Iain Shaw

A Scottish-born, St. Louis-based food and drink writer

About Me

I’m a writer and editor primarily covering food and drink, travel and hospitality. I live in St. Louis, Missouri, but was born and raised in Scotland before spending almost 15 years in Beijing, China. 

I am a former editor-in-chief at Sauce Magazine in St. Louis, and my work has also been published in St. Louis Magazine, Vinepair, Roads & Kingdoms, The Cleaver Quarterly, Riverfront Times, Today’s Hotelier, and Podcast Review. 

If you need a writer to help you tell your story, email me at iainxiao@gmail.com and let’s talk.

Photo credit: Freddy D'Angelo Studios

Hospitality Journalism

Sauce Magazine - Chef Tai Davis explores the cuisi •

Tai Davis explores the cuisines of the African diaspora with Lineage dinner series

On the fourth Sunday of every month, chef Tai Davis hosts the latest installment of his Lineage dinner series, which aims to explore the cuisines of the African diaspora. The August dinner is already sold out, but tickets are on sale now for September’s Lineage event, which will take place at The Smith at 3408 Locust St. in Midtown St. Louis on Sunday, Sept. 29.
Sauce Magazine - First Look: Esca in the Delmar Ma •

First Look: Esca in the Delmar Maker District in St. Louis

Esca, the new “coastal Mediterranean bar and grill” from Ben Poremba’s Bengelina Hospitality Group, will open on Thursday, March 21, at 5095 Delmar Blvd. in the Delmar Maker District. The restaurant’s menu features meat, seafood and vegetables grilled over charcoal, fresh salads and cold appetizers, classic cocktails, a large amaro selection and a range of indulgent desserts.
Sauce Magazine - Temperance Kitchen pop-up series •

Temperance Kitchen pop-up raises awareness of addiction in the restaurant industry

Launched by Mainlander sous chef Max Bredenkoetter, Temperance Kitchen is a new pop-up event series that aims to raise awareness of addiction issues in the hospitality industry. The pop-up’s first two dinners will take place on April 15 and May 20, with proceeds to be donated to Ben’s Friends, a network that provides support and resources for hospitality professionals who are seeking sobriety.
VinePair •

America's Only Foeder Crafter Is Changing How We Make and Drink Wild Beers

“We’re getting a stick rack today. This has been a four-year fantasy,” Matt Walters, co-founder and owner of Foeder Crafters of America (FCA), says.

Based in an industrial park in a St. Louis suburb, FCA is the only company in the United States manufacturing foeders. These enormous oak barrels are traditionally winemakers’ tools, but they’re also used by Belgian breweries like Brouwerij Boon and Rodenbach to produce funky and tart lambics and gueuzes.

Historically, if you wanted wild beers, yo