Lost Tables

Someone once called Greg Perez the Forrest Gump of restaurants. From Rich & Charlie’s, to his award-winning Painted Plates, to the Grateful Inn, it was indeed, “Run, Greg, Run!” from one project to the next. Did you enjoy this episode?

Monarch opened for business on Manchester Road in Maplewood in 2003, and thrived for almost 10 years. Aaron Teitelbaum and Jeff Orbin talked with me about their restaurant at Teitelbaum’s Kingside Diner in Clayton. Did you enjoy this episode?

La Tropicana Market was an institution on the corner of Lindenwood and Hereford for over 30 years. Rafael Trabanco told me his family’s story when I talked with him at his longtime office on South Broadway. Did you enjoy this episode?

Gregg Mosberger ran his own catering company – Gregory’s Creative Cuisine – for 34 years. But Mosberger began his career as a dishwasher at Richard Perry’s Jefferson Avenue Boarding House. Did you enjoy this episode?

Culpeppers was an institution in the St. Louis area for almost 80 years. Its Central West End location was the first to open and had the longest run. Did you enjoy this episode?

Louis Fiddleman operated Louie’s Delicatessen from 1955 to 1987. I talked with Alan Fiddleman about his father over a noisy breakfast. Did you enjoy this episode?

Harry Giessow owned The Candlelight House on Clayton Road. He and his son, Gary, owned the Howard Johnson’s in Kirkwood and the Howard Johnson’s on Clayton Road, which Gary morphed into Layton’s. I talked with Gary and his wife Lil at their home in Ladue. Did you enjoy this episode?

Michael Del Pietro has opened more restaurants than he wishes to remember. I talked with Michael about growing up in his parents’ restaurant, training at The Culinary Institute of America, and opening his first restaurant, Portabella. Did you enjoy this episode?

Ken Bland may be less well known that some of his restaurants, such as The Leather Bottle, Cork ‘n Cleaver and Dierdorf & Hart’s. I talked with Ken about his restaurant career at his home in Clayton. Did you enjoy this episode?

Kopperman’s was an institution in the Central West End for over thirty years. Myron Kopperman passed away in 2019. But Sanford Rich is still alive and well and living in Miami. Did you enjoy this episode?

Mel and Alan Sherman opened Sherman Brothers Deli in 1963. From its longtime home at Olive & Mosley to the Pastrami Joynt to Shermies, the family business thrived for almost 40 years. Mel Sherman’s sons, Mark and Stuart, shared the story of knishes and corned beef and more. Did you enjoy this episode?

David Slay is an acclaimed, award-winning chef, with four thriving California restaurants along the southern coast of Santa Monica Bay, and a vineyard nestled in the hills near Santa Barbara. But David’s roots are in St. Louis. David was in town for the weekend, and he told me the story of how he built a successful restaurant career on the foundation of a healthy dose of failure. Did you enjoy this episode?

You may not have heard of Scoville’s Cafe. I hadn’t. It was a fixture in the National Stock Yards in National City, a suburb of East St. Louis, from the late 1920’s until 1988. Someone suggested I learn about it from 90-year-old Jack Scoville, which I did at his home in Belleville. I was glad I did. Did you enjoy this episode?

Mickey Garagiola’s younger brother Joe was a catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and went on to host NBC's "Today" show and broadcast baseball on NBC's "Game of the Week." But Mickey didn't stand in his brother's shadow. He made a name for himself as a waiter at Ruggeri's and as the ring announcer on Wrestling at the Chase. Martina Garagiola Bettlach & Bob Garagiola told me their father’s story. Did you enjoy this episode?

Julius Hunter was born and raised in St. Louis. He graduated from Sumner High School and taught school for a year or two after graduating from Harris Teachers College. In 1970, Julius secured a job in television with Channel 5 news. He moved to Channel 4 in 1974, and a year later was teamed with Steve Schiff, anchoring the 6 and 10 o'clock weekday news. By the mid 1980s, Channel 4 news became the highest rated local newscast of any CBS-owned and operated station. Julius Hunter was on the top ...

Rothschild’s Antiques was a fixture in the Central West End for 43 years. It was the springboard for Pete Rothschild’s real estate empire, much of it in the Central West End and much of it housing restaurants. Pete told me about his multifaceted career as a landlord, starting with where he grew up! Did you enjoy this episode?

Rich and Terri LoRusso met in a restaurant as teenagers and would go on to open their own restaurant, LoRusso’s, an institution on The Hill for 38 years. I sat down with Terri in her home, and she told me the bittersweet story of how she and her larger-than-life husband made it all happen. Did you enjoy this episode?

Peter Spoto opened the South City Diner on South Grand in 1992, and under his leadership, the diner thrived for 24 years. But Peter got his start in the restaurant business at the other end of the dining spectrum, working at high-end restaurants like Balaban’s and Fio’s La Fourchette. Did you enjoy this episode?

John and Anna Mineo opened John Mineo’s Italian Restaurant in West St. Louis County in 1973. John Mineo Jr. shared his family’s story when I interviewed him at his restaurant in November of 2023. Did you enjoy this episode?

Salim Hanna opened a Lebanese restaurant on South Grand in 1974. What followed was a career of almost 40 years in the restaurant business. I interviewed Salim at his home in Ballwin in May of 2023. Did you enjoy this episode?