The Sauce - A St. Louis Restaurant Show

Lauren Healey
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For over 25 years, Sauce Magazine has been the go-to guide for St. Louis’ best culinary experiences. Now, The Sauce podcast is back with a new host and a renewed mission: to take listeners behind the scenes with the incredible people shaping the local hospitality industry – from chefs and restaurateurs to brewers, bartenders, bakers and beyond. Hosted by Sauce Magazine’s executive editor Lauren Healey, who has spent her career honing her writing, editing and photography skills at various media outlets in the Midwest, the show blends insider stories with inspiration on where to eat and drink right now. Since joining Sauce in 2018, Lauren’s passion for St. Louis’ culinary scene has only deepened, fueling her pride in calling the city home and her drive to help you discover your next great meal.

  1. Andrew Cisneros – Jalea Peruvian Bistro & Brasas

    4D AGO

    Andrew Cisneros – Jalea Peruvian Bistro & Brasas

    On this week’s episode of The Sauce, host Lauren Healey sits down with Andrew Cisneros, chef-owner of Jalea Peruvian Bistro in St. Charles and Brasas on the Delmar Loop. Andrew shares how opening a restaurant during the pandemic became the unexpected launch point for Jalea, how Brasas came to life as a rotisserie-focused concept, and why Peruvian food traditions are at the heart of everything he cooks. In this episode: Opening Jalea Peruvian Bistro during the pandemic and why it felt like now or neverThe evolution from a cevicheria to a broader Peruvian menuBrasas, rotisserie chicken, and finding the right space on DelmarThe sauces everyone loves, including aji verde, rocoto, and huancaínaThe story behind the papa rellena and why it disappeared and came back betterGrowing up Peruvian in St. Louis and learning to cook from familyWorking under Chef Pierre at The St. Louis ClubConsulting projects around town and launching Street Food by BrasasPlus: Favorite local spots Andrew loves to eat atStaying hands-on in the kitchenTravel, Peru, and plans to return🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and all major platforms. 📅 New episodes of The Sauce drop every Tuesday. 🌿 Presented by SWADE Dispensary, with 11 Missouri locations, and LHM, which has several properties around St. Louis, including Union Station and Westport Plaza.

    19 min
  2. Alec Schingel – Robin Restaurant

    JAN 6

    Alec Schingel – Robin Restaurant

    On this week’s episode of The Sauce, host Lauren Healey is joined by Alec Schingel, executive chef and owner of Robin Restaurant in Maplewood. Alec shares his journey from growing up in the Midwest to cooking in St. Louis, Charleston, Belgium, and New York, before returning home to open Robin. He talks about how European neighborhood restaurants, Midwest heritage, and intentional hospitality all shape the restaurant’s identity. In this episode: Alec’s path through Vicia, Winslow’s Table, and pop-ups that led to opening RobinWhat “comfort fine dining” means and how Robin fits into its own categoryThe story behind the mushroom hot dish and Midwest-inspired cookingHow a visit from Eric Asimov and The New York Times changed everything overnightWhy intentionality matters more than perfection in hospitalityBuilding a restaurant designed to age well, not chase trendsPlus: European influences behind Robin’s four-course prix fixe formatThe meaning behind the restaurant’s nameFavorite St. Louis spots Alec loves to eat and drinkwww.robinrestaurant.com 🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and all major platforms.  📅 New episodes of The Sauce drop every Tuesday. 🌿 The Sauce is presented by Swade, with 11 Missouri locations, and LHM, which has several properties around St. Louis, including Union Station and Westport Plaza.

    41 min
  3. Joe Edwards – Blueberry Hill

    12/23/2025

    Joe Edwards – Blueberry Hill

    This week on The Sauce, Lauren sits down with Joe Edwards, the St. Louis icon behind many of the Delmar Loop’s most beloved landmarks, including Blueberry Hill, The Pageant, Delmar Hall, Pin-Up Bowl, The Moonrise Hotel, and Magic Mini Golf. Joe takes us back to 1972, when he opened Blueberry Hill during a time when the area had fallen on hard times, and explains how the Loop evolved from a 1930s shopping district into one of the most recognizable destinations in St. Louis, now named one of the “10 Great Streets in America” by the American Planning Association. In this episode, we talk about: The origin of Blueberry Hill and the famous jukebox that earned international recognitionJoe’s friendship with Chuck Berry and his 209 shows in the Duck RoomHow the Loop became a live music ecosystem, from 340-capacity rooms to 2,000-capacity venuesWhy musicians love playing the Loop, plus what makes Pageant catering a standoutThe story behind The Moonrise Hotel, the rotating moon, and St. Louis’ early rooftop bar sceneThe purpose of the St. Louis Walk of Fame, and famous inductees you might not realize are from STLThe Loop trolley, how it works, and why it’s a perfect “park once” weekend planWhat’s next for the Loop, including new development bringing more residents to the districtJoe’s philosophy for hospitality, building places that make people smileThe Sauce is presented by LHM, featuring holiday pop ups at 360 Downtown and 360 Westport, plus festive experiences at Union Station including the Polar Express Train Ride and the Train Shed transformed into the “Sleigh Shed.”

    18 min
  4. Mario Iaccarino – Casa Don Alfonso

    12/16/2025

    Mario Iaccarino – Casa Don Alfonso

    This week on The Sauce, Lauren sits down with Mario Iaccarino, partner at Casa Don Alfonso, the Italian restaurant inside The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, and an extension of his family’s legendary Don Alfonso 1890 in the Sorrento area of Italy. Mario shares the history behind the Don Alfonso legacy (four generations in hospitality), and why Casa Don Alfonso exists to preserve a disappearing world of Southern Italian traditions, especially the recipes passed down by grandmothers over centuries. In this episode, we talk about: The story of Don Alfonso 1890 and what it means to bring that legacy to St. LouisWhy handmade pasta is a non-negotiable at Casa Don AlfonsoThe real reason their pizza dough stands out, including the three-day process and daily adjustments based on conditionsHow storytelling and culture shape every dish, from Campania to the broader MediterraneanThe fan-favorite apple pizza, a Missouri-meets-Naples creationA new concept coming soon: Casa Pastry Boutique, featuring classic Neapolitan pastries and cakesMario’s approach to seasonal cooking and what’s new on the fall menu (minestrone, gnocchi, truffle, seasonal pizza, and more)Presented by LHM, with holiday pop ups at 360 Downtown, 360 Westport, and festive experiences at Union Station including the Polar Express Train Ride and the Sleigh Shed inside Train Shed.

    26 min
  5. John Pessoni & Bill Reiter – El Monstero

    12/09/2025

    John Pessoni & Bill Reiter – El Monstero

    Every December, El Monstero turns The Pageant into a full-blown Pink Floyd universe, complete with soaring guitar solos, aerial performers, and a loyal St. Louis crowd that treats it like a holiday rite of passage. In this episode of The Sauce, Lauren sits down with John Pessoni and Bill Reiter of El Monstero to talk about what it takes to keep a tradition like this going for nearly three decades. In this week’s episode of The Sauce: How El Monstero grew from a tribute idea into a seven-night holiday run at The PageantThe rehearsal process, set lists, and why they always tweak the show for repeat fansBuilding a true rock spectacle, from aerialists and dancers to video walls, pyro, and helicopters at the summer amphitheater showThe difference between the winter Pageant run and the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre showJuggling El Monstero with The Urge, tribute bands, cover bands, and life outside of musicTheir love of St. Louis’ food scene, from pre-show spots on The Loop to Italian icons on The HillThe story behind their “gardening” tins collaboration with High Rule and how social media rules shaped the languageSponsored this week by LHM, with festive holiday pop ups at 360 Downtown, 360 Westport, and plenty of cheer at Union Station, including the Polar Express Train Ride and the Sleigh Shed inside Train Shed. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. 🔗 Learn More & Buy Tickets: elmonstero.com

    34 min
  6. Doug Auer – Delmar Maker District & Third Degree Glass

    12/02/2025

    Doug Auer – Delmar Maker District & Third Degree Glass

    On this week’s episode of The Sauce, host Lauren Healey sits down with Doug Auer, co-founder of Third Degree Glass Factory and the developer behind the Delmar Maker District — one of St. Louis’ most creative, collaborative, and fast-growing corridors. Doug shares how Third Degree Glass began 23 years ago with a simple goal (a place to blow glass and teach workshops) and how it grew into the anchor of an entire makerspace ecosystem. He also talks through the evolution of the Maker District, the restaurant boom, and the community resilience that has shaped the neighborhood through floods, tornado damage, and rapid redevelopment. In this episode: The early days of Third Degree Glass and building a sustainable studio modelHow MADE STL and MADE for Kids came to lifePartnerships with Craft Alliance, The Magic House, and local makersThe district’s restaurant expansion — Esca, Florentin, Nixta, The Fountain on Delmar, and moreBehind the scenes of the tornado recovery and neighborhood cleanupWhat’s next for the district: retail, commercial, and long-term residential hopesDoug’s background in design and the glassblowing journey that started it allWhy Third Fridays remain the district’s biggest community drawSpecial thanks to this week’s episode sponsor — LHM, featuring holiday pop-ups at 360 Rooftop Bar, 360 Westport, and festive experiences at Union Station, including the St. Louis Polar Express Train Ride and the Sleigh Shed inside The Train Shed. 🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and all major platforms.  📅 New episodes drop every Tuesday.

