On this episode of The Sauce podcast, host Lauren sits down with Tara Gallina, co-owner of Take Root Hospitality, the team behind Vicia and Winslow’s Table. Heading into their 10th year in business, Tara shares how she and her husband, Michael, brought the farm-to-table philosophy they learned at Blue Hill at Stone Barns back to St. Louis — building a menu around what’s growing, not the other way around.
Tara walks through what makes Vicia so unique, from the “Let Us Cook for You” experience where every table gets its own handwritten menu, to rarely repeating a dish and getting creative through the winter months. She also talks about the garden-driven cocktail program, the four-season patio, and what it felt like to learn — in the middle of the ocean on a family cruise — that Vicia was a James Beard finalist for Outstanding Restaurant.
The conversation also covers Winslow’s Table, the University City breakfast and lunch spot that’s become a true neighborhood gathering place, plus Tara’s own path from journalism school in Florida to culinary school in New York, the pop-up dinners that introduced them to St. Louis, and life as restaurant owners raising two kids.
Plus, Tara previews what’s next for Take Root — including plans for Vicia’s 10th anniversary and expanded grab-and-go offerings at Winslow’s Table.
In this episode:
– Inside Vicia’s ever-changing menu and the “Let Us Cook for You” experience
– Becoming a James Beard finalist for Outstanding Restaurant
– From Blue Hill at Stone Barns to pop-up dinners in St. Louis
– What’s next: Vicia’s 10th anniversary and new grab-and-go at Winslow’s Table
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