Location Set for EdgeWild's BBQ Concept, WildSmoke

The owner of a Chesterfield restaurant who are eager to get into the St. Louis BBQ scene say his new restaurant concept could be open in the space currently occupied by Culpeppers in Creve Coeur at the Westgate shopping plaza before the end of the year.

WildSmoke has been in the works for months, according to Andy Kohn, co-owner of EdgeWild Restaurant & Winery in Chesterfield. Kohn said he scouted locations at Busch's Grove and Edwardsville before deciding on the Creve Coeur location, with access to Interstate 270 and Olive Boulevard as well as easy proximity to EdgeWild.

Kohn said he purchased an Old Hickory smoker and has been experimenting with it at EdgeWild. While taking nothing away from Pappy's and more recently, SugarFire in nearby Olivette, Kohn said he's hoping to bring a more "civilized" experience to the world of smoked meats.

Culpeppers representatives and property managers would not confirm the change, but the project is scheduled to go before the Creve Coeur Planning and Zoning Commission later this month to get approval for kitchen equipment, namely the hickory smoker, to be kept outside in space behind the restaurant.

City Planner Whitney Kelly said the application for the request came with the acknowledgement of the property owner.

Kohn said he's scheduled to take over the restaurant space September 1 and could be open by mid-November.