Mise en Place: Spicy Moon Foods’ Anu Moon uses their artistic background to craft piquant plates

Photo by Gabe Otterlope

Spoiler alert: Spicy Moon Foods doesn’t specialize in spicy foods. The vegan, gluten-free, and fresh af pop-up keeps things light. Spicy Moon Foods was created in 2020 by Anu Moon, a queer and non-binary artist and chef.

My first dish was at a pop-up in West Bottoms and before even eating my pickled mango flatbread with garlic ricotta, I knew this was special. Beyond being beautifully photo-worthy, it was packed with nutrition and complex textures. I am not vegan or gluten-free, but what a breath of fresh air for those who are!

Anu Moon currently has a pop-up residency at Farewell–a DIY music venue, bar, and coffee shop–and may be seen at pop-ups around town. Don’t miss out on these edible works of art. 

The Pitch: Tell us about yourself.

Photo by Gabe Otterlope

Anu Moon: I identify as an artist first and a chef second. So artist, business owner, single parent, former therapist… total turn of life events. I have a master’s in social work. I went to art school first, but dropped out and went a more practical route. And here I am, returned to art.

What inspired Spicy Moon Foods?

A couple of things: the pandemic–having to be a stay-at-home parent and do school from home. I had to quit my job at Cafe Gratitude. And that’s the time I totally changed my diet, cutting out gluten and switching to being vegan. 

I was doing mindful eating and figuring out what vibed with my body and what didn’t. There was a lack of options so I started cooking a lot at home and the partner at the time was super encouraging. They were like, “You should just do it.” But at the time I was like, “What am I gonna do, pay my bills with brownies?” And now here I am, paying my bills with baked goods. 

What foods can people expect here?

I had to accept the fact that this is a bar first and foremost. But I’ve put some twist on things. My PB&J is grilled and I make homemade jams, use sunflower butter and pickled jalapeno jam—it’s spicy and sweet and all that. The barbecue rib sandwiches and the Bahn Mi’s sell really well here. I’m never gonna have a brick-and-mortar because I hate making the same thing over and over again. I want to be passionate every time.

How else are you blending artistry into your food?

There’s always gonna be something fermented or pickled on the dish, adding little pops of color. You see tons of red cabbage—I fucking love that color, the fuchsia just pops. But also, all the flyers and social media designs are by me. If I get tired of cooking, I just switch over and do a little graphic design.

With your hand in all aspects of the business, what do you do to address burnout?

Honestly, I’m there now. But it’s more that I got a teenager and a toddler, and I need to be more present at home. That’s getting harder as I take on more. I’m figuring it out.

This is our weed issue, but weed or not, what’s your preferred way of relaxing and recuperating your energy?

Weed-wise, I’m a huge fan of making an infused matcha latte. And my new thing is that I’m not taking on any more Sunday pop-ups. 

What would you like to see more of in the Kansas City food scene?

More rooftop patios, more sober spaces. More diverse representation and recognition. More inclusivity on menus, like food allergy info and options.

Photo by Gabe Otterlope

Would you say that those are current challenges in the food scene?

Specifically in the vegan community, all the focus is on, “Where can I eat with my omnivore husband”, and so all these non-vegan places are hyped up. I feel like vegan places die because vegan people are eating at and recommending all these other places that are celebrated for having just one vegan option.

Any restaurants or pop-ups you want to shout out?

My homies at High Hopes. I personally eat at Billie’s Grocery near my place. They’ve got tons of gluten-free options. At BIBIBOP in Waldo, I can get a huge cup of food for five bucks. GiGi’s Vegan Cafè. Cafè Gratitude.

If you could tell yourself something four years ago, knowing what you know now, what would you say?

Do not have any expectations. Because here’s the thing: Here I am now still running a business and feeling successful. And I’ve had multiple really slow, no-show days. Now I know that even when it was slow, it’s still a network, meeting somebody—nothing was ever just like a complete wash. Second, getting your name out and getting the food in front of people is the hardest part. The feedback is always great once people try it. I don’t need to be nationally famous, but I would love to be KC famous.