Carl & Susan Thorne-Thomsen, Owners
Carl and Susan Thorne-Thomsen opened Story in May 2011. Story is a 9 time Wine Spectator “Best of Award of Excellence” recipient and was named to OpenTable's list of top 100 American fare restaurants in the United States.
Carl Thorne-Thomsen is a 2022 and 2013 James Beard semifinalist nominee for Best Chef Midwest. Carl was named Chef/Owner of the Year in 2019 by the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association. Carl was named Chef of the Year in 2022 by the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association. He is FOOD & WINE magazine's 2013 winner for The People's Best New Chef: Midwest and FOOD & WINE magazine’s 2014 winner for The People’s Best New Chef: National.
There is, of course, a story behind the name “Story”. It revolves around three themes that are a part of Carl’s beliefs. "The name Story is meant to signify that I'm a chef inspired and motivated by ingredients. I try to source ingredients carefully, locally when I can, but whether local or not, I always try to find the best, freshest, most interesting. Inevitably, the more time I spend looking for and learning about ingredients, the more I wind up knowing about them -- where they are grown, pastured, fished, etc. Frequently my imagination goes to work on those details and projects or produces a landscape or seascape, people at work in it -- a "story" of sorts about or behind a particular ingredient begins to shape itself in my mind. The name also refers to the "story" behind any given dish on the menu, why certain items are paired or not, where the idea came from or how it evolved. Lastly "story" refers to the meal itself, the diner's experience. Is it a special occasion, an anniversary or birthday for instance; is that the "story"? Is it friends in town, a first date, etc.? Sometimes, if the food, service and atmosphere are good, then the experience itself is the story."
twitter: @thornethomsen
instagram: @chefthornethomsen
facebook: facebook.com/carlthorne-thomsen
