ST. LOUIS--As director of culinary operations at Straub's Market here, Gretchen Morfogen is preparing for the summer opening of Straub's fifth location in Ellisville, Mo., and has high hopes of expanding the specialty grocery concept to new Midwest markets.
"Straub's is on the cutting edge of filling a niche for people who love food in the Midwest. With its online shopping and its grocery and specialty mix, people who don't live in the area can still get great products, Morfogen said. Before joining Straub's in August, she worked at local chocolate retailer Bissingers. Plus, she's worked at Dean & DeLuca, St. Helena, Calif., and Whole Foods Market. She also has a culinary degree from The Culinary Institute of America and worked in several restaurants. Her 27 years of culinary experience also includes extensive travel to places rich in food culture, including New York, Colorado, California and France.
Morfogen is using her experience in the food industry to "raise the bar" at Straub's. Her first task is creating a cheese program at the new Straub's location. The program will aim to educate people on the diverse selections of specialty cheeses and will include a cut-to-order cheese counter, she said. The focus will be on American cheeses, but selections from other countries like Spain and Portugal will also be featured. Morfogen also plans to expand Straub's prepared food section. "Comfort food brings people in the door," she said.
"People are drawn to a store that is community-oriented like Straub's, and I've really embraced that feeling and hope to expand that presence," she said.
