When director of restaurants Blaise Pastoret speaks of Basso, he speaks of legacy — one built on intention and a return to culinary roots. The original Basso, nestled inside the historic Cheshire, opened in 2012 with a vision Blaise describes as “the first elevated gastro-pub experience in St. Louis, modern Italian cuisine expressed through familiar forms.”
Wood-fired pizzas, handrolled pastas, antipasti, fish, pork and refined interpretations of classics shaped the restaurant's early foundation. It became known for craftsmanship and reliance on housemade elements, such as ketchup, aioli, marrow butter, yeasted potato rolls and ingredients sourced from “local purveyors who take pride in their work, including Amish growers whose produce guides our seasonal changes,” Blaise explains.
Entering the Cheshire location feels like discovering a secret. Guests descend a green terrazzo spiral staircase into a dining room warmed by flickering gas lamps and soft music. The wood-fired pizza oven glows at the center, a hearth around which the room orbits. It is here that Chef Frans Dinkelmann has spent the last year shaping Basso’s story through his own lens of creativity and mentorship.
“I was born in South Africa and raised in Chicago,” Frans shares. “I’ve always leaned toward the creative: art, music, anything expressive.” Cooking eventually became his most natural medium. “When I discovered the vast array of ingredients and techniques in the kitchen, I recognized endless opportunities to create.”
With decades of experience, Frans grounds his leadership in a principle learned under Chef Christopher Pope in New Mexico. “He taught me that running a successful kitchen starts with surrounding yourself with the best people possible. Learn what each person is good at and put them where they can thrive.”
For Frans, meaning lies in the fleeting nature of the craft. “Food is ephemeral, hours of preparation, minutes of enjoyment, but the happiness it brings people is the most rewarding part.”
He hopes to honor Basso’s legacy while “contributing to the excellence built by the great chefs who came before me.”
Across the city, Basso Westport, which debuted in May 2025, presents a contrasting architectural personality, airy and expansive. A dramatic wood façade opens into a dining room framed by floor-to-ceiling wraparound windows. Daylight floods the space before evening reveals the signature Basso glow: gas lanterns, a fireplace and communal farmhouse tables alongside intimate booths.
At its helm is Executive Chef Dan Sammons, whose 22-year career includes leadership roles at Basso at The Cheshire, 360 Rooftop Bar and multiple Be Polite Hospitality concepts. “Returning to lead the new Basso at Westport Plaza has been invigorating,” Dan says. “Innovation and quality continue to drive me, and the larger kitchen here allows for an expanded menu while staying true to the soul of Basso.”
Through both chefs, Blaise’s guiding philosophy remains constant: simplicity as luxury. “Pizza dough should have three or four ingredients, pasta two or three,” he notes. “When you rely on so little, every ingredient must be exceptional.”
Seasonal shifts, stone fruits and root vegetables in cooler months, vibrant summer produce in warmer ones, anchor the menu in authenticity.
Two chefs, two kitchens, one enduring approach: modern Italian craftsmanship rooted in place, seasonality and the elegance of restraint.