On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Daisy Hudspeth, co-owner of Good Hospitality — the St. Louis group behind Good Ice, Good Company, Aperi, Malo, Chico Bueno, Baia, and Trust. Daisy describes a company built on real friendship between partners, and on giving back to the neighborhoods it calls home, from The Grove to downtown and soon Shaw.

Daisy goes back to the beginning: Good Ice launching in 2020 in a basement, the days of hand-freezing photos and flowers into custom cubes with three pairs of gloves on, and how she met her husband, Jordan Goodman, at a restaurant order window over a frozen spicy Paloma. She walks through how Good Ice became the foundation for a neighborhood bar, a Mexican concept split into two sides of one chef, and Baia, Chef John Priestley’s take on Italian coastal cuisine.

We dig into Baia — the terracotta and terrazzo space, Holly Hennessy’s paintings and handmade pasta, the meaning behind the name, and dishes like the scallops with sweet corn purée, crispy artichokes with speck and Calabrian chili, and a massive pork chop. Daisy also explains why Malo opened up its curtained room to à la carte diners, and how Trust downtown pairs a coffee program she built with local, woman-owned partners, a cocktail menu “in the vault,” and a gallery for St. Louis artists.

Daisy also shares life at home with two young boys, singing karaoke while she cleans, Muay Thai, her favorite date-night spots around town, and what’s coming next — including La Perla in Shaw.

In this episode:

• From a basement ice shop to a growing restaurant group
• A frozen spicy Paloma and the meet-cute that started it all
• Inside Baia: the space, the name, and the handmade pasta
• Opening up Malo, Trust downtown, and what’s next with La Perla

Built on friendship, served with heart. 🧊🍝

Thank you to our sponsors SWADE Dispensary and LHM.

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📅 New episodes drop every Tuesday

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren Healey sits down with Adrian Maldonado, executive chef of Malo and Chico Bueno — the two new Mexican concepts from Good Hospitality in The Grove. Chico Bueno is the casual counter for tacos, tortas, and bowls, while Malo, tucked behind the curtains, is the polished side, with a ten-course tasting menu and a growing à la carte lineup.

Adrian traces his cooking back to his mom and grandmother's home-cooked meals in Los Angeles and explains how he turns those comforting dishes into fine dining — from a sopa de conchitas reimagined as a consommé royale to an 18-hour sous vide lamb and a tetela stuffed with salsa dulce. He also breaks down the drink pairings, the new reservation setup, and why the kitchen stays loose and fun even during a full service.

Plus: the story behind the sunflower caramel Brussels sprouts at Aperi (our October "Eat This" pick), a Grove bar crawl game plan, Adrian's favorite St. Louis spots, and what's next — including a Día de los Muertos tasting weekend and La Perla, a neighborhood taco spot coming to Shaw.

In this episode:
- How Chico Bueno and Malo split casual tacos and an upscale tasting menu under one roof
- The 18-hour process behind Malo's lamb and the story of the tetela
- Sunflower caramel and black sesame foam: building Aperi's Brussels sprouts
- Adrian's go-to St. Louis spots and what's next, from Día de los Muertos to La Perla

🌮 Grandma's cooking, fine dining polish, and zero stuffiness.

Thank you to our sponsors SWADE Dispensary and LHM.

🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

📅 New episodes drop every Tuesday.

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Brandon Holzhueter and Brad Merten, the best friends (since eighth grade) behind Narwhal's Crafted — the St. Louis bar that's spent the last decade changing what a frozen cocktail can be. Fresh off their 10-year anniversary, they explain why everything is made from scratch in a full in-house kitchen: real strawberries, real basil, house purees, syrups, and infusions.

Brandon and Brad trace their path from franchising Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe to sketching out a new idea in a basement: take classic cocktails like the Manhattan, Negroni, and Old Fashioned and do them frozen — not a slushy, but an actual cocktail. Since then, Narwhal's has grown into draft cocktails, craft beer, and an award-winning mocktail program, all built around consistency and the guest experience.

The conversation also covers Loaded: Elevated Nachos — the "Narwhal's of nachos," home of crab rangoon and toasted ravioli nachos — and the plan to bring its menu into future Narwhal's locations. Plus, the birthday cake cocktail that became an instant fan favorite, this year's fall menu, and the Missouri law behind those to-go pretzels.
Brandon and Brad also share what life looks like off the clock, their go-to spots like Mai Lee and Corner 17, and what's next: franchising, Edwardsville, and a new Des Moines location with a full food program.

In this episode:
- From Pickleman's franchisees to frozen cocktail pioneers
- Ten years of Narwhal's: draft cocktails, mocktails, and the guest experience
- Loaded: Elevated Nachos and bringing food to Narwhal's
- Franchising, Edwardsville, and the move into Des Moines

Not a slushy — an actual cocktail. 🧊🍹

Thank you to our sponsors SWADE Dispensary and LHM.

🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and all major podcast platforms.

📅 New episodes drop every Tuesday.