“Lost Tables” continues to bring St. Louis’ restaurant history to life—one bite at a time. Jewish St. Louis restaurant historian Dr. Harley Hammerman, known for his deep dives into local dining history, has dropped two new episodes of his podcast featuring stories about two iconic eateries: Balaban’s and Chez Leon.

An earlier March episode spotlighted Bryan Young, who spent nearly two decades at Balaban’s, one of the Central West End’s most iconic restaurants. Young, who worked his way from assistant waiter to manager, shares memories from his time at Balaban’s, along with stories from his successful catering career. Hammerman interviewed Young in October 2024 at his home. Now 70, Young’s deep voice and booming laugh bring the restaurant’s heyday back to life.

The episode that dropped March 29 revisits the story of Chez Leon, a French bistro opened in 1999 by restaurateur Leon Bierbaum in the Central West End. While Bierbaum passed away in 2016, Hammerman sat down with Haris Zukanovic, who started working at Chez Leon on its opening day and stayed for a decade. Zukanovic shares the story behind the beloved bistro and its lasting impact on the St. Louis dining scene.

Hammerman’s “Lost Tables” podcast, narrated by AI voice “Delilah” and set to music composed by Hammerman’s grandson, continues to document St. Louis’ culinary past, preserving memories and interviews for new generations of food lovers.

Listen to “Lost Tables” on Apple or Spotify.

Podcasts we’re following

Our team at St. Louis Jewish Light is on the hunt for Jewish-themed podcasts and will share what we find in the Morning Light email newsletter. Do you have a podcast we need to check out? Please share your discovery with us by emailing Jordan Palmer.

Here are a few we’re keeping an ear on this week:

• Two Nice Jewish Boys

• Hosts: Eytan Weinstein and Naor Meningher

• Producer: Israeli independent creators

• Topics: Life in Israel, politics and culture

• Guests: A mix of Israeli personalities, activists and cultural figures

• Jewish History Soundbites

• Host: Yehuda Geberer

• Topics: Historical events and personalities that shaped the Jewish world

• Format: A historical podcast with a mix of storytelling and academic insight

• 18Forty

• Host: Rabbi Dr. Dov Lerner

• Topics: Complex questions about Jewish thought, philosophy and modern life

• Guests: Scholars, historians and thought leaders