How a Kansas farm boy turned crispy chicken into a thriving restaurant empire

Jason Johnson, founder of the Strips restaurant chain, has turned his passion for fresh, homemade food into a thriving business. Since launching in 2016, the chain has become known for its crispy chicken strips coated in crushed-pretzel breading and a menu built from scratch. Now, a productive garden at his Lenexa location is helping supply ingredients for dishes across three restaurants in the Kansas City area.

Johnson grew up on a farm in southeast Kansas, where he learned to cook from his mother, grandmother, and great-grandmothers. Their influence shaped his approach to food, leading him to focus on made-from-scratch meals. When opening Strips, he chose chicken strips as the signature dish after seeing their popularity during his consulting work in sports bars.

The idea for Moonglow Gardens came after a visit to Legarde Vineyard in Argentina, where Johnson was inspired by their garden setup. At the Lenexa Strips location, he created a 10-raised-bed garden that, in its first season, grew heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, potatoes, spinach, kale, cabbage, sweet corn, zucchini, okra, brussels sprouts, herbs, and cucumbers. The harvest was bountiful—around 75 gallons of tomatoes and 150 gallons of kale alone.

Produce from the garden has already been used in dishes like pickles and superfood slaw at the Lenexa, Olathe, and Merriam restaurants. Johnson also plans to expand its use by creating a line of frozen soups and hosting multi-course tasting menus in the future.

Beyond the garden, Strips locations in Merriam and Lenexa serve nine signature beers on tap, brewed in partnership with local breweries, alongside speciality 'clucktails'. Johnson has described the garden as incredibly productive and remains enthusiastic about its potential for the business.

The garden's success has allowed Johnson to integrate fresh, homegrown ingredients into his restaurants' menus. With plans for frozen soups and tasting events, the produce will continue to play a key role in Strips' offerings. Meanwhile, the chain's focus on local collaborations and scