Chef Steven Caravelli is a self-professed “man about town.” The Scoop caught up with Caravelli tonight to discuss his latest move: Serving as executive chef for trendy pizza chain, Pi Pizzeria, as first reported by St. Louis Magazine’s George Mahe. Caravelli will be responsible for the menu and recipe development at all Pi locations, including four brick-and-mortar restaurants in St. Louis, a soon-to-open spot in Washington, D.C., another restaurant set to open in downtown St. Louis next year, and the Pi On the Spot food trucks currently trolling the streets of St. Louis and Washington, D.C.
Caravelli has most recently juggled part-time positions at The Mud House and with Entre Underground, after leaving the top spot at Araka in mid-June. “This is more stable,” said Caravelli. “It’s one job. It was fun at Mud House, and with the underground I got to cook crazy food over the last month.” Caravelli explained that he will still have creative outlets at Pi via pizza toppings, appetizers and desserts, and that he’s looking forward to sourcing from more independent farmers. “No one farmer can sustain all of Pi’s restaurants, but five pork farmers can sustain Pi restaurants in St. Louis,” he cited as an example. “[Pi management] wants to go in that direction. They want to be as sustainable as possible.”
Caravelli noted that he has been in conversation with Pi management for the last five or six weeks regarding the job.
— Photo by Wesley Law
This article appears in Aug 1-31, 2011.