Jill Wendholt Silva
Flatland contributorJill Wendholt Silva is Kansas City’s James Beard award-winning food editor and writer. For nearly three decades she has been a leading voice on diverse topics ranging from food trucks to food desserts. She considers herself fortunate to have hung out with butchers, bakers and barbecue pitmasters during her tenure at The Kansas City Star.
Recently she has been eating flan, drinking Brazilian caipirinhas and forking up food stories for an array of media platforms. You can follow Silva at @jillsilvafood.
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Up and down the Independence Avenue corridor, the 131 mostly immigrant- and refugee-owned businesses are checking their websites and online reviews, spiffing up their social media profiles, and hiring staff — all in the hopes of getting new visitors for the World Cup. -
Spanish is the first language used in many of the restaurants along Independence Avenue in Northeast Kansas City. The language fluency may be one of their biggest draws as visitors from Mexico, South and Central America come to town for World Cup games. -
Historic Northeast Kansas City has undergone significant renovation featuring new shops and restaurants. But some small business owners don't think the city's promoting them — and World Cup visitors won't know they exist. -
Zoe Mays started Scream Queens about 18 months ago. In her time away from her firefighting job, she dreams up unique flavors such as Scream, Slumber Party Snack and Affogayto. -
Veronica Scroggins of Scott's Kitchen is the latest on a short list of successful female pitmasters in the Kansas City area. She and others say the industry is still dominated by males, and mentors can be hard to find. -
The USDA’s Food Price Outlook reports egg prices increased 53% over the past year, and prices are predicted to continue to rise another 41% in 2025. The soaring price of eggs has forced many restaurants and bakeries in the Kansas City region to adjust their menu or raise prices. -
Jon Szajnuk, who sells bread on weekends at the Brookside Farmers Market, is quickly outgrowing his Kansas City home and looking to move into a full bakery. Szajnuk sources his flours from West Bottoms business Marion Milling, which works directly with local farms. -
Beginning today, a record 225 restaurants will offer menus at price tiers of $20, $40 and $55, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Kanbe's Markets. And by popular demand, brunch is a new addition to the slate of options. -
Laura Comer, executive chef of the Kauffman Center, has come out victorious from both Hulu's "Chef vs. Wild" and the Food Network's "Guy's Grocery Games." She's just the latest Kansas City chef to be featured in national cooking competition shows. -
Unable to afford a state license, Melissa Lewis accepts donations for her whimsical creations, often adorned with fondant marijuana leaves or Tootsie Roll blunts. She says there's demand for THC-infused edibles beyond gummies or drinks.
