Robert St. John, New South Restaurant Group

Robert St. John is one busy guy. As the owner of New South Restaurant Group, he’s the driving force behind a collection of successful Mississippi restaurants that includes favorites like Crescent City Grill, The Mahogany Bar, Ed’s Burger Joint, The Midtowner, Tabella, Enzo Osteria and Loblolly Bakery. But in truth, that’s merely a start. He’s also authored 13 books, including “An Italian Palate,” which highlights stories of his own travels through Italy. He hosts travel tours to various countries to allow others to experience new cuisines and cultures. He writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column. And if that wasn’t enough, he’s also the creator, producer and co-host of the PBS Series, “Palate to Palette.” Yet, in the midst of all that, Robert still prioritizes helping out in his community and his home state.

In 2009, after learning that local charities and community feeding programs were experiencing a shortfall of food supplies to help those in need, Robert founded Extra Table. It’s a statewide, non-profit organization that currently ships over 300,000 pounds of healthy food to Mississippi soup kitchens and mission pantries each month, at no charge to those agencies. For many who depend on these outlets, it’s been a true lifesaver. During the 2020 pandemic year alone, Extra Table shipped an astonishing 5.9 million pounds of food, ensuring the hungry of the community and the state got the nutrition they needed.

Full of endless ambition to assist, Robert’s support doesn’t end there. He’s a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition that has worked to secure aid for restaurants affected by the Covid crisis. And he’s the founder of Hattiesburg Hundred, an organization that supports sworn law enforcement and first responder families in times of crisis. Yes, Robert’s energy is truly boundless, and it’s only matched by his love of community and his eagerness to lend a helping hand.