Best in BBQ

Best in BBQ

How Smokey D's became central Iowa's destination for championship barbecue

By Haley Banwart

For Darren and Sherry Warth, owners of Smokey D’s BBQ in Des Moines, barbecue isn’t just a business – it’s a lifestyle.

Since opening their first catering company in 2006, which was then a small trailer in the couple’s driveway, barbecue has taken the Warths to events, competitions and destinations across the country.

The road has been a rich source from which the self-taught pit masters have often drawn inspiration.

“Running our own business has allowed us to live the American dream,” Darren shares. “When we’re not at the restaurant managing the day-to-day operations, we love to travel and track down the best food wherever we are, then come home and try to recreate it.”

That drive to perfect their craft helped Darren and Sherry turn what started as a hobby into a full-time career.

Hitting the BBQ Circuit

Before Smokey D’s BBQ was a household name, the Warths experimented with a smoker in their backyard. Darren, an avid hunter, noted how expensive it was to outsource the processing for his deer sausage, so he decided to try and tackle the technique on his own.

“Whenever I stick my mind to something, I go 100% all in,” Darren says. “I started researching and quickly found myself gravitating toward more of the barbecue segment of the trade. From then on, we always had the grill fired up, practicing at home or cooking for friends at Iowa State University tailgates.”

When Darren and Sherry made a trip to Kansas City to visit the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, the world’s largest barbecue contest, the Warth’s interest in barbeque heated up to more than a weekend pastime.

“We were immediately welcomed by the competition community and were drawn by the fellowship and competitive edge of the experience,” says Darren. “We knew right away this was something we wanted to pursue.”

A year later, the Warths had put together a team and competed in their first barbecue contest in Sedalia, Missouri, as the “Smokin’ Clones” where they received two top 10 calls.

Owners Darren and Sherry Warth offer championship-level barbecue in the heart of central Iowa.

Growing the Business

As the Warths continued to master their craft at competitions, they began exploring ways to grow their passion for good barbecue into a part-time catering business. The only problem was their new venture took off faster than the couple, who were still working their full-time jobs, could keep up.

“By the end of our first year of catering for weddings and corporate events, we were running ourselves ragged,” says Darren. “Then, in 2007, an opportunity presented itself for us to quit our day jobs. We found a little hole in the wall on NW 54th Avenue in Des Moines and opened our first catering and carryout kitchen.”

That same year, the Warths changed their barbecue competition name to Smokey D’s BBQ, which they also adopted as the name for their new kitchen. Over the next two years, Smokey D’s BBQ would expand to two new locations in downtown Des Moines.

By 2010, the Warths had outgrown their first kitchen and made the jump to a full-scale catering business and restaurant, relocating to 2nd Avenue in Des Moines, where the famous establishment’s signature red roof can still be spotted from Interstate 80 today.

Recognized on the National BBQ Map

In the course of one day, Darren and Sherry had increased Smokey D’s BBQ’s footprint by 500 seats, but that wasn’t the only way they began cooking up more name recognition in the area.

In 2013, Smokey D’s BBQ was featured in an episode of the popular Food Network television series Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives hosted by American restaurateur Guy Fieri. The show aired and officially put Smokey D’s on the national barbecue map.

It was a banner year for the Warths as they also took home their first World BBQ Championship title at the American Royal competition that fall. Since then, Darren, Sherry and their team have earned numerous awards and accolades in championship barbecue.

While Darren and Sherry travel to fewer competitions today than when they started, they continue to enjoy the camaraderie of their barbecue family. They now spend their time consulting with other entrepreneurs breaking into the industry and concepting their own spinoffs.

The latest additions to the Smokey D’s BBQ empire include two virtual kitchens – The Ornery Chicken and The Crafty Mac. Both eateries are located in Ankeny and are available for pick-up or delivery orders only.

“Whatever people want to buy, we try to embrace the trends and make the best version of it that we can,” says Darren. “As a family-owned business, we strive for consistency. To us, that means bringing our customers a quality product every time, in large portions and at an affordable price.”

The burnt ends sandwich is a customer favorite.

BBQ by the numbers

Each year, Smokey D’s BBQ serves up:

• 220,000 pounds of pork

• 25,000 pounds of turkey

• 150,000 pounds of beef

• 40,000 pounds of chicken