Behind the Pass: Chef Ryan Arensdorf

Chef Ryan Arensdorf grew up in the kitchen and has been cooking since he was a toddler, influenced by both his grandmothers. One taught him to cook meat and sauces, and how to bake perfect pies. The other handed down her knowledge of pickles and preserves, fried chicken, and all her down-home recipes. Customers at KC Que, Chef Ryan’s food truck, can experience her treasured recipe for Virginia sweet and spicy chunk pickles. 

His time in the kitchen as a child sparked his culinary curiosity and gave him a clear direction; he knew by the age of 8 that he wanted to be a chef. He studied culinary arts at Kendall College in Chicago, pursuing rigorous formal training that built a foundation in French and Italian cuisine. 

After graduating, Arensdorf worked with renowned chefs such as Martial Noguier and Todd Stein in Chicago, honing his skills in French and Italian fine dining as well as steakhouse fare in top kitchens like Café des Architectes at Sofitel Chicago Water Tower and the W Hotel Chicago Lakeshore. 

His career includes leadership roles at restaurants, hotels, and resorts, serving as Executive Chef at the luxury Salamander Resort & Spa in Virginia’s horse country, just outside Washington, D.C., and The Cottonwood Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska.  

THE BBQ DREAM  

Chef Ryan has spent countless hours experimenting with various outdoor cooking techniques and mastering the art of barbecue and participating in events around the country.  The lure of the smoke was strong.  

He decided to leave the fine dining restaurant world to share his food and mindset directly with others—cutting out the middleman. With his French influence and skills in slow-smoking, grilling, and using wood-fired ovens, Chef Ryan has found the perfect way to express his love for the open flame and the smoky aromas of barbecue.

Today, he shares that love in his aptly named KC Que food truck in Kansas City, MO. Drawing from his Midwestern roots and family traditions, Chef Ryan emphasizes fresh, high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and collaborative relationships with farmers and purveyors to shape his cuisine. His style blends refined technique with hearty flavors and seasonal local produce, and all his menus feature house-made items like his grandmother’s pickles. 

He’s a loyal Fortune customer, stocking brisket, pork belly, and shoulders, and the occasional shipment of live lobsters for his smoked crab and lobster roll special. 

Recently, the Fortune team gathered for our KC Showcase & BBQ Competition, bringing ranchers, fishers, cheesemakers, and other artisans together with chefs for a day of flavor, education, and good food. Chef Ryan entered the BBQ competition with his Niman Ranch brisket and burnt ends and won his round.      

Good Beef Makes Great BBQ  

Fortune is proud to offer Niman Ranch Angus in our beef portfolio. Their Angus cattle are raised by independent ranchers in the Midwest who are involved with the day-to-day care of their animals and allow them to grow at a natural rate. This is a true natural program—no antibiotics ever, no added hormones ever, and no animal by-products in the strictly vegetarian feed. Niman Ranch only offers Choice or higher grade, and their Angus beef consistently outperforms in marbling, color, and texture because of breed selection, genetics, feed, and raising practices.