Keepers of the Fire and Feast
MO Smoke BBQ didn’t start in a restaurant.
It started in the middle of the 2020 shutdown.
But the roots of it go back much further.
I was born and raised just outside of Kansas City, Missouri — where barbecue isn’t just food, it’s a way of life. My family was deeply involved in the cattle business, and from an early age I learned the value of hard work, quality meat, and doing things the right way.
That foundation never left.
When everything closed down in 2020, a few friends asked me to cook. Then a few more. Then people I didn’t even know were calling, looking for real BBQ when there wasn’t much left open.
So I leaned into it.
What started as cooking for friends turned into setting up a small tent at a local bar during pool tournaments — just trying to see if this thing had a future.
It did.
We took the next step — bought a trailer, built it out, and started working local events. Back then, it was just me and my kids running everything.
Then Chris joined the crew.
And not long after that, we got accepted into the Medieval Faire of Tennessee.
That show changed everything.
It kicked our butts the first year — but the experience, the people, and what we learned there laid the foundation for everything MO Smoke would become.
As the business grew, so did the crew.
Paula came on when my kids couldn’t travel as much.
Karissa joined part-time.
Lucas stepped in.
And others along the way helped us keep pushing forward.
Then in 2022, life hit hard.
After a divorce, I almost walked away from all of it.
But my now wife, Tiffany, wouldn’t let me.
She told me to give it a few more shows — see if the fire was still there.
It was.
From that point on, everything changed.
Tiffany became a driving force behind the business.
The crew rallied.
And MO Smoke started becoming what it was always meant to be.
Today, MO Smoke BBQ is built on a core crew:
Derek, Tiffany, Chris, Paula, Karissa, and Lucas
This isn’t just a team — it’s the heart of everything we do.
We’ve spent the last five years learning, refining, and pushing to get better every single show.
No shortcuts.
No gimmicks.
Just real BBQ, built with smoke, fire, and a crew that gives a damn.
We’re not just here to cook.
We’re here to bring the feast. 🔥