Episode 283: Levels

Explicit content warning

06/25/24 • 28 min

Ono Ikanone always knew he wanted to bring a taste of his home county of Nigeria to his new home in St. Louis. As a teenager growing up in the Midwest, it was hard to find connection to West Africa but he learned to cook and that turned into a passion for sharing his recipes and culture with friends. In 2023 he finally opened a restaurant he says showcases the beauty and food of Nigeria. Levels is located in Downtown St. Louis. With traditional menu items and an art gallery upstairs Ono wanted to bring something different to the St. Louis restaurant scene. We sat down ahead of the one year anniversary to talk about food, family and the lessons learned in his first year as a restaurant owner.

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Episode 282: Prioritized Pastries

A new shop for a beloved bakery is now open in Maplewood. Prioritized Pastries made a name for itself, first at the Tower Groves Farmer’s Market and then with a storefront in South St. Louis City. The bakery has a huge following because they are 100 percent vegan and gluten-free. Nothing excites owner Alex McDonnell and assistant pastry chef Shane Clasby more than the face of someone who walks in with an allergy or food sensitivity, and they realize they can pick anything in the shop. We chat about how the bakery was born and how they develop recipes, plus we dive into what this new space means for the future of the business, including an expansion of menu items. Let’s meet Alex and Shane. Right now, the bakery is open Friday through Sunday with the plans to expand their hours in the future.

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Episode 284: Sweet Momma Blair

St. Louis loves to wear it’s pride on it’s sleeve – or chest. Walk around a CITY SC game or a nice day in Forest Park, and you’ll see so many people rocking a St. Louis-inspired shirt or tee. For Ashley Blair, when they’re wearing one of her designs she finds that sense of validation that she made the right choice starting her apparel company back in 2016. Ashley started Sweet Momma Blair as a way to earn a bit of income after deciding to stay home with her kids. Now her designs are in shops around St. Louis and at pop up markets. We sat down to talk about the process of starting a business, how she evolved it and expanded it and the advice she has for entrepreneurs.