Hamkke
DE SOTO, KANSAS | OCTOBER 2023
Inside the big red barn at Kill Creek Farm, just outside of Kansas City, there’s a small framed print-out: “Give guidance to the caretakers of this barn that it might continue to be a place of joyful gathering, a place of learning, a place of shelter, and a place that hold memories of good times past.”
The mission of the farm is to promote the agricultural history of Johnson County, Kansas, but the Zimmerman family, who have owned the farm since 1949, know that to preserve history, you must bring people together in the present. So, the big red barn is a gathering place for the community, from weddings and events to weekly farmers markets. The construction of the barn itself was a community event, and first gathering held inside was a dinner thanking all those involved with that process. It was our joy to get to write our own little part in their history with a fall Supper on the lawn, complete with beautiful Maker’s Mark cocktails and plentiful cheers to friendships, new and old.
Chef Keeyoung Kim bring his own reverence for the past to his cuisine, reaching back to the Korean comfort food of his childhood for inspiration. He is constantly trying to push the envelope to offer a bold new version of his 90’s Korean favorites, though, whether that means reinventing his mom’s home-cooked dishes or offering Korean fried chicken with a KFC twist.
He created a wonderful menu of Korean favorites to share, each course paired with wines from Rodney Strong Vineyards. The Supper was sweet, relaxed, and full of convivial energy, so much so that a large chunk of the table left together to keep the night going long after the sun set — and rumors have it we may have a Supper-sparked romance brewing! Just like the barn, we always aim for our table to be a place of joyful gathering, of learning, of shelter in community, and a place to hold (and relive) memories of good times past. We hope to cheers to this Supper around another table full of friends and good company in the future!
WELCOME
Taking inspiration from Chef Keeyong’s talent for twisting classics, Maker’s Mark welcomed everyone with two creative cocktails, an Autumn Sour celebrating the spice of the season and a Green Tea Highball to excite everyone’s senses for the Korean feast to come.
A MENU BY KEEYOUNG KIM
Chef Keeyoung Kim did not disappoint with either his creativity or innovation at this Supper. True to his signature style, he offered a cheeky twist on Kansas City’s claim to fame, serving Korean BBQ alongside a few other classic Korean dishes. The entire meal was personal, fun, and totally delicious.
MENU
WELCOME
Grilled Tofu Bites
Whipped Sweet Potato fried garlic
Dak Kochi (Chicken Skewers) sweet gochujang garlic glaze
Cocktails
Maker's Mark Autumn Sour
Maker's Mark Green Tea Highball
ON THE TABLE
Banchan napa cabbage kimchi, pickled cucumbers, curried potato salad
FIRST
Soba Noodle Salad frisée, fall fruit, red onions, red peppers, soba noodles, gochujang-pear vinaigrette
Wine: 2021 Rodney Strong Rose of Pinot Noir
SECOND
Roasted Veggie Bibimbap rice, Korean broccolini, carrots, mushrooms, pickled onions, soy citrus glaze and gochujang sauce
Wine: Davis Bynum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
MAIN
Korean BBQ soy-ginger marinated steak, gochujang-garlic marinated ribs
Forbidden Rice and Ssam bibb lettuce, perilla leaf, garlic, Korean pepper, ssamjang
Wine: 2017 Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
DESSERT
Pumpkin Red Bean Vanilla Cheesecake soju caramel
Cocktail: Maker's Mark Black + Gold
WINE PAIRINGS
For this fall Supper, we celebrated each course with wines from Rodney Strong. Their signature Rose of Pinot Noir started things off alongside cold soba noodle salad. Then, we moved into reds, serving Davis Bynum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir with roasted veggie bibimbap and a big Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with Korean BBQ.
NIGHTCAP
With a nod to fall, Chef Keeyong served a pumpkin red bean vanilla cheesecake with soju caramel for dessert, the perfect pairing for a Maker's Mark Black + Gold cocktail to complete the meal!
SECRET LOCATION: THE BARN AT KILL CREEK FARM
The titular timber frame barn at Kill Creek Farm is actually the second one of its kind on the site. The first historic structure was brought to the property and reconstructed on-site, with the help of Amish craftsmen, in 1994 by Darrel Zimmerman. It hosted countless gatherings, weddings, parties, and a weekly farmers market until a tornado took it down in 2010. The community once again came together to construct a new barn in the legacy of the award-winning historical structure that had blown away, and the joyful gatherings have continued since!
