One day each summer, the smell of hickory smoke replaces the scent of fresh-cut grass at Kansas City Chiefs training camp.
For Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, it’s become one of the most anticipated traditions of camp.
Zarda Bar-B-Q returned to Missouri Western State University this week for its 38th consecutive year serving the Chiefs, feeding more than 200 players, coaches and staff with hundreds of pounds of smoked meat and homemade sides.
According to Zarda COO Terry Hyer, the annual meal has become a favorite stop for the Chiefs’ biggest stars.
Terry Hyer Reveals Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce’s Favorite Zarda Orders
Hyer said Mahomes and Kelce have developed their own traditions whenever Zarda arrives at training camp.
“Patrick, he was all about the ribs. And so Patrick made a point to go after the ribs,” Hyer said in an Instagram post on Zarda’s official account.
Kelce, meanwhile, heads straight for the burnt ends.
“Travis is a burnt ends guy,” Hyer said. “And you know what’s funny is, two years ago on his podcast, he was talking to his brother Jason, and he said, ‘Man, you’re at training camp, and you smell the smoke and it’s sort of a barbecue.’ We couldn’t believe it when we were watching the show and he mentioned it, but it just kind of was a shock. God dang, man. On that one meal, that one day at training camp.”
Hyer was referring to comments Kelce made on the “New Heights” podcast, where the Chiefs tight end described how much he looks forward to Zarda’s annual visit during training camp.
“They just throw the barbecue sauce on every table… you just douse that stuff with it… and it slaps,” Kelce said on the podcast.
For Hyer and the Zarda team, hearing Kelce mention the restaurant on one of the country’s biggest sports podcasts came as a complete surprise.
Zarda Has Fed the Chiefs at Training Camp for 38 Straight Years
The tradition dates back nearly four decades and has become one of the signature off-the-field moments of Chiefs training camp.
This year, Zarda prepared enough food to feed more than 200 players, coaches and staff.
The menu included:
1,440 hot honey wings, a new addition this year
80 slabs of ribs
110 pounds of burnt ends
100 pounds of pulled pork
40 pounds of smoked turkey
12 gallons of burnt end baked beans
12 gallons of cheesy potato bake
White cheddar macaroni and cheese
Zarda Original, Bold & Spicy, Apple Harvest and Fiery Lil’ Ghost barbecue sauces
Earlier in the week, staff at Zarda’s Blue Springs restaurant spent hours smoking hundreds of pounds of meat before transporting everything to St. Joseph for Day 8 of training camp.
The Kelce Brothers fan account also shared behind-the-scenes photos from the annual meal, including a 2014 throwback image of Kelce alongside Hyer.
“Zarda loves feeding the Chiefs,” they said after another successful year serving the team.
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