When Matt Sorrell set out to write his book, Matt’s St. Louis Food Story: Bars, Restaurants, Shops, and Other Purveyors, his mission was clear: highlighting the underrepresented communities that shape St. Louis’s diverse food scene.
A Kirkwood native and longtime freelance writer, Sorrell began his career covering local government and school board meetings before pivoting into food coverage. Despite not having any experience covering food, when he noticed the rise of print publications covering St. Louis’s food scene, he quickly jumped on the opportunity to partake. From there, a new world of connections opened up for him.
“I’ve always been fascinated with the restaurants and whatnot, but I’m not a cook at all, but I started talking to a lot of bartenders, and thought I could probably do that myself, that’s kind of cool. I got interested in bartending, and started down that path too,” Sorrell said.
The more connections that Sorrell made, the more opportunities that opened up for him. When a publisher at Reedy Press reached out to him about turning his St. Louis food expertise into a book, Sorrell jumped on the opportunity. As he dug into his research, he reconnected with old culinary contacts from his years as writer. With the help of their recommendations, he pushed himself out of his comfort zone to showcase hidden spots that deserved recognition.
“My whole thought process doing this book was I really want to get people curious about what’s available in the metro area, because we have so much great stuff, a million different types of cuisine, restaurants, shops, purveyors,” Sorrell said. “I really just want to get people out of their comfort zone and spark some curiosity and get them to try some of the stuff that’s available right here, because we really have a great food scene.”
Sorrell noted that the general consensus about the St. Louis’ food scene is that it does rival other cities with larger populations. The proof, he said, is in the awards the city has earned and the national attention it continues to gain. Still, despite the vibrant culinary scene, Sorrell recognizes one major challenge keeps it from getting the attention it deserves.
“What kind of holds us back a little bit is that we don’t have a really great mass transportation system…It’s not quite as accessible here, because you kind of have to drive everywhere. I think that it kind of keeps people from really realizing that, but I definitely think we can compete well above our weight class,” Sorrell said.
In the final product, Sorrell combined old standbys while also focusing on what the immigrant communities have brought to the city. For him, accurately commemorating the culinary scene means supporting the communities that sustain it.
“This country is built on immigration, and right now we’re having a lot of immigration issues, but you know, these communities are really the backbone of the larger community of St. Louis. They need to be supported, and I really encourage people to go out and try some of their places,” Sorrell said.
You can buy a copy of the book online.
Editor’s note: Matt Sorrell used to be the staff writer for Sauce Magazine and occasionally does freelance writing for the company.