Taylor Kirch: Serving up smoking flavor from farm to food truck
Photo courtesy of Taylor Kirch
If you’ve ever tasted food prepared by Taylor Kirch, you would know that he truly excels in the kitchen. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to write about him for our local newspaper when he hosted a farm-to-table event called Dinner On the Farm in Harrisonville. With a grand banquet table set for forty guests from the region, the evening was filled with succulent gourmet dishes, a beautifully arranged table, and great conversation among attendees. Recently, I spotted Kirch running a food truck at an event in Pleasant Hill, which piqued my curiosity about his latest endeavors.
Photo courtesy of Taylor Kirch
As you may know, Taylor was raised in Pleasant Hill and spent his childhood in the back of his mother’s café on Wyoming Street, where he discovered his passion for cooking. He has hosted many special dinners showcasing his culinary skills and worked in various kitchens across the region. Now, his career is taking a new turn toward barbecue.
While he refined his gourmet skills, one question loomed: what led him to focus on barbecue? The story starts with a marked-down smoker and a genuine desire to make great food.
A couple of years ago, Taylor and a friend decided to enter a barbecue competition at Price Chopper in Raymore, Missouri, but they faced a challenge: they didn’t have a smoker. A quick trip to Walmart led them to an Oklahoma Joe smoker on clearance for $89. Though it was a bit worn, missing a few bolts, and had a broken temperature gauge, it was a great deal. They took it home, entered the competition, and ended up winning.
This contest featured a creative twist on barbecue rather than a traditional style, and it was here that Taylor debuted his now-famous whiskey glaze. He crafted a pulled pork sandwich topped with crispy onions, coleslaw, his signature whiskey glaze, and a dash of barbecue sauce. Competing against seasoned veterans like Plow Boys at the American Royal, it was Taylor’s innovative flavors that stole the spotlight.
From that point, Taylor’s barbecue journey expanded. His next challenge was at the Red Barn in Harrisonville, Missouri, where he participated in a barbecue fundraiser for the Jared Fizer Memorial Scholarship Fund. The competition was tough, but Taylor had a secret weapon: his creative culinary background. His son even boasted at school about his dad’s cooking skills and declared that his father would win against the competition. However, Taylor confesses that he had never smoked a brisket before. The original smoker from Walmart was rusty and had holes from sitting idle in the backyard. Determined, he sought out a better smoker, eventually finding one on Facebook Marketplace. Despite his lack of experience, Taylor confidently smoked every piece of meat, achieving impressive results: first-place wins in multiple categories and the title of Reserved Grand Champion.
Photo courtesy of Taylor Kirch
This victory ignited a spark in Taylor, signaling that he had something special. His wife, Allisons Kirch, remarked, “This is kind of exciting.” Taylor acquired a 250-gallon offset smoker from a church in Missouri’s Bootheel to further his ambitions. After transporting it home, he entered another competition and emerged victorious once again.
As his reputation grew, so did the recognition he received. Sponsors began to notice, prompting Taylor to enter the prestigious Great Lenexa BBQ Battle, one of the largest barbecue competitions in the region, featuring 175 competing teams. Taylor placed 17th overall, with 9th for pork butt and 7th for beef ribs—an impressive outcome that secured his standing among barbecue elites.
Photo courtesy of Taylor Kirch
Wanting to elevate his game, Kirch decided to create a food truck featuring his award-winning whiskey-glazed recipe. He traded his 250-gallon smoker for a massive 1,000-gallon smoker, extending an impressive 26 feet long. Thanks to local man Dennis Gray, Kirch mounted it on a different trailer and made some adjustments to enhance his smoking setup. He named his business Fern Kee and began his entrepreneurial journey, hoping to one day open a restaurant that serves barbecue made from prime cuts of meat and generous amounts of his beloved whiskey glaze.
“One day, I would love to own the building my mom owned,” Taylor shared with me. His vision is to open a restaurant in his hometown that distinguishes itself from others. Taylor’s goal is to serve delicious food and provide an experience that merges his high-end culinary skills with the charm of small-town culture.
What began as a dream in a small-town café has transformed into a successful barbecue journey for Taylor Kirch, blending his culinary creativity with the rich flavors of barbecue. And the best part? This is just the beginning. The dream has evolved, and now Kirch aspires to offer barbecue comfort in his own restaurant. I think he might need a bigger smoker.
