“Food is about more than just feeding people. It’s about telling a story, building community and creating moments that people remember.” — Gerard Craft

by Craig Kaminer / Photos by Carmen Troesser

St. Louis has long been a city of culinary traditions, rich with its toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake and deep loyalty to local favorites. Yet over the past two decades, a revolution has redefined dining in the Gateway City. At the heart of this transformation stands Gerard Craft, a James Beard Award-winning chef who not only elevated the city’s restaurant scene but also positioned St. Louis as a national food destination.

Craft’s journey to culinary stardom began far from Missouri. Born in Washington, D.C., Craft initially pursued a career in photography in Los Angeles. To make ends meet, he started working at a small restaurant. There he discovered his true passion for cooking. The energy of the kitchen, the artistry of plating and the thrill of creating flavors ignited a spark that led him to culinary school and to some of the most respected kitchens in the country including Bistro Toujours in Park City, Utah, and Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.

In 2005, at just 25 years old, Craft took a leap of faith and opened Niche in the Benton Park neighborhood of St. Louis. With its innovative approach to fine dining and focus on locally sourced foods, Niche quickly became a beacon of culinary creativity in a city better known at the time for barbecue and casual eats. Craft’s decision to open his flagship restaurant in St. Louis was seen as unconventional, but it proved to be a masterstroke that catalyzed a larger culinary movement.

Niche was more than just a restaurant; it was a manifesto. Craft’s dishes married bold innovation with a deep respect for Midwestern ingredients. Menus changed with the seasons. Craft introduced St. Louis diners to a world of flavors and techniques that challenged preconceived notions of what constituted “fine dining.” Over the next several years, Craft expanded his culinary empire by opening a series of restaurants that pushed the boundaries of their respective genres.

Craft introduced St. Louis diners to a world of flavors and techniques that challenged preconceived notions of what constituted “fine dining.”

Brasserie by Niche, launched in 2009, brought the warmth and authenticity of a classic French bistro to the Central West End. Since then he has expanded the concept to include Brass Bar. Pastaria, opened in 2012 in Clayton, offered a more casual but equally thoughtful dining experience, featuring house-made pasta and wood-fired pizzas that became instant hits. It has since been expanded to include Pastaria Deli & Wine.

Taste, a cocktail bar and small-plates concept, added a layer of sophistication to St. Louis’ nightlife.

Sardella, which replaced Niche in 2016, reimagined Italian cuisine with Craft’s signature flair for reinvention (It is now closed after an 11-year run).

After a five-year partnership with the Four Seasons Hotel, the contract for Gerard Craft’s Cinder House restaurant expired on Jan. 8, 2024. “Cinder House was a deeply personal project for me, featuring our take on several dishes inspired by my childhood nanny, Dia, a native of Brazil. After opening in 2018, we hosted countless special experiences and dinners and even weathered the pandemic – no small feat for a destination restaurant within a hotel.”

Each restaurant not only earned critical acclaim but also created a ripple effect, inspiring other chefs and restaurateurs to elevate their own offerings. The result was a competitive yet collaborative culinary scene that drew attention from food lovers across the country.

In 2015, Craft was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Midwest, a coveted honor often referred to as the “Oscars of the food world.” The recognition was not just a personal triumph for Craft but it put St. Louis on the national culinary map.

“I always felt that St. Louis had the potential to be something incredible,” Craft said in his acceptance speech. “This award is for everyone who believed in that vision.”

Winning the James Beard Award drew more national media attention to Craft and his restaurants. Food writers and critics who had previously overlooked St. Louis started visiting the city and uncovering a vibrant dining scene that had been years in the making.

Beyond his personal accolades, Gerard Craft has been a catalyst for nurturing talent and fostering community. Many chefs including Matt Daughaday (Idol Wolf), Nate Hereford (Chicken Scratch), Alec Shingle (The Robin Project), Chris Kelling (Pizza Champ), Andrew Cisneros (Jalea, Brasas), Adam Altnerther (formerly Elmwood), Philip Day (Root Food & Wine), James Peisker (Porter Road Butcher), Josh Poletti (Wright’s Tavern) and Dakota Williams (Winslows Table) who honed their skills in Craft’s kitchens have gone on to open their own successful restaurants, contributing to the city’s dynamic food ecosystem. Craft’s commitment to mentoring reflects his belief that the growth of the St. Louis culinary scene is a collective effort.

Craft’s leadership goes beyond his own restaurants. He’s always been about lifting others up and making sure St. Louis thrives as a whole, and his influence also extends to his role as an advocate for sustainability and local sourcing. By forging partnerships with area farmers and purveyors, he has helped create a stronger local food economy, proving that high-quality, locally sourced ingredients are not just a trend but a standard.

Like any successful restaurateur, Craft has faced his share of challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented difficulties for the entire restaurant industry and forced Craft to adapt and innovate to keep his businesses afloat. He implemented carryout options, developed meal kits and pivoted to more casual offerings to meet the needs of a community in crisis.

“It was one of the hardest periods of my life,” Craft admits. “But it also reminded me why I do this work — to bring people together, even in the toughest times.”

Today, Gerard Craft’s impact is visible not just in his own restaurants but in the vibrancy of St. Louis’ culinary landscape. The city boasts a rich tapestry of dining options, from experimental fine dining to casual eateries that prioritize craftsmanship. Craft’s vision and leadership have played a crucial role in shaping this evolution.

Looking ahead, Craft continues to innovate. He purchased Café Osage, attached to the Bowood Farms shop, and reopened it as Bowood by Niche, a restaurant and café that combines seasonal dining with a lush garden center. He is also working on the expansion of his fast-casual Italian concept Porano featuring everything from pizzas and salads to build-your-own pasta bowls.

Gerard Craft’s vision has extended into two of St. Louis’ newest venues: CityPark and City Foundry STL. At CityPark (now Energizer Park), the stadium for St. Louis CITY SC, Craft played a critical role in reimagining the stadium dining experience. Fans now enjoy elevated food options that highlight local ingredients and regional flavors, transforming what it means to eat at a soccer match. Similarly, Craft’s involvement in City Foundry STL, a bustling food hall and community space, has solidified its reputation as a launch pad for innovative culinary talent. There he has overseen the openings of the Kitchen Bar, None of the Above (a speakeasy), Fordo’s Killer Pizza and EXPAT BBQ. By curating spaces that celebrate local chefs and creativity, Craft has helped redefine the relationship between food, community and entertainment in St. Louis.

For St. Louis, Gerard Craft’s story is one that will be told for generations. His impact has left an indelible mark on the city he now calls home. As St. Louis continues to grow as a metropolis famous for its fine food, it does so on the foundation laid by one chef’s extraordinary vision.

The Chef Who Transformed St. Louis’ Culinary Landscape