In our April cover story, senior staff writer Ligaya Figueras spoke with 11 visionaries who have altered St. Louis’ culinary scene. They told us their experience in their own words. And all month long, we’ve been revealing the parts of the interview with these men and women that you didn’t see, along with their favorite recipes, right here in Extra Sauce. First we brought you more from Joe Edwards, then it was Karen Duffy and Patrick Horine. Now, we bring you more from Game Changer Pat Shannon-VanMatre, co-owner of Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood, Lumen and El Borracho.
I was married and having children very, very young – right out of high school. I was 18 years old when I had my first. Up until 1992, I was a stay-at-home mom. Then I worked in marketing and sales for different companies. I had no thoughts of being in this business. I enjoyed taking clients to Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood while I was in sales. I was one of the better customers.
It’s so enjoyable to have venues that are so different. Mike Shannon’s: fine dining seven days a week. Lumen: private-event space. A Mexican cantina: casual, neighborhood bar. The one thing true at every single venue: Our staff is some of the best people in the business. All three of them have such different people, such different personalities. It takes different personalities to run them. They fit like a glove in each venue.
Besides raising my four children and my marriage of 31 years, I think my commitment to my community and my staff, I’m proud of. I used to be on the CID board of the Downtown Partnership. I now serve on the Gateway Mall Master Plan Advisory Board.
First and foremost, we need to keep downtown safe, clean. You need to grow with that so that you have all the infrastructure-type things that make living, working and playing in any area essential, and a good overall plan for the city so we’re not saturating any one area with any specific industry — whether restaurants, bars, or retail. How many more residents do you need to add more retail? How much retail do you need to get more residents? There are smarter people than me trying to figure that out. But I do know it’s important.
Ted Drewes: Ted, I adore him. Think back to your childhood, standing in the parking lot, custard dripping all over your hands and your mom trying to take those little paper napkins and trying to clean you up before you got back into the station wagon. That’s what Ted Drewes is. The fact that we’d go after a ballgame at night with Dad was a really special memory. Crown Candy Kitchen: God, it would be great to go back and drink a malt and eat candy and not worry about my thighs.
A celebrity or famous athlete can walk in here and want to hang out at the bar and be a part of the mix, or might want a table and enjoy dinner without interruptions. Our staff does everything we can to give them an enjoyable experience. It’s enjoyable to meet people of all walks of life, but it is fun to have celebrities come through. We just had Billy Bob Thorton in. That was fun. Whether or not he was a movie star or a truck driver, I would have enjoyed talking to him.
I think success is getting up and enjoying what you do every day, and being proud of what you do.
For one of Shannon-VanMatre’s favorite recipes, click here.
This article appears in April 2011.