After six years operating a weekend barbecue spot in Kansas City's West Bottoms, Chef J BBQ plans to launch its first traditional outdoor smokehouse in North Kansas City. The new venue, set for early summer 2026, will feature live-fire cooking visible to patrons. Owners Justin Easterwood and Terra Whipple aim to expand their craft barbecue operation amid the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Chef J BBQ, known for its weekend-only lunches in the West Bottoms, is expanding to a full-scale restaurant in North Kansas City. The new location occupies the 5,400-square-foot southern end of the former Calibration Brewery building at 1900 Clay St. Owners Justin “Chef J” Easterwood and fiancée Terra Whipple hope to open in early summer 2026, coinciding with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The venue will emphasize transparency in barbecue preparation, with offset smokers and live fire next to a large outdoor patio. Customers can observe the process and interact with pitmasters. “We’re putting the barbecue front-and-center,” Easterwood said. “You can see the product. Walk outside and talk to the pitmaster. Ask questions. ‘How long do you cook this? How do you get it to taste like this?’ Talk to the meat cutter. Fresh, cut-to-order barbecue.”
Meats will cook low and slow for up to 18 hours, featuring classics like brisket, pulled pork, turkey breast, housemade sausage, bacon burnt ends, pork ribs, and barbecue Frito pie, alongside sandwiches and sides. New additions include housemade breads, pastries, and elevated dinner specials inspired by Easterwood's Italian grandmother. “Same craft and quality but a full-scale, lunch and dinner restaurant space that we can be proud of and you can come and get it at any time,” Easterwood said.
Easterwood's culinary roots trace to his grandmother's kitchen, where he learned pasta and sausage making, and early jobs at Original Pizza in Independence Center starting at age 14. A fan of Emeril Lagasse, he experimented with backyard barbecues in his late teens, progressing to tailgates and catering before launching Chef J BBQ in early 2020 at 1401 W. 13th St., Suite G, in the West Bottoms' The Beast building. The COVID-19 shutdown hit soon after opening Thursdays through Sundays, but the operation grew with landlord support.
The West Bottoms site will continue operating, while the new location employs over 30 staff. Chef J BBQ also serves at Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums. Earlier plans for Pennway Point were abandoned due to construction delays. Whipple manages business aspects, including marketing and HR. “We’ve always approached it as a craft. The time and labor that goes into old school barbecue is a lot. But it has worked really well for us,” Easterwood said. “We’re likely to be the new smell of North Kansas City.”
Note: Sources provide varying addresses for the building (1900 Clay St., 119 Armour Rd., 1340 Burlington St.), but the primary description uses 1900 Clay St.
