Chefs Patrick Russell, Tyler Davis will run The Chocolate Pig

The Chocolate Pig, an upcoming restaurant project from 23 City Blocks, officially has chefs at the helm. The hospitality group announced today, June 13, that it tapped Patrick Russell to be executive chef and Tyler Davis to be pastry chef.

As Sauce reported in April, 23 City Blocks, which owns The Caramel Room at Bissinger’s, Handcrafted by Bissinger’s, 23 City Blocks Catering and Lumen Event Space, will open The Chocolate Pig as part of Venture Café St. Louis’ Innovation Hall in the Cortex Innovation Community at 4220 Duncan Ave., this fall.

Russell most recently served as sous chef and principal butcher at Field & Main Restaurant in Marshall, Virginia. Davis comes to The Chocolate Pig from Element, where he was executive pastry chef. 

“My mom’s from here, so I spent basically every summer here,” Russell said. “I went to kindergarten here and lived here in my early 20s. I’ve always loved St. Louis, so to get the opportunity to open up a nose-to-tail restaurant here is awesome.” 

Davis said he looked forward to more creative freedom in the kitchen. He said he was especially looking forward to working in The Chocolate Lab, an open kitchen where diners get to observe him creating confections. 

“My mind started going crazy when I heard their concept and what their vision was, because it was right up my alley,” he said. “It seemed like a match made in heaven.” 

As befits the name, the menu at The Chocolate Pig will include dishes featuring fine chocolate and high-quality pork with a focus on sustainability and whole-animal cooking. The restaurant will seat 118 inside and 58 on the patio with an additional outdoor lounge area. 

Matt Sorrell is staff writer at Sauce Magazine.