When Anne Fosterling, chef de cuisine at Elaia and Olio, entered the hospitality industry in 2011, she wasn’t necessarily a stranger to the scene. “I grew up with a single parent who worked as a bartender on the weekends for extra income,” Fosterling says. “So I started working with her at the hotel when I was 15, doing every job imaginable. My mom instilled in me a pride in hard work, but I really fancied myself an academic.” When Fosterling could no longer afford to pursue her degree in history and linguistics, however, she dove headfirst into hospitality. She took on jobs such as portioning and wrapping salumi at Salume Beddu and serving as a garde manger for Five Bistro before becoming the chef de cuisine at The Benevolent King in 2018, where she stayed until complications from the pandemic moved her to Elaia and Olio.
What have you learned from working with Ben Poremba and Bengelina Hospitality Group (BHG)?
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What I’ve learned the most from Ben is how to pick and choose my battles. He always says to me, "We’re making food for people, not solving peace in the Middle East." BHG is constantly growing and evolving, and I’ve learned how to set priorities for myself and my team so no one ever feels singularly overwhelmed. My motto is, "No one’s in the weeds unless we’re all in the weeds."
3 Must-Try Dishes at Elaia and Olio
Olio’s beet salad | “Our beet salad at Olio is probably my favorite dish on the menu. It hits every marker – a little sour, a little sweet. It’s salty, earthy, crunchy, creamy and floral all at the same time.”
Olio’s fire-roasted carrots | “I’ve been on a singular vegetable dish kick lately, especially the roasted carrots, which we roast in our wood-fired oven until they’re sweet and tender but a little charred.”
Elaia’s matzo ball | “[The must-try dish] at Elaia, hands down. It’s perfect, and I have to stop myself after like six of them.”
How do you think its food stands out?
BHG loves a small kitchen, and it’s important to use the space smartly. Every dish is seemingly simple, but a lot of thought goes into imbibing each element with as much flavor as possible. We cold-blanch our herbs and lettuces, poach and brine vegetables and finish each dish with flavored oils or syrups that we make from things in our gardens. A dish might only have two elements, but it’s bright and fresh and comforting.
What can people expect to see from you in the future?
I will be opening and operating a Jewish deli with Ben [Poremba] in early 2023. I know I’m going to miss the hubbub of Elaia and Olio, but I’m excited for the challenge of opening a new restaurant from the ground up.
What goals do you have in the restaurant world?
My husband is our head baker for BHG, and we dream of opening a bakery/bread-themed breakfast joint with good coffee and bring-your-own-container bulk goods for sale.
Elaia and Olio, 1634 Tower Grove Ave., Botanical Heights, St. Louis, Missouri, 314-932-1088, bengelina.com
Mabel Suen
Mabel Suen is the St. Louis contributing editor for Feast.
