Gerard Craft

Niche Knowing You: What local restaurant would Ian Froeb choose for his last meal?

Slideshow: Inside Niche in Clayton

Pastaria Adds Brunch Menu

The alternate headline for this post? "Yes, Please, Mr. Craft, Take More of Our Money." Pastaria (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-862-6603), the wildly (and deservedly) successful Italian addition to Gerard Craft's restaurant empire, added brunch service this past weekend, which, not coinciden ... More >>

Is Tonight the Night for Gerard Craft at the James Beard Awards?

This evening the James Beard Foundation will announce the winners of its annual Restaurant and Chef Awards at a gala event in New York City. For the fourth time in the past five years, Gerard Craft of Niche (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-773-7755), et al., is one of five finalists in the "Bes ... More >>

Tidbits: Craft and Nashan Cooking in NYC, Central Table Food Hall Sets Opening Date, Balaban's Adds Brunch

- Gerard Craft of Niche (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-773-7755) will find out in a little over a week whether he is the James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef: Midwest" for 2013. Ahead of the gala awards ceremony in New York City on Monday, May 6, Craft and Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Café ( ... More >>

Niche Makes Opinionated About Dining's List of 100 Best Restaurants in America

Steve Plotnicki and Opinionated About Dining (OAD) have announced the Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2013, and a St. Louis favorite has made the list. Gerard Craft's Niche (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-773-7755) came in at number 71 (down from 66 in 2012). The list is determined by read ... More >>

Gerard Craft of Niche a James Beard Foundation Award Finalist for "Best Chef: Midwest"

The James Beard Foundation announced the finalists for its annual Restaurant and Chef Awards this morning, and for the fourth time in the past five years, Gerard Craft of Niche (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-773-7755) is one of the five finalists in the "Best Chef: Midwest" category. See Als ... More >>

James Beard Foundation Announces Award Semifinalists: Gerard Craft, Kevin Nashan in Running for "Best Chef: Midwest" [Updated]

The James Beard Foundation this morning announced the semifinalists for its annual Restaurant and Chef Awards (link PDF). This year, two St. Louis chefs made the cut of twenty in the "Best Chef: Midwest" category: Gerard Craft of Niche (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-773-7755) and Kevin Nashan ... More >>

Mixologist Ted Kilgore to Leave Taste, Open New Bar

Ted Kilgore, the acclaimed mixologist behind the bar of Taste (4584 Laclede Avenue; 314-361-1200), and Ted Charak, the bar manager at Brasserie by Niche (4580 Laclede Avenue; 314-454-0600), plan to open a new bar together next year. Called the Planter's House, after the famous St. Louis hotel, the b ... More >>

At Pastaria in Clayton, Gerard Craft and crew use their noodles

Slideshow: Pastaria in Clayton Photos

Review Preview: Pastaria

This week I visit the latest venture from Gerard Craft, along with executive chef Adam Altnether and executive sous chef Brian Moxey: Pastaria (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-862-6603).

First Look: Gerard Craft Discusses Niche's New Clayton Home

Niche (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-773-7755), chef and restaurateur Gerard Craft's introduction to St. Louis, re-introduced itself last week in a new space in downtown Clayton. The reopened Niche shares a hallway and kitchen space with its sister restaurant Pastaria (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, ... More >>

Niche Opens in Clayton Today

Niche, the flagship of Gerard Craft's restaurant group, officially opens its new location at 7734 Forsyth Boulevard in Clayton today. Craft and his team have been prepping the move for many months -- they had so much lead time, in fact, that the original Benton Park location was able to remain open ... More >>

James Beard Foundation Opens 2013 Awards Nominations

The James Beard Foundation has opened the nominations for its 2013 awards. Through December 31, anyone -- me, you, even your dog (if he has his own email address) -- can nominate up to two candidates in each category. The main category for which St. Louis restaurants are eligible is "Best Chef: Mid ... More >>

Niche Announces Dates of Closure, Reopening

Pastaria (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-862-6603) opened its doors last week, which means there remains -- for now, at least -- one final Big Move for Gerard Craft and his Niche Restaurant Group: the relocation of his flagship restaurant, Niche (1831 Sidney Street; 314-773-7755) from Benton P ... More >>

Pastaria Opens in Clayton, Tweet Announces [Updated]

So there we were, drinking a beer yesterday evening, eating leftover pizza, half-watching Thursday Night Football, when what should come across the Twitter wire but this, from Gerard Craft, leader of the Niche (1831 Sidney Street; 314-773-7755) restaurant empire: Got that? Pastaria, one of Gut Ch ... More >>

