The Board of Commissioners of the Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) has announced that Bon Appétit Management Co. will oversee food service at the museum. Bon Appétit will be responsible for procuring and preparing food for catered events and for the a 100-seat restaurant and 60-seat cafe, both located in the museum’s new East Building.
“Bon Appétit’s dedication to quality and community-oriented approach is perfect for the Saint Louis Art Museum and our guests,” said Carl Hamm, director of Development and External Affairs at SLAM. Bon Appétit, which also manages food services locally at Washington University, has garnered praises for its from-scratch cooking, use of local foods and its environmentally sound sourcing policies. Among cultural institutions, Bon Appétit oversees restaurant operations at the Art Institute of Chicago, Seattle Art Museum and the Getty Center.
While an executive chef has yet to be named, a press release notes that both the restaurant and cafe will “feature unique and evolving menus that foster lively conversation between the art of cooking and the location, exhibitions, and collection of the Art Museum.”
When the restaurant opens next year – a grand opening date for the new East Building has been slated for June 29, 2013 – it will have the same hours of operation as the museum, with extended hours on Friday evenings.
This article appears in September 2012.