Meet Our New Flavor Officer
St. Louis CITY SC continues to stir things up. Major League Soccer’s newest expansion team just unveiled well-known restaurateur, chef, and James Beard Award winner Gerard Craft as the club’s Flavor Officer, but it’s the STL fans who will ultimately help curate the match day menu at the MLS stadium in Downtown West.
With its inaugural season not slated to begin until 2023, St. Louis CITY isn’t wasting any time starting to build an in-stadium food experience unlike any other in professional sports – and it all starts with the St. Louis fans. The club is actively seeking feedback from the community and collecting fan submissions to help map out future food offerings while also shining a spotlight on a variety of STLMade restaurants and menu items throughout the region.
This community-led program is designed to inspire pride in the authentic tastes and original flavors of St. Louis, while also encouraging soccer fans (and non-soccer fans) to discover the hidden culinary gems in our city’s diverse neighborhoods. It’s a goal that is also very personal for Craft, who calls St. Louis home and owns various STL eateries including Pastaria in Clayton and Brasserie in the Central West End.
“I’m always looking for new opportunities to unite my passions for both culinary expression and uplifting the community,” said Craft. “It’s going to be an exciting couple of years collaborating with St. Louis CITY to find unique local flavors to include as a part of the gameday experience.”
St. Louis CITY SC and Craft will also work alongside the club’s stadium hospitality partner and industry-leader Levy to bring soccer, culinary and lifestyle experiences together in ways that inspire matchday and beyond. Levy is known for creating many of the most acclaimed food experiences in sports and entertainment – from food hall collaborations with local restaurants in concessions and personalized service in premier clubs and suites, to dining and entertainment districts that operate year-round.
“We truly have an incredible opportunity to create our very own STLMade stadium food experience from scratch,” said Carolyn Kindle Betz, St. Louis CITY SC Chief Executive Officer. “By working with Chef Gerard and soliciting input from our fans early in the process, we are looking at ways to celebrate and support St. Louis’ amazing culinary scene. We are actively seeking feedback from the community so that their diverse tastes are reflected in our match day experience.”
Fans can currently add to Craft’s STL bucket list by submitting their favorite local restaurants at stlCITYsc.com/flavor.
