A significant addition to local restaurant leadership unfolded earlier this week, as seasoned industry veteran Chris Kelling stepped into the role of front-of-house director of operations for O+O Hospitality.
The Webster Groves-based hospitality group, led by owners Mark Hinkle and Jenn Hinkle, encompasses Olive + Oak, O+O Pizza, The Clover and The Bee, Perennial on Lockwood, and O+O Events. Kelling officially assumed the position earlier this week.
The Background
Kelling comes to the role with decades of industry experience under his belt, having served as director of hospitality and development for Pi Pizzeria and as general manager at multiple restaurants within Niche Food Group. He also held the position of dining room manager at The Restaurant at Meadowood, which received the 2014 James Beard Award for Best Service on his watch. He later co-founded Elmwood before going on to launch Pizza Champ and Burger Champ under the same roof. Most recently, he held the role of director of restaurant operations at Katie’s.
“When I found out he was closing Pizza Champ—before I knew he had moved on to Katie’s—I reached out and said, ‘Let’s grab some time together,'” Hinkle recalls. “It was one of those ‘I’m not sure exactly what this looks like, but we should talk’ situations.”
After Kelling departed from Katie’s, the two picked up where they left off. “We got to talking about leadership, service, and what drives us, and it became clear we’re working from the same playbook,” says Kelling. “We both champion Midwestern hospitality and lead first as people, not just professionals. But Mark has taken it even further—he builds real communities. Honestly, he could run for mayor of Webster.”
After a series of conversations, Kelling came aboard to oversee front-of-house operations across the group’s portfolio. His approach, he says, will center on refining and elevating what’s already in place rather than overhauling it. “I see myself as a steward of O+O,” he explains. “There may be ways to enhance the guest experience or enrich the team’s experience, but sweeping change is not on the agenda.
“This is really about building on existing strengths,” he continues. “Mark and I both understand that two capable people accomplish more than one. I’ve only been there a short time, and maybe there’s a bit of newcomer enthusiasm coloring things, but the culture at Olive + Oak is genuinely warm and welcoming. You can tell right away that the people there actually want to be there.”
A New Team
The move also brings Kelling back together with several long-standing colleagues from the industry, including Bonnie Moore and Ashley Shelton, who recently stepped into new culinary leadership positions within O+O Hospitality. Moore now serves as director of culinary operations for the group, while Shelton has taken on the role of executive chef at The Clover and The Bee.
“Bonnie’s reputation from her time at Blackberry Farm speaks for itself, and I’ve known Ashley since the Niche days,” Kelling says. “When we first crossed paths, she was garde manger chef at the original Niche location where I was GM. She was executive chef at Sardella when I was GM there, and executive chef at Pastaria when I was GM there too. Reuniting with her felt like coming home.
“None of us were brought in to shake things up,” he adds. “The three of us aren’t here to fix something that isn’t broken. We’ve been given a solid foundation on which to apply our skills and experience, and that’s a rare thing.”
Next Steps
For Hinkle, the hire signals a deliberate investment in deepening the strength of an already thriving operation—not a pivot toward rapid growth. “We’re operating 30,000 square feet of hospitality space in Webster, and our job is to keep excelling and building on what we’ve already created,” he says. “That demands an exceptionally strong team, and we’ve been fortunate to keep adding to ours.”
“Sometimes it takes a fresh perspective to identify where things can be tightened up internally without disrupting the guest experience. Now we have several fresh perspectives at once,” says Hinkle, speaking of Kelling, Moore, and Shelton collectively.
Hinkle also notes that many of the company’s managers have been with the group since the very beginning, and he believes Kelling is especially well-positioned to help guide the organization into its next chapter. “There are very few people in this market who could walk into a group like this and lead it effectively. Chris is absolutely one of them.”
Kelling says he considers himself lucky to have landed at O+O so soon after leaving Katie’s. In the time between, he consulted with Balkan Treat Box on systems and management development while also carving out some rare downtime with his family. “People in the restaurant world never get that,” he says. “We almost never allow ourselves to rest.”
The Future
In the near term, Kelling says much of his attention will be directed toward O+O Pizza, though he views the entire Webster Groves footprint as one connected environment. “I think of the two-block stretch between our restaurants as part of my dining room,” he says. “And working the dining room is something I truly love.”
When asked about potential expansion, Kelling says he and Hinkle are firmly on the same page: the priority is strengthening what already exists, not chasing new locations. “Nothing is in the works, and nothing is on the horizon,” he says. The focus, instead, is on continuously improving both the guest experience and the team that delivers it.
“Equally important is helping our team members grow into leaders, and helping our current leaders become even stronger,” Kelling adds. “I’m deeply grateful for where I’ve landed, and I feel genuinely fortunate.”
