Ono Ikanone always knew he wanted to bring a taste of his home county of Nigeria to his new home in St. Louis. As a teenager growing up in the Midwest, it was hard to find connection to West Africa but he learned to cook and that turned into a passion for sharing his recipes and culture with friends. In 2023 he finally opened a restaurant he says showcases the beauty and food of Nigeria. Levels is located in Downtown St. Louis. With traditional menu items and an art gallery upstairs Ono wanted to bring something different to the St. Louis restaurant scene. We sat down ahead of the one year anniversary to talk about food, family and the lessons learned in his first year as a restaurant owner.
