Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis Announces New Executive Chef Kelley Schmidt

Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis announces Kelley Schmidt as the Hotel’s new Executive Chef. Fresh on the heels of his arrival, Chef Schmidt will co-host the first Mississippi Dinner on June 16, 2023 alongside his culinary colleague of Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, where he was most recently Executive Sous Chef.  Joining him in the kitchen for this special evening will be David Harrower, Executive Banquet Chef of Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans.

“I am so excited to join the team in St. Louis, it is an incredible opportunity on so many levels. The city has such a vibrant and evolving food scene, which is really energizing and I’m thrilled to become part of it. And, of course, it’s an honour to work with such a talented team of craftspeople at the Hotel,” says Schmidt.  “Plus, there couldn’t be a warmer welcome than to host the first dinner in the Mississippi Series and celebrate both the cuisine of New Orleans and St. Louis. It’s just the perfect launch for my new role.”

Chef Schmidt has a 17-year pedigree with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, first joining Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale as a cook while still in culinary school, where gaining hands-on knowledge both ignited his passion for the industry and sparked his adventurous spirit.

Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans Mississippi Dinner

On Friday, June 16, 2023, Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis Executive Chef Kelley Schmidt and his culinary team will welcome Chef David Harrower of Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans for an incredible evening of dining.  Beginning on the Cinder House terrace, guests will first enjoy passed canapés accompanied by a bespoke cocktail and have the chance to interact with the chefs.  When it is time for dinner, guests will be seated inside the Cinder House dining room to savour a multi-course menu served family style.  There will also be an option to pair wine with each course.   

Shining a spotlight on the cuisine of each city, the menu will feature:

Cocktail

New Orleans

• French 75, made with cognac to honour the rich history of New Orleans’ French Quarter

Appetizers

New Orleans

• Char grilled Louisiana oysters

Cinder House

• Fish ceviche, yuca coconut cake, avocado mousse, mango fennel salsa

Entrees

New Orleans

• BBQ shrimp with wood grilled sourdough boule
• Suckling pig porchetta carved by Chef Schmidt
• Cast iron jalapeño cornbread – Poirier’s cane syrup butter

Cinder House

• Traditional Brazilian bean stew with beef and pork sausage, brisket, pork rib, pork belly with mango honey and collard greens

Dessert

New Orleans

• Lagniappe - pecan pralines

Cinder House

• Churro ice cream sandwich - vanilla cajeta ice cream, fresh fruit

The Mississippi Dinner experience is USD 125 per person (plus tax and gratuities) and includes a signature cocktail, hors d’oeuvres and the dinner. An optional French wine pairing is available on request for USD 75.  Seating is limited, reservations are required and can be made on OpenTable.

In addition to Chefs Schmidt and Harrower, the dinner will be executed by the culinary team of Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, led by Sous Chef Marisol Santiago, Executive Pastry Chef Tiffany Gilmore, and Advanced Sommelier Anthony Geary.

Executive Chef Kelley Schmidt

Growing up on the rolling plains of North Dakota, Chef Kelley Schmidt was inspired as a child by the lavish feasts his grandmother would cook for family celebrations and holidays. Inspired by famed chefs and writers such as Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, Jacques Pepin and Anthony Bourdain, Schmidt set off to search out his hunger for all things delicious (and to avoid the bitterly cold winters) by attending culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Arizona. While in culinary school, Chef Schmidt joined Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale as a cook, where he gained first-hand experience in the kitchen, only furthering his passion.

He then continued his career at the former Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, before joining the preopening team of Four Seasons Hotel Denver, where among numerous accomplishments, he launched the popular EDGE steakhouse in 2010. In 2016, Schmidt was called by the aloha spirit to open Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina, where, as Sous Chef Tournant, he assisted in the opening and operation of each of its dining outlets. In late 2017 he helped lead the opening of Mina’s Fish House, with the Mina Restaurant Group. Chef Schmidt joined the opening team at Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, Boston in 2019, where later, as Senior Sous Chef, he led the culinary team and all food and beverage operations. In 2021, he moved to Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans in preparation of opening Miss River, the much-anticipated restaurant by Alon Shaya, celebrating spirited takes on classic Louisiana cuisine. In August 2022, he was promoted to Executive Sous Chef overseeing the Hotel's food and beverage offerings, including Donald Link's Chemin à la Mer, pool, in room dining, and banquets and catering.

“The way I relate to a new place or city is through food and regional influence. When I look back I remember the meals and the good times; this feeling is what I hope to bring to the visitors of Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis,” says Chef Schmidt.