Alec Schingel’s road to opening Robin Restaurant has been an interesting one. The chef almost went into finance before deciding to pursue his culinary passion. He’s cooked in some of the St. Louis’s most iconic kitchens and travelled thousands of miles to hone his craft in different restaurants. Earlier this year, he opened his first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Maplewood—the realization of a long-standing dream and the start of an exciting new chapter.
Growing up in Urbana, Illinois, Schingel wasn’t immediately drawn to the culinary arts. “I was more interested in cartoons and sports!” he laughs. However, his focus shifted more to creative expression as he got older. He found inspiration in the visual arts and music—although he did not have a natural aptitude for them. “I mostly sucked, but I had an artistic temperament and a wide variety of interests,” he says. “It was around college that I found the world of food. It was the early days of Anthony Bourdain’s first book, and I discovered the French Laundry cookbook and TV chefs like Julia Child, Jacques Pépin and Lidia Bastianic.”
While Schnigel had originally opted to study economics, he was unsatisfied with that choice. Not long after graduating, he moved to St. Louis and attended L’Ecole Culinaire. There, he found a creative outlet that allowed him to flourish. “A kitchen is all about teamwork, so that worked well with my sports background, and artistic expression is a huge part of cooking,” he notes. “You’re constantly trying new ingredients and combinations. There’s also science and history behind it—you can explore molecular gastronomy or learn about other cultures. If I’m bored about one aspect of cooking, there is always something else to keep me interested and inspired.”
Schingel’s culinary journey has taken across the country and around the world. Locally, he spent time in the kitchens at The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza before training under chef Gerard Craft at Niche. He worked in Charleston, South Carolina, at McCready’s and The MacIntosh, as well as in New York at Blue Hill. One of his most formative experiences was at In de Wulf in Belgium, working for Kobe Desramaults. “That was a remarkable kitchen with some of the most incredibly talented people I’ve gotten to cook with,” he says. “I learned a lot about not just how to approach food, but also work-life balance, teamwork and generosity.”
When it comes to the best culinary advice he ever received, Schingel notes that it’s incredibly simple. “Taste!” he says. “It’s the easiest thing, but so few people do it—my apologies to professional chefs and home cooks alike. Taste the raw ingredients and while you are cooking, not just when you think it’s done. You get critical information about the texture and balance of the dish. You’ve got to taste.”
While working in New York, Schingel met Michael and Tara Gallina. Upon returning to St. Louis, he joined the opening team at Vicia as chef de cuisine before heading to Winslow’s Table as executive chef. Since the beginning of his culinary career, Schingel had his own restaurant in mind. After leaving Winslow’s Table, he was ready to start on the Robin Project—a major step toward opening Robin Restaurant. “It’s been a long gestating idea—I’ve been working on it for 12 to 15 years,” he notes. “The overall shape has evolved with my interests, as well as the way St. Louis has changed. I wanted to create something that would fit into the fabric of the city.”
Schingel has been part of the St. Louis culinary world since 2007, and he’s excited by the growth he has seen. “When I started out, the restaurant scene was dominated by a few very talented chefs—if you wanted to eat well, you had to go to their places in the city,” he notes. “As things have matured and more chefs have moved through those great kitchens, we’re seeing a wider variety of concepts and cultures represented. It’s not just fine dining and white tablecloths. Great spots like Balkan Treat Box and Menya Rui have shown you can break that mold. Whether your passion is tacos, pizza or rotisserie chicken, you can create a restaurant. I don’t think that would have been possible 15 years ago, but the talent pool has grown enormously. Local chefs have the confidence to stretch out and follow their muse.”
With the Robin Project, Schingel spent two years building the brand through pop-ups and private dinners. It was an immense challenge, but he eventually had the stability and support to make his dream of opening his own restaurant a reality. He found a brick-and-mortar location in Maplewood to be the home of Robin Restaurant. “I always wanted to create something small and intimate inspired by cafes and bistros in Europe,” he explains. “The community has been so supportive of Robin Restaurant, and we’re looking forward to being a good neighborhood partner. I want to eliminate the barriers to fine dining, offering people a place where they can feel special, welcomed and nourished while enjoying delicious food.”
Photos: BIll Barrett
