After a decade-long journey building his BBQ business — from a tailgate catering company to a just-opened brick-and-mortar restaurant. Wardell Hooks Jr. would only change one thing along the way: He’d have quit his full-time job sooner.
“My thing is the joy,” said Hooks, founder of Off the Hook BBQ, describing the feeling of accomplishment from his venture finally meeting its potential.
“Something I created, worked my tail off to do, sleepless nights. The journey I’ve been on. All the mountains I had to climb, then fell back three or four steps. I’m giving praise to the Heavenly Father who always got me through.”
The restaurant opened Thursday at 7506 N. Oak Trafficway, Gladstone, on the first floor of Parkside Apartments.
Hooks is offering a limited menu through July 28: chopped brisket, sliced brisket, pulled pork, ribs, jumbo chicken wings, hot dogs (topped with brisket, cheese and jalapenos), quesadillas, nacho fries, and nachos.
On July 29, he’ll roll out the full menu including breakfast burritos, and sandwiches with a choice of sides. Entrees will come with two sides and include Cajun Andouille Sausage for $12.99; sparerib dinner $19; burnt ends $20.99; and slab of spareribs (price to be determined).
“People jump into the restaurant business,” Hooks said. “But I wanted to build my clientele. People know us so much now I think the restaurant will be successful.”
Slow-cooked recipe
Hooks was a preteen when he began whipping up basic meals — fried bologna, sausage and bacon, cookies and more. But by his mid-teens he was a self-taught pitmaster, but a career in logistics kept his talent inside the box.
About a decade ago, 50-year-old Hooks was a full-time manager for UPS when he slowly started building his BBQ career. And with about 90 barbecue locations in the Kansas City metro, he knew competition would be fierce.
So he first sought a foundation of followers — catering tailgate parties at Kansas City Chiefs games, backyard birthday parties, weddings, graduations, anniversaries and other special events.
After a couple of years he bought a food truck. Then he opened a walkup window on Main Street in downtown Parkville, selling a limited menu of barbecue and sides to-go only.
Two years ago, he closed the walk-up window to concentrate on what would ultimately become the new restaurant in Gladstone. Hooks had hoped to open in November, but construction issues pushed its debut back for months.
A busy opening
When the time came for a soft opening, Hooks posted a notice on the Off the Hook BBQ website, invited his community at Vineyard Church in Smithville, and told a few friends and family members.
That would make for a steady first day, he hoped, operating with just a limited menu.
But a crowd showed up in full force — giving Hooks hugs and snapping photos when he had a three-minute lull to briefly step out to the dining room. Those who know him praised Hooks as both a pitmaster and person.
The hungry customers didn’t stop coming — from construction workers to nearby residents to people just driving down bustling North Oak Trafficway and seeing all the cars in his parking lot.
By the 7:45 p.m. closing that Thursday Hooks had run out of ribs and was down to his last bit of sliced brisket, chopped brisket and pulled pork.
He took Friday off to regroup, buy more meat, and make the kitchen operations more efficient, including adding another kitchen employee. Hooks smoked all Friday night into Saturday morning before reopening.
“I’m very thankful for everyone who came out to support us,” he said.
Topping off the menu
As Off the Hook BBQ gets its footing, the expanded menu is expected to include cheeseburgers, chicken chunks, a four-cheese mac and cheese topped with brisket; loaded baked potato, nachos with a choice of meat, onion straws, potato skins, and quesadillas with brisket/pork/chicken, pepper jack and candied jalapeno sauce. Kids meals also are planned.
Sides will include beans, mac and cheese, fries, applesauce and potato salad.
For dessert, look for triple chocolate chip cookies with butterscotch morsels, and gooey butter cake.
Hooks plans to sell meat by the pound: burnt ends, sliced brisket, chopped brisket, turkey burnt ends, pulled chicken, pulled pork and Cajun Andouille sausage. He’s bottling both his original and his spicy barbecue sauce.
Hours are set for 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, through July 28.
Regular hours begin July 29: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays are closed; targeting the space for private events only.
This story was originally published by Startland News, a fellow member of the KC Media Collective.
