More from our conversation with Kathy Schmidt

In this month’s Chef Talk column, Kathy Schmidt spoke with us about Vino Nadoz, the new Brentwood wine bar where she serves as executive chef, including how she’s adapted to the unconventional kitchen (one without a grill or conventional oven). She also talked about her experience as the exec chef when Jimmy’s On the Park opened and what type of things she keeps in mind when planning a menu. Now, in the second part of this interview, she reveals details about the restaurants she owned in Indiana, the importance of knowing your staff in the kitchen and what sets Vino Nadoz apart from the bevy of other wine bars around town. Describe the restaurants you owned in Indiana. Cooper House was in New Harmony, an artsy, historic town on the Wabash River. It was a 40-, 50-seat café. Charming. We were the first to offer outdoor dining in New Harmony. That was hugely successful, but it was limited in revenue and volume since it was a seasonal place, so we opened this huge restaurant called 900 East in Evansville, about 40 minutes away. It was part gallery, part restaurant. We literally moved the restaurant to Evansville; had a crane come and lift all the kitchen equipment. Why I didn’t just auction the whole thing off and start from scratch, I have no idea. My husband and I must have had rocks in our head. You moved back to St. Louis in 2009, but you worked in St. Louis before. Tell me about that period in your career. Our corporate club was based in St. Louis. I transferred here because it was a chef’s training kitchen. They would take people who they thought had chef potential and train them under the regional chefs. I worked at the Seven Gables Inn, then opened Jimmy’s [on the Park]. Then I went back to Seven Gables Inn briefly to open Jackie Smith’s. You’ve known wine manager Walter Edwards and your chef de cuisine Stephanie Hay for a long time. How important is it for you to know your staff? You know where their talents lie and you always want to surround yourself with good people. I don’t think that any chef is as good as the staff that works for them. You have to have good rhythm in the kitchen. And I’ve never been one of those chefs that thinks they know it all. I surround myself with people who feel the same way because it is a huge creative process. What would you say sets Vino Nadoz apart from other area wine bars? A great vibe. We have outdoor dining. All wine bars have their own personality. This location is great, and there aren’t any wine bars in this area that I can think of.