Sunset 44 Bistro

As a third generation restaurateur, Bob Menendez began learning basic culinary skills at about the same time he learned to play baseball. After attending the University of Denver, he joined the management team of several well known St Louis restaurants before becoming owner of Sunset 44 Bistro and Banquet Center in 1982. He has attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, as well as the German Wine Academy in Mainz, Germany. Bob was a member of the faculty at the Saint Louis Community College at Forest Park’s Hotel and Restaurant Program for seven years. He currently serves on the Saint Louis County Government’s Restaurant Commission of which he is the chairman and is an Advisory Board Member of L’Ecole Culinaire, a chef’s training school based in Saint Louis. In addition, he provides on the job training and currently employs apprentices from the school. Bob believes a formal culinary education, as well as life-long learning are critical in assuring the success of the profession’s future. Sunset 44 Bistro specializes in eclectic American cuisine and a wide variety of fine wines. Thanks to his opening the restaurant in its current location, he greatly assisted in the transformation of downtown Kirkwood into an immensely popular dining destination. His unwavering focus on outstanding cuisine, service and meeting or exceeding the dining expectations of guests has resulted in Bob becoming one of the best known and most highly respected restaurateurs in the entire Saint Louis area.