Tidbits: Balaban's Expands, Craft Chophouse in Edwardsville

- Balaban's Wine Cellar & Tapas Bar (1772 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield; 636-449-6700) has announced a 2,046-square-foot expansion. The new space will include a private-event space and a wine room. Business at the existing restaurant-slash-wine shop-slash-deli will go on as usual during work on the ex ... More >>

James Beard Foundation Awards 2012: Tonight's the Night

At a black-tie gala in New York City this evening, the James Beard Foundation will announce the winners of its annual awards for restaurants and chefs. You can watch the ceremony on the James Beard Foundation's website or track each announced winner via Twitter. For the third time in the past four ... More >>

Gerard Craft Doesn't Win James Beard Foundation "Best Chef: Midwest" Award 2012

For the third time in the past four years, Gerard Craft of Niche (1831 Sidney Street; 314-773-7755) was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef: Midwest" award. For the third time, Craft didn't win. Supporters of Missouri chefs hoping to take solace in a win by Colby Garrelts of Blue ... More >>

Eat Me in St. Louis: Ten Splurge Restaurants for March Madness Visitors

Hello, fans of North Carolina, North Carolina State, Kansas and Ohio, and welcome to St. Louis for the -- deep breath -- 2012 NCAA Division One Men's Basketball Championship Midwest Regionals! You've come all the way to St. Louis to watch your beloved team fight for a berth in the Final Four. Why n ... More >>

Gerard Craft Nominated for James Beard Foundation "Best Chef: Midwest" Award [Updated]

Gerard Craft of Niche (1831 Sidney Street; 314-773-7755) is one of five finalists for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards in the category "Best Chef: Midwest." This is the third time that Craft has been a finalist for the award, following nominations in 2009 and 2010. Craft was in a meeting when ... More >>

Gerard Craft of Niche on NBC's Today: Video

​Gerard Craft of Niche (1830 Sidney Street; 314-773-7755) didn't have much time during his appearance on NBC's Today this morning, but in his three-plus minutes he managed to get a big ol' beef brisket browning, lay out the basics of a casserole made from the leftovers of that brisket, plug Be ... More >>

Niche, Pastaria by Niche Headed to Clayton's Centene Plaza

​The worst-kept secret in local restaurant news is a secret no more: Gerard Craft and Centene Plaza announced this morning that Craft's flagship restaurant, Niche, will relocate from Benton Park to the Centene Plaza office tower at Hanley Road and Forsyth Boulevard in Clayton. Pastaria by Niche, C ... More >>

Name Dispute Remains a Matter of Taste

This no longer exists. Don't even mention it.​This week's review of twinOak Wood Fired Fare (1201 Strassner Drive, Brentwood; 314-644-2772) mentions the controversy surrounding the restaurant's original name, Taste Wood Fired Fare. In discussing the dispute between what is now twinOak and Gera ... More >>

Brasserie by Niche, Tortillaria Burglarized

Laura Miller​Burglars have struck two Central West End restaurants this week, Brasserie by Niche (4380 Laclede Avenue; 314-454-0600) and Tortillaria (8 1/2 South Euclid Avenue; 314-361-4433). It remains unclear as of now whether the two crimes are connected, though the m.o. is similar in each.The ... More >>

Gerard Craft Announces New Niche Restaurant [Updated]

Jennifer SilverbergGerard Craft, about to expand the Niche empire (again)​Gerard Craft announced via Twitter today that the next restaurant to join the Niche family after the original, Taste and Brasserie by Niche will be called Pastaria by Niche. The location won't be revealed until the official ... More >>

Exclusive: Craft Reversing Course, Niche to Remain Niche

Jennifer SilverbergGerard Craft at Brasserie by Niche​Gerard Craft will not relocate his flagship restaurant Niche to the adjacent Taste by Niche space, made available by the relocation of Taste to the Central West End, nor will he open an Italian restaurant in its place, the James Beard Award-nom ... More >>

Gerard Craft's Niche Restaurant Musical Chairs Act Won't Commence Till February -- Got That?!

