Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Warren.
Hi Steve, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Years ago I worked in a steel warehouse. One of the inside salesmen had a competion BBQ team. Willie Whitener was his name. Hogs R Us was the team. His helpers, his son and stepson ended up in jail one summer , he came out to the warehouse and asked me and another coworker if we could help him out. Just really needed someone to stay up and keep the fire going in the smoker. And offered to buy beer . Hmmm, Ive stayed up all night watching a fire and bought my own beer. To good of an opportunity to pass up LOL.Worked with him for a couple years. He kinda took me under his wing and gave me my first taste of real BBQ. I grew up in central Kansas in the 70’s so bbq to me was cooking on a grill so learned grilling and BBQ ARE DIFFERENT LOL Willie taught my how to cook proper bbq and to make rub as he made his own.
I bought a small electric Brinkman smoker and started honing my skills at home and family parties over the years. Willie gave me a list of ingredients in his rub but not quantities and said work with these and make you a rub so I did. Now I have 3 rubs of my own and we make our own bbq sauces as well. Over the years I thought I wanted a bar restaurant situation. After several small business association meetings. Learned the cost of getting into that was just cost prohibitive and my wife didn’t think me owning a bar was a good idea. In all fairness she was probably right. I used to drink quite bit LOL. So after some serious consideration and years of pondering what I wanted to do I settled on a food truck. Ran it for a year while still working full time. Had a knee replacement used all my sick time up and retired at 62 in 2023 Started my business full-time. In March 2024 I opened my commercial kitchen as I needed a commissary per health regs to run my trailer and was paying for one in the city.KC. I found a vacant building downtown in Lawson Mo across from the park and the main drag in town 318 N Pennsylvania . We sell carryout one day a week and offer other special items on those days. We also do take-home meals generally not bbq. We also offer catering . Set up and serve or just setup or drop off or pick up. My daughter works with me full time and she will have the opportunity to take over the business when Im ready to fully retire LOL
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been challenging to say the least as I have no food background other than cooking at home full time
One of the main challenges is financing. Fortunately for me my 32yrs in the steel warehouse gave me a very nice 401K
to fund my adventure. I think having cooking knowledge and cooking for groups has helped me there.. I have learned a lot over the last few years. As far shopping for products business licenses health regulations and such.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Im a country boy at heart. Grew up farming, ranching an working the oilfields in Kansas before moving to the KC area and my job in the steel industry 32yrs. Cooking has always been a passion of mine trying new things and seasoning
I make bbq with my own twist to it. My own seasonings my own sauces I make food I like and fortunately enough other people like that we are doing a pretty fair job of getting our name out there and getting busier all the time.
I think our burnt ends or our brisket is probably number 1 and 2. A lot of people also like our pulled pork. I have a mustard based Carolina sauce for it. We also have a killer homemade macaroni and cheese
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We use Facebook a lot and word of mouth. Friends and neighbors.We also have a very recognizable trailer when were out.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089066566197
- Email: [email protected]
