Andy and Dee Dee Kohn, owners of über-sized, über-successful EdgeWild Restaurant & Winery in Chesterfield, along with partner/developer Chris La Rocca, are delving into the barbeque biz.
“We’ve come up with what we feel is a good concept in a good location,” says Andy Kohn, “along with a qualified, experienced chef to make it all happen.”
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The concept is barbeque, the name is WildSmoke, the chef is Tony Collida, and the location has been “secured, but is not final,” according to Kohn, who was a bit more cautious about making firm predictions as he was when discussing his last restaurant deal.
In February of 2013, Kohn and company were thisclose to securing the former Busch’s Grove in Ladue as the site for a second EdgeWild, but the deal ultimately fell through and alas, the building at 9160 Clayton Road still lies vacant.
Additional EdgeWild locations are not out of the question, according to Kohn, but there was an underlying desire to take advantage of the local BBQ craze and strike while the smoker is hot, literally: Kohn purchased a gas-assisted/wood-fired Old Hickory smoker, the same one used by Pappy’s and Bogart’s, the pit many pitmasters consider the gold standard.
Stoking the smoker is Tony Collida. Fans of the Piccadilly at Manhattan know of him, at least indirectly. He’s the son of Piccadilly owners Nick and Maggie Collida and the yeoman responsible for the Pic’s killer ribs and smoked chicken. Collida joined Kohn’s group a month ago and has been busy tinkering with specials and recipes, using EdgeWild’s “Smokin’ Sundays” (2 p.m. to when the ‘que runs out) as a testing ground. Early successes are his maple-infused turkey and smoked prime rib (the latter was a standout at Piccadilly).
A big emphasis at WildSmoke will be the quality and variety of chef-driven side dishes, says Kohn. Credit Mike Johnson of Sugarfire Smokehouse for making BBQ side dishes as memorable as the ‘que itself. Collida and EdgeWild’s exec chef Aaron Baggett (read about him here) are collaborating on the recipes.
When licenses (and that smoker) get approved, Kohn says to expect a more upscale BBQ experience, fast casual service but using china and decent flatware. Kohn quips that “No one says that BBQ only tastes good if its eaten at picnic tables on wax paper with a bunch of curly tailed pigs on the walls.”
If all goes well, expect a touch more hickory and cherrywood smoke to waft into the suburban air about the first of the year.
