{From left, Josh Charles and John Fausz}
After three years at Ben Poremba’s Elaia, chef de cuisine Josh Charles is leaving the Tower Grove restaurant and its parent group, Bengelina. Charles said he is looking at “a couple of opportunities” in the St. Louis area and expects to make a decision in the next few weeks. He is no longer slated to take the helm at Parigi, Poremba’s Italian eatery scheduled to open in Clayton in November.
Both Charles and Poremba said the departure was amicable. “I learned an amazing amount and am grateful for what Ben did,” Charles said. “I’m looking to go to the next level and learn even more.”
Charles started as the salad chef at Elaia and was promoted to chef de cuisine within months. He and former bar manager John Fausz are members of the Sauce Ones to Watch class of 2014.
“He is a great guy and a great cook,” Poremba said. “He has been like a little brother to me and has done an incredible job.” He is currently conducting a search for Charles’ replacement.
-photo by Carmen Troesser
This article appears in August 2015.