Smoke N Seoul: A marriage between Kansas City BBQ and Korean cuisine

Smoke N Seoul dishes // Photo by Teddy Liberda

Hold onto your taste buds, Kansas City–there’s a fiery newcomer in town that’s turning tradition on its head. Smoke N Seoul, born in a home kitchen in Gardner, Kansas, isn’t just about food–it’s about rewriting the playbook and blending cultures. 

Imagine this: ribs kissed by vibrant kimchi and a daring gochujang glaze. Or a fried chicken sensation with a punch of kimchi – a fearless creation that flips the bird to ordinary. The kimchi-infused burrito, loaded with smoked pork, will have you rethinking what BBQ can be. It smashes the boundaries between iconic Kansas City BBQ and the unapologetic zest of Korean cuisine.

Here’s the secret sauce: Greg and Nancy Stears, the dynamic duo behind the grill. Greg, with his deep Kansas City BBQ roots, with Nancy’s strong Korean influence, form a match made in foodie heaven. 

Nancy grew up in a traditional Korean household where her mom and grandma cooked traditional Korean foods. When Greg introduced his wild idea of blending Kansas City barbecue with Korean flavors, she thought he was out of his mind. He didn’t even have prior restaurant experience—he was an engineer. 

Nevertheless they decided to embark on an experiment using Nancy’s grandma’s cherished kimchi recipes, crafting sauces from scratch, and perfecting the art of double-frying their chicken and hot wings to authentically capture the essence of Korean cuisine. Thus, Smoke N Seoul was born.

Now, the menu spans from tangy pulled pork kimchi sandwiches to smoked pork belly tacos crowned with mango kimchi and gochujang mayo, and beyond. And let’s not forget the signature sides—kimchi potato salad, Asian slaw, and a four-cheese mac served with sautéed tangy kimchi.

The duo’s next move involves establishing a kitchen inside Transport Brewery in Gardner, where the food truck currently resides. Their aspiration is to make the brewery their home base, while dispatching their food truck to various locations. They have their sights set on Shawnee as the next destination on their culinary journey.

Smoke N Seoul’s hours and location details can be found here.