Strips Chicken in Lenexa is growing ingredients in their own backyard

Todd Johnson of Strips Chicken // Photo by: Rowan Bickelhaupt

Behind a familiar red-brick building in Lenexa, once home to a Wendy’s, something unexpected is happening. Rows of kale, okra, and tomatoes stretch across the back lot, surrounded by herbs and bright patches of flowers. The space is part kitchen garden, part pollinator paradise, and completely the vision of Strips Chicken owner Todd Johnson.

When Johnson visited a vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina, he discovered that the overall dining experience could be influenced by a small garden. “It wasn’t enough to feed the whole place, but it made me think we could do something like that. Just a small garden, enough to make it mean something,” he said.

The idea stuck with him after he returned home, serving as a reminder that thoughtful details can shape how guests connect with a place.

His personal history with farming made the idea feel familiar and achievable. “I grew up on a farm, so this kind of stuff has always been in my blood. When we opened the Lenexa spot, I saw that empty piece of land and thought, let’s make it work for us,” he said.

Habaneros // Photo by: Rowan Bickelhaupt

The garden now produces an impressive variety of crops: blackberry, raspberry, kale, brussels sprouts, habaneros, jalapeños, strawberries, basil, rosemary, thyme, okra, lettuce, cabbage, heirloom tomatoes, zinnias, milkweed, magnolias, pansies, cherry tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, onions, corn, garlic, zucchini, and squash. The pansies are even preserved in ice cubes for cocktails served inside the restaurant.

The garden has become both practical and educational. Johnson describes how it allows his staff and guests to see food grown firsthand.

“It took me starting a garden and having my staff go out and pick lettuce for them to realize what food looks like before it gets to the kitchen. Now people bring their kids out to pick cherry tomatoes straight from the vine,” he said.

Cherry tomatoes // Photo by: Rowan Bickelhaupt

For a restaurant that still occupies a recognizable fast-food footprint, the approach surprises many first-time visitors. Johnson said that while people often see the old Wendy’s building and assume it’s a fast food establishment, the reality is very different. “We make over 40 items from scratch. We crush the pretzels for our breading, hand-cut every piece of chicken, and now we’re even growing the produce ourselves,” he said.

The garden does not aim to replace distributors or supply every meal. Instead, it represents a return to care, with fresh herbs, lettuce, and seasonal vegetables making their way into dishes and specials.

Staff members often step outside to harvest ingredients that will appear on plates later the same day.

The garden reflects the same philosophy that defines Strips Chicken’s menu: focus on quality and scratch-made food, even in a casual setting. Fresh basil is used in sauces, and tomatoes and peppers appear in seasonal sides.

Johnson said it’s less about volume and more about integrity. If something can be made or grown in-house, it will be.

Brussels sprouts // Photo by: Rowan Bickelhaupt

What started as a handful of raised beds has evolved into an ongoing project that keeps growing. The staff helps with planting, weeding, and harvesting, while customers often stop to ask questions. Children picking cherry tomatoes witness food in its earliest stages, a lesson in patience and attention to detail.

The garden also supports wildlife. By late summer, the garden was teeming with monarch butterflies thanks to Johnson’s planting of milkweed. “I had dozens of chrysalis under the okra leaves. They’re kind of pale green with a glittery gold stripe around them, and sparkles of gold here. They’re really beautiful,” he said. What started as a chicken restaurant became a butterfly sanctuary.

Every season, the Strips Chicken garden will continue to bloom. While some crops flourish and others struggle, the dedication stays the same. Johnson and his team will continue planting, picking, and learning from the process. Every component from the Lenexa garden, from the first tomato harvested to the finished sandwich, narrates the tale of consideration and devotion that distinguishes Strips Chicken.