Matt Sorrell knows St. Louis. As a freelance writer for more than 20 years, he’s covered regional news, events, businesses and more. His favorite subject? The StL’s bustling culinary community. Now, he’s sharing his knowledge with the world in his new book, Matt’s St. Louis Food Story: Bars, Restaurants, Shops, and Other Purveyors.
Sorrell is a native St. Louisan, having grown up in Kirkwood. “A lot of my childhood was really idyllic,” he says. “We had wonderful neighbors, I went to an excellent school, and I had some great teachers. I was very lucky.” Food wasn’t really something he thought about growing up. His palate was limited to what his mother served for dinner. “It was usually meat and potatoes,” he explains. “The first time I really stretched outside of my comfort zone was in high school. My girlfriend wanted to go to a Chinese restaurant. It was Americanized, but I thought it was really cool. I realized there was food out there other than what my mom made.”
During time spent overseas while serving in the Army, Sorrell further expanded his culinary horizons. “I got to try authentic dishes from different countries,” he recalls. “I had my first taste of kimchi in Korea—it’s still one of my favorite foods.” After returning stateside, Sorrell earned an English degree from Webster University and put it to work as a freelance writer for various local and national publications. Initially, he was focused on covering regional news and happenings, but in the early 2000s, he was able to start writing about the St. Louis culinary scene.
With two decades spent covering food news in St. Louis, Sorrell has a unique perspective on how the region has developed. He’s excited to see how much more national recognition local restaurants and bars are receiving. “Every year, we now have a few James Beard Award nominees—that wasn’t happening before,” he says. “I think the spotlight first shifted to St. Louis when Pappy’s got a slot on Man v. Food, and it’s only grown bigger since with more Travel Channel and Food Network shows visiting and national publications like Food & Wine and The New York Times taking note of what is happening here.”
The success of the culinary culture in St. Louis is not a surprise to Sorrell. After all, he has firsthand experience exploring everything that makes the StL unique. “We have so many great restaurants, bars and stores—I always say that we easily can compete with larger markets pound for pound,” he notes. “The restaurant community here is very supportive. It’s a tight-knit group, and there’s more camaraderie than competition. St. Louis also is home to many great immigrant communities. You can sample food from all over the world. That’s unusual for a city of our size in the Midwest.”
When it comes to his favorite local places to eat, Sorrell likes to stick close to his Richmond Heights home, frequenting the restaurants and bars in Maplewood. He enjoys visiting Acero, Side Project Brewing and Locoz Tacoz Taqueria. “They have the best lengua tacos in the world,” he says of the latter. “My wife and I have a lot of friends in the industry, so when we leave our neighborhood and go on tour, we like to visit them.”
For all of his culinary expertise, Sorrell does not spend much time in the kitchen himself. “I’m not a cook,” he admits. However, that does not mean he does express himself through epicurean pursuits. After interviewing several bartenders, he took an interest in mixology. With 15 years of experience as a bartender, he has worked at some notable local establishments, including Planter’s House and Bistro La Floraison. “I’ve gotten lucky and been able to meet a couple of my heroes, like Dale DeGroff and Gaz Regan, while working behind the bar,” he says. “They’re old school bartenders who have literally written the books on cocktails.”
With Matt’s St. Louis Food Story, Sorrell is using his extensive experience covering local restaurants, bars and shops to inspire others. He explains that his goal with the book is to ultimately intrigue his readers. “I really hope to instill a sense of curiosity that gets people out of their comfort zones,” he says. “We tend to be creatures of habit, and while I think it’s great to have our regular spots and hangouts, there is so much more out there. Try something new or revisit an old favorite you may have forgotten about. St. Louis has so much to enjoy—everyone should take advantage of it!”
Photos: Bill Barrett
