Can real Kansas City barbecue ever really be considered fine dining?
Scott Umscheid, chef and owner of Scott’s Kitchen, answered that question with a definitive and resounding “yes” at a recent American Royal Farm to Table Dinner in the Royal’s Governor’s Building in the West Bottoms.
Given the opportunity to show off just how elegantly satisfying slow-smoked meat can be, Umscheid channeled his inner Escoffier—seasoned with a splash of Henry Perry—to create a memorable four-course dining experience.
The appetizer course was a smoked lamb “lollipop,” a single rib from a rack of lamb napped with a creamy mustard-thyme sauce and served with Parmesan crostini. The sauce was a delight—bold enough to stand up to smoked lamb but still subtle and nuanced.
Next came a summertime spinach salad with strawberries, bacon, feta cheese, purple onion and candied pecans, all tossed in a sweet onion vinaigrette. Yes, there was a lot going on there, but a vivid, dominant flavor from the truly ripe strawberries brought the varied ingredients together into a harmonious whole. Given the evening’s theme, the bacon was a must, playing a substantial supporting role.
The main course was a mixed grill that paired a classic from Umscheid’s restaurant, Berkshire pork spare ribs, with a sweet barbecue glaze. It had a stunning partner: a smoked Akaushi beef short rib topped with a mushroom and red wine reduction. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes and roasted green beans with Parmesan and lemon completed the plate.
The pork ribs demonstrated why Scott’s Kitchen is one of the metro’s most celebrated barbecue houses, and the short rib was astoundingly good, with beef that didn’t need slow-smoking to be wonderful yet was still enhanced with a true pitmaster’s skill. This was an example of barbecue worthy of the classic French sauce it bore.
The massive entree platters elicited gasps as they came to the table, along with more than a few diners asking, “We’re getting to-go boxes, right?” (Yes, they were provided.)
The potatoes and vegetables were no mere afterthoughts. The citrusy, tender-firm green beans were particularly delightful.
Dessert was smoke-free but no less satisfying: a dulce de leche and caramelized banana verrine with whipped vanilla cream, dark chocolate shavings and puff pastry crisps.
Elizabeth Gunter, event coordinator for the American Royal, says the dinner—the first of three farm-to-table meals the organization is hosting this year—is designed to show off local agricultural products and producers and demonstrate the Royal’s mission of celebrating food and agriculture and preserving its stature in the community for generations to come.
“We want to inspire positive conversations around the diversity of food and agriculture through a unique dining experience,” Gunter says. “This year, our organization wanted to continue to highlight local products and farmers and feature our barbecue history with local pitmasters.”
Umscheid, a self-described “4H and FFA kid from Wamego, Kansas,” was the perfect choice to lead off. He says he was thrilled with the opportunity to spread his wings and take classic barbecue to a higher level.
“I loved it,” he says. “It’s great when you get a chance to do something new and different. This really hits home for a kid from Wamego.”
Local producers played a major role. The lamb was provided by Cannington Farms near Smithville, a ranch owned and operated by Umscheid’s wife’s sister, Amy Gray, and her husband, Tom. The Akaushi beef was provided by Paradise Locker Meats in Trimble, Missouri. Much of the produce came from Farm Wife’s Table, a farm and market also in the Smithville area.
The final farm-to-table dinner will be a non-barbecue event hosted by the Saddle and Sirloin Club of Kansas City on Nov. 9. Tickets and information are available at the American Royal website.
