Jill Wendholt Silva
Contributor
Jill 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. Reach her at jill@jillsilvafood.com.
Stories by Jill Wendholt Silva
Getting A Shot: FIFA Copyright Restrictions Hamper Marketing Efforts for Historic Northeast Food Businesses
Third story in a three-part series When Joyce Watts of Boujee Bakery began to update her website with promotions to lure soccer fans to her location east of downtown, she ran into an unexpected roadblock. FIFA World Cup 2026 is protected intellectual property, and according to the local Community Activation Playbook, it may only be…
Getting A Shot: Language Skills Might Be World Cup Advantage for Independence Avenue Eateries
Second story in a three-part series Inside the colorful Mexican mercados, carnicerias, taquerias, cafes, panaderias and paleterias accenting Independence Avenue, Spanish is the first language for most shop owners and their customers. The Historic Northeast is home to one of the largest and fastest-growing Hispanic populations in Kansas City, and the ability to communicate with…
Getting A Shot: International Restaurateurs Fear Being Overlooked by World Cup Fans
First story in a three-part series Soccer players love suqaar. Pronounced sooh-car, the chicken version of this traditional Somali dish is the No. 1 best seller at Yasmeen Cafe, located at 1447 Independence Ave. Chef/owner Abdul Hatimi sautés chicken thighs rubbed with a rich mixture freshly ground from whole spices, including cumin, coriander, black pepper,…
Vegan Ice Cream Pop-Up Offers Diverse Scoops
After putting in a 24-hour shift at Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Station 5, Zoe Mays chills out by dreaming up flavors for Scream Queens, the gay-owned, vegan ice cream pop-up she started about 18 months ago. The 31-year-old firefighter paramedic lives in Kansas City’s Hyde Park neighborhood, so the drive home is the perfect time…
‘I Absolutely Refuse to Fail’: Blue Springs Woman Battles For National Spot in Frozen Dessert Aisles
Denisha Jones is poised to turn America’s devotion to apple pie on its peach cobbler head. The Blue Springs mother of four is founder of Sweet Peaches Cobblers. Since 2021, she has stood out among her Kansas City area frozen dessert makers by selling 40,000 frozen cobblers in 660 supermarkets throughout the Midwest, including Sun…
Lady Pitmasters Work to Break Barbecue’s Gender Stereotypes
Work in a barbecue joint can involve hoisting 85-pound cases of brisket and cleaning away the soot, grease, and grime inside the pits. No place for a woman? Tell that to aspiring pitmaster Veronica Scroggins and her mentor Scott Umscheid, owner of Scott’s Kitchen & Catering at Hangar 29, located in a former car rental…
When Going Under the Knife Does Not Mean Surgery
Chef Educator Rachel Ciordas deftly sliced collard greens into a ribbon-like chiffonade as students from the University of Kansas School of Medicine watched with a degree of awe typically reserved for an episode of the Food Network’s “Chopped.” After Ciordas demonstrated how to peel, chop, or grate the raw ingredients, the future physicians donned aprons…
Cracking Egg-flation
Whether ordering an omelet, French toast, chicken n’ biscuits, chilaquiles, corned beef hash or eggs Benedict, eggs play a starring role at The Farmhouse. “When you’re a brunch and breakfast place, eggs are everything,” said Vince Paredes, executive chef and co-owner of the award-winning farm-to-table brunch venue in the River Market. “We bake with eggs….
Former Brewer Hones New Passion for Jewish Grandma Food
Michael Crane’s quest for a perfect pastrami on rye started six months ago after he ordered the standard Jewish deli classic while enjoying lunch with his wife. Eager to relish a sandwich of mouthwatering, smoked, cured, and spiced brisket piled high on slices of sturdy, slightly earthy rye bread, Crane was disappointed when served a…
Noodle Kugel Recipe from Local Brewer Michael Crane
Grandma Brynia’s Noodle Kugel To see more about local brewer Michael Crane and his passion for Jewish Grandma food, see our recent story from Jill Wendholt Silva. A noodle casserole that can be savory or sweet, Crane’s version contains sweet raisins. Makes 12 servings 12 ounces wide egg noodles Ingredients Instructions 1. Preheat oven to…