(KANSAS CITY, Mo) by Sarah Unruh 

 Chef Joshua Stone has lived all over the United States, but one thing in his life has been consistent, his love of food and cooking for others. His grandmother first got him in the kitchen and he was hooked. He got his start professionally as a teenager working in small restaurants near his hometown of Valley Falls, Kansas.

   Once he graduated, he spent the next 20 years in the hotel industry, cooking in everything from interstate hotels to resorts in Oklahoma, Phoenix, Los Angeles and his personal favorite, New Orleans. After moving and honing his skills in very different cities, he decided to come back to the Midwest to a job at the University of Kansas. The experience at the school was quite different from his past jobs and was fun and challenging.

    Three years later, he and his family put down roots in KC and he became Executive Chef at the Marriott airport hotel. In October 2021, during the pandemic, Chef Joshua joined the team at T-Mobile Center. In honor of National Chef Day, here’s a little bit about the man serving delicious food to thousands of guests inside KC’s downtown arena!

How do you keep the menu fresh or come up with new ideas? 

I’m lucky to have an amazing team of talented and diverse culinarians with me at the arena. We work together to keep up with the trends and always bring new and exciting ideas to the fans we serve. 

What is your favorite thing to cook when working at T-Mobile Center?

That’s a tough one! If I had to choose, I would go with our 12-hour smoked brisket. It’s juicy, tender and amazing with some tangy barbecue sauce. I’ll also mention that one of my favorite events to cook for is the Veterans Community Project; it’s a fantastic cause with incredible people, and I love being a part of it.  

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

This one’s a toss-up. Cajun food is near and dear to my heart, so Jambalaya has to be on top of the list, but I also love having family over for a pizza party!  I’ll make a batch of dough and hand stretch the crusts so everyone can top their own pies and toss them in the brick oven; that’s the meal I look forward to the most. 

When did your passion for cooking start? 

I attribute my passion for cooking to my grandmother. She lived with us when I was young and therefore, I spent a lot of time sitting around the table snapping green beans with her. From the time I was 6 until she passed, we spent a lot of time in that kitchen making bierocks, stews and pies. She showed me how to pick the best produce and I still use her tricks to this day. 

What can guests look forward to getting from T-Mobile Center that they can’t get at any other venue? 

We pride ourselves on delivering excellent food and excellent service in every corner of the arena, but if I had to pick one dish that stands out, I would go with our Brick Oven Nachos! It’s an amazing item. 

Any fun stories from your time working here at T-Mobile Center?

One that comes to mind is when I met Paul Rudd! In this industry, I’ve been fortunate to meet some amazing public figures, but I never thought I’d be as star struck as when I met him. I ran into him backstage and he thanked me for the spread, to which I replied “You’re Paul Rudd.” Definitely not my most eloquent moment, but I’ll always remember it!