Local chef/restaurateur Gerard Craft took to Twitter earlier today to counter misconceptions that his Benton Park twosome, Niche and Taste by Niche, have closed for renovation. ​Niche will "close day after Valentine's, reopen a couple of weeks later," Craft tells Gut Check. Of course, Ian F ... More >>

Gerard Craft Sells Taste by Niche to Adam Altnether

Jennifer SilverbergTaste by Niche's current digs. The new space will also feature a new owner.​Gerard Craft announced today that he has sold Taste by Niche to Adam Altnether. The 24-year-old Altnether, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, has worked for Craft for ... More >>

This Week in Gut Check, Regurgitated

​This week, James Beard Foundation Awards were doled out, with St. Louis' own Gerard Craft of Niche up for Best Midwest Chef. The honor went elsewhere, but kudos to Craft for being a two-time finalist. For other local restaurant news, see the Restaurant Roll Call for ... More >>

Breaking: Gerard Craft of Niche Is Not "Best Chef: Midwest" at James Beard Foundation Awards

​Gerard Craft, owner and executive chef of Niche, Taste by Niche and Brasserie by Niche, was not chosen the "Best Chef: Midwest" at the 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards.The award, announced moments ago, went to Alexander Roberts of Restaurant Alma in Minneapolis.Congrats again to Craft for the d ... More >>

Breaking: Ted Drewes Frozen Custard to Become Ted Drewes Frozen Custard by Niche

Image viaArtist's rendering of Ted Drewes Frozen Custard by Niche​In a landmark purchase that unites St. Louis' culinary past and present, acclaimed chef Gerard Craft of Niche has purchased South City landmark Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. The frozen-custard operation will henceforth be known as Ted ... More >>

Breaking: Gerard Craft, Josh Galliano James Beard Foundation Award Semifinalists

​The James Beard Foundation just released the semifinalists (link PDF) for its annual awards honoring the nation's best restaurants, chefs and other food and drink professionals. St. Louis scored two semifinalists in the "Best Chef - Midwest" category: Gerard Craft of Niche, Taste by Niche and Bra ... More >>

Brasserie by Niche wears its honest-to-goodness heart on its sleeve

Review Preview: Brasserie by Niche

This week, I visit Brasserie by Niche (4580 Laclede Avenue; website), the latest restaurant from acclaimed chef Gerard Craft.Jennifer SilverbergBrasserie by Niche's onion soup​Read a sneak preview of my review after the jump.

The Ten Most Important St. Louis Restaurant Openings of the Aughts #1: Niche (2005)

​Niche (2005)If a hurricane hadn't sent Josh Galliano here, both An American Place and Monarch would have had very different trajectories. And if an ambitious young chef in Salt Lake City hadn't taken the time to research emerging markets to open his first restaurant, we might not have had Niche. ... More >>

2009 in Review: March

​​The world as Gut Check knew it ended in March when we launched our Twitter account. Really, things have never been the same around these parts. The rest of the month after the jump.

2009 in Review: February

​​February was a big month here at Gut Check International Headquarters, as we rolled out our first new columns written by freelance writers: The Noble Writ, Java Enabled, The Sneak, The Dive Bomber and Throwback of the House. It was also a big month for Gut Check favorite Pappy's Smokehouse, wh ... More >>

Gut Check: Going Tapas

FoodWire: Brasserie by Niche Opens Tonight, Tuesday, 11.17

Brasserie by Niche, the latest restaurant from Gerard Craft of Niche and its still shiny-and-new sibling Taste by Niche, opens for service this evening at 5 p.m. at 4580 Laclede Avenue in the Central West End. As its name implies, Brasserie serves classic French brasserie cuisine, with chef Perry He ... More >>

FoodWire: James Beard Foundation Opens 2010 Awards Nominations

Doesn't seem that long ago that I was reporting on Gerard Craft of Niche, Taste by Niche and the soon-to-open Brasserie by Niche being a finalist for the 2009 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards. Now the foundation has opened the nominations for the 2010 awards. Anyone can nominate a c ... More >>

Chez Leon gives way to a new Niche

Breaking: Niche's Gerard Craft Is Not "Best Chef - Midwest" at James Beard Awards

Jennifer SilverbergGerard Craft of Niche (1831 Sidney Street; Web site) lost the Best Chef - Midwest category at the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards to Tim McKee of La Belle Vie in Minneapolis. The award was announced this evening at a black-tie event in New York City. This was the first nominati ... More >>

Breaking: Three St. Louis Chefs Are James Beard Award Semifinalists

The James Beard Foundation today announced the semifinalists (link PDF) for its restaurant and chef awards. Three St. Louis chefs made the cut in the "Best Chef: Midwest" category: Gerard Craft of Niche, Josh Galliano of Monarch and Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Cafe. In addition, Mike Odette of the ... More >>

Grill Marks: Ian turns to the West End Grill to pull us all out of the restaurant-scene doldrums

Gerard Craft, Best New Chef, Now Online

The Morning Brew: Tuesday, 4.29

Food & Wine finds our Niche!

Gerard Craft on Being Named Food & Wine Best New Chef 2008

Gerard Craft of Niche Named "Best New Chef 2008" by Food & Wine Magazine

Fat City, Baby!

Is a meal at Niche better than sex?