Competition BBQ · Catering · Greater St. Louis

Handcrafted BBQ, fired hot & served fast

Competition-proven barbecue, catered for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and graduations across Lake St. Louis, St. Charles County, and the greater St. Louis area.

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Who We Are

Who is The Burnt Crow?

The Burnt Crow is a competition barbecue team and BBQ caterer based in Lake St. Louis, Missouri. Friends Jim St. Gemme and Jeff Budde started the team in 2016 to test themselves on the contest circuit, and they still compete in St. Louis BBQ Society and Kansas City Barbeque Society contests. In 2026 the team was named Grand Champion at Smok’n in the Park and the Ryan Dintleman Classic, and took first place in ribs out of 360 teams at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open in Kansas City.

Everything is cooked hot and fast over real wood fire — brisket, pulled pork, St. Louis ribs, and chicken — with rubs, sauces, and sides made from scratch. The same recipes go from the judges’ table to your buffet line at weddings, corporate events, private parties, and graduations across Lake St. Louis, St. Charles County, and the greater St. Louis area.

Meet the team →

Planning an event?

Weddings, corporate events, parties, graduations — we bring the smoker to you.

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10+

Years behind the smoker

100+

Events catered

25+

Competition calls

8 Google reviews

Catering Services

BBQ catering for every occasion

From intimate gatherings to full-scale events, we smoke on site or deliver hot and ready to serve.

Two wedding rings interlocked with a carving fork, a flame rising behind them.

Weddings

Rehearsal dinners and receptions with buffet service your guests will line up for twice.

A covered chafing dish steaming beside a briefcase, with a city skyline behind them.

Corporate Events

Office lunches, client appreciation, and company picnics — on time, every time.

A backyard kettle grill in full flame under balloons and party bunting.

Private Parties

Backyard bashes, birthdays, and anniversaries with real pit BBQ.

A graduation cap and a ribboned diploma with fire and smoke rising behind.

Graduations

Feed the whole crew without spending the party in your kitchen.

A crowded event tent over a line of chafing dishes, with an offset smoker running alongside.

Large Events

Festivals, fundraisers, and crowds in the hundreds — we scale.

Something Else?

Tell us what you're planning and we'll build a menu around it.

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Catering Packages

Feed a crowd, competition style

Every event gets a custom quote — pick a starting point and we'll tailor it to your crowd.

The Backyard

Our classic spread for laid-back gatherings.

1 smoked meat
2 scratch-made sides
Buns, pickles & house sauce
Plates, utensils & napkins

25-guest minimum

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The Pitmaster

Two meats, three sides — our most popular package.

2 smoked meats
3 scratch-made sides
Buns, pickles & house sauce
Plates, utensils & napkins
Buffet setup & serving gear

25-guest minimum

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The Grand Champion

The full competition experience for big celebrations.

3 smoked meats
3 scratch-made sides
Dessert
Buns, pickles & house sauce
Plates, utensils & napkins
Full buffet setup & service

50-guest minimum

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See the full catering menu →

How It Works

From request to ribs in four steps

Tell us about your event
Send a catering request with your date, guest count, and location.
Plan your menu
We build a custom quote around your favorite meats and sides.
Reserve your date
Approve your quote and lock in the date with a deposit.
We fire the smokers
Your BBQ shows up hot, on time, and ready to impress.

Competition BBQ

Judged by the toughest crowds in BBQ

The same recipes we take to the judges' table go on your buffet line. Here's our top call from each recent contest.

The Burnt Crow started as a competition team, cooking against the best pitmasters in the Midwest. That obsession with tenderness, smoke, and flavor is what we bring to every catering job.

See All Results

7th
Pork — Gateway to the Ozarks BBQ Cook-off
Sullivan, MO · October 24, 2026
1st
Chicken — Sizzlin on 66 Granite City
Granite City, IL · October 10, 2026
1st
Ribs — American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
Kansas City, KS · October 4, 2026

Reviews

What our customers say

Rated 5.0 out of 5 across 8 Google reviews.

“I can’t say enough good things about Burnt Crow Barbecue. Every experience I’ve had with them has been amazing. The food is always incredible, but what really stands out to me is the way they treat people. Their team is friendly, accommodating and genuinely cares about making sure everything is taken care of. You can tell they take a lot of pride in what they do, and that comes through in both their food and their service. I’ve also had such a great experience with their catering. They make everything so easy, they’re dependable, and the food is always a hit. It’s such a good feeling knowing you can count on them when you’re feeding a group or hosting an event. Burnt Crow is one of those places I’m always happy to recommend. Great food, great people and consistently great service.”

“We had Jim and his team cater our outdoor wedding reception and it was the best BBQ I've had. The brisket, pork, baked beans, mac and cheese and oh my gosh the cornbread. It was so amazing. Our guests couldn't stop talking about it. What an incredible feast and great people. Thank you so much.”

“We attended a wedding last weekend that was catered by Burnt Crow, and by far they served the best brisket and pulled pork I have ever had. The food was absolutely incredible. The staff was friendly, welcoming, and even took the time to teach us a little about their cooking process, which made the experience even more memorable. A special thank-you to Jim and Jeff for the amazing food and hospitality. We can't wait to have Burnt Crow again!”

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