    17 min
  7. Tamara Keefe - Clementine's Ice Cream

    11/25/2025

    Tamara Keefe - Clementine's Ice Cream

    Ice cream that can make you quit your corporate job? Clementine’s founder Tamara Keefe did exactly that. In this episode of The Sauce podcast, Lauren sits down with Tamara to talk about how she walked away from a “dream” executive role, turned a lifelong ice cream hobby into Clementine’s Ice Cream, and built a St. Louis–born brand that now supports more than 200 local families. In this episode:  Leaving corporate America to follow a passion for ice creamGrowing from one shop in Lafayette Square to ten locations across STL, Illinois, and Kansas CityThe origin of Clementine’s “microcreamery” standards — high butterfat, low overrun, and real ingredientsHow the boozy “naughty” ice creams came to lifeClementine’s leadership in nondairy and kosher-certified ice creamsThe new Holiday Cookie Exchange collection with women chefs across the countryIce Cream with Santa and holiday seasonal releasesThe limited-edition Clementina Build-A-Bear collaborationWhat’s next for Clementine’s, including grocery expansion in 2026🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and all major platforms.  📅 New episodes drop every Tuesday. Presented by our friends at LHM, celebrating the holidays with festive pop ups at Three Sixty Downtown, 360 Westport, and seasonal experiences at Union Station, including the Polar Express Train Ride and the Sleigh Shed at Train Shed.

    28 min
  8. Arica Avery – STL Pot Chef

    11/18/2025

    Arica Avery – STL Pot Chef

    On this week’s episode of The Sauce, host Lauren Healey sits down with Arica Avery, the force behind STL Pot Chef, to talk about cannabis-infused dining, community events, and breaking stigma in St. Louis. Arica shares how college experiments with flavor and dosage grew into a full slate of curated experiences, from pop-up markets to chef competitions. She explains how private, 21+ events work in Missouri, why “low and slow” dosing matters, and how her team partners with chefs, venues, and sponsors to keep things safe, fun, and delicious. In this episode: The origin of STL Pot Chef, shaped at the Cola Lounge, Missouri’s first cannabis consumption loungeEvent formats at a glance: Munchie Market food court vs. Danksgiving chef competitionHow ticketing works, tasting tiers, and VIP early entry with chef meet-and-greetsWhy each tasting sample is 5 mg, and how guests vote to award a $1,000 prizeWorking with chefs like Chef Terri Jayne (Gateway Grub), Chef Bailey, and Chef Marca (Magic Infusions)Legal basics for private, 21+ events, ID checks, and electronic waiversHemp-derived partners like Mighty Kind and giveaways from WeedmapsEdibles as an alcohol alternative, safe dosing strategies, and stories of recoveryUpcoming dates: Danksgiving competition, Nov 23Munchie Market: Holiday Edition, Dec 14 at Little BivoBook a private infused dinner: custom menus, custom dosage, in-home or event catering with STL Pot Chef’s partner chefs. 🔗 stlpotchefs.com 📱 @stlpotchef on all platforms 🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and all major platforms. 📅 New episodes drop every Tuesday.

    22 min
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About

For over 25 years, Sauce Magazine has been the go-to guide for St. Louis’ best culinary experiences. Now, The Sauce podcast is back with a new host and a renewed mission: to take listeners behind the scenes with the incredible people shaping the local hospitality industry – from chefs and restaurateurs to brewers, bartenders, bakers and beyond. Hosted by Sauce Magazine’s executive editor Lauren Healey, who has spent her career honing her writing, editing and photography skills at various media outlets in the Midwest, the show blends insider stories with inspiration on where to eat and drink right now. Since joining Sauce in 2018, Lauren’s passion for St. Louis’ culinary scene has only deepened, fueling her pride in calling the city home and her drive to help you discover your next great meal.

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