entrepreneurs share not only about their own establishments but also about the region’s culinary scene as a whole.
“Every time we have hosted one of these tours, I am struck by how genuinely engaged the media are, and they inevitably walk away saying that they had no idea that St. Louis offered the level of experiences that enjoyed when they were with us,” Neville says. “That’s exactly the hope. We want to surprise and engage them in a way where they feel like they just have to share with their audiences what a great city St. Louis is.”
The Coverage
The stories started rolling out in December, and they’re full of must-try spots that St. Louisans know and love—plus some products and producers that may be surprises, such as the award-winning craft gin from Still 630.
Southern Living’s article “The 22 Best Restaurants in St. Louis for Every Price Point” gives readers an idea of just how much eating the media guests did during the tour, highlighting restaurants from Balkan Treat Box to Creole with a Splash of Soul to Trattoria Marcella to Idol Wolf. Even Imo’s merits a mention. That story spread to a wider national audience after being distributed by MSN.
In “Food City,” New Orleans Magazine writer Cheré Coen gives a nod to Faure’s hometown before offering a taste of the Gateway to the West, from the Central West End to Lafayette Square to wine country.
What’s Next
The media tour spotlighting the innovative cuisines of St. Louis was one in a series that has included arts, music, and the Gateway Arch. The writers come from all corners of the U.S. and as far as Canada, furthering Explore St. Louis’ goal of attracting visitors to the region by giving them an insider’s view of what’s new and exciting here.
“In the coming year, we will be focused on St. Louis as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts,” Neville says. “We will revisit music and also focus on food and beverages.”
