Todd Stoner and Tom Gescheidle, the two T’s, are both Culinary Institute of America graduates and trained professional chefs with a combined 40+ years of experience in the hospitality industry. Both come from multiple generations in the culinary, hospitality and educational fields. Todd’s father is also a Culinary Institute of America graduate, and both Tom’s and Todd’s fathers are trustee emeriti of the Institute.
From Dream to Reality
Tom and Todd were in Texas for a wedding when they discovered a shared passion for barbeque. Then and there, they made a commitment to each other that they would someday have their own barbeque restaurant. About a year and a half later, they fulfilled that commitment, opening Smokin’ T’s Barbeque Restaurant in Long Grove, Illinois. Todd is the driving force for the recipes and food of Smokin’ T’s and has loved barbeque his whole life. Tom is the true driving force behind the concept and business part of Smokin’ T’s. It was only after Tom decided to leave his job and pursue that their dream became a reality. Tom is the operating partner and has been able to take Todd’s recipes and their shared vision to create a restaurant that they are both truly proud of.
The Goal
Todd and Tom are both in this for their families and to change the way the public perceives barbeque. They want their customers to be able to eat and enjoy the highest quality barbeque in a friendly environment which will bring customers back time and time again.
Smokin' T's Barbecue Philosophy
Our barbeque is diverse; it is not defined by a specific region, but by the ability to create great dishes that have evolved from the techniques and traditions of all the barbeque regions of the United States. We believe you must start with great ingredients to make a great product. We have worked with our meat distributor, David Yourd of JDY Meats of Chicago, for several years, which is why he understands our high standards and delivers the best pork, chicken and beef for our barbeque.
We have worked hard to make sure our barbeque has just enough spices and smoke to suit everyone’s taste, from the barbeque novice to the aficionado. We want everyone to enjoy our food. We feel our sides are as important as our meat. Sides and sauces should complement the barbeque and even stand out by themselves. Our goal is to have just as many people come back for the sides as they would for the barbeque. As culinarians at heart, we believe every sauce and side should be created from scratch, using only the finest ingredients.
Our Core Values
We will never forget to express our gratitude for our customers’ business by serving the best food possible.
We will always treat all of our employees like family.
We will never compromise our standards for barbeque.
We are committed to improving our products and service every day.
We will learn from both our successes and failures to continue perfecting the products and service of Smokin’ T’s Bar-B-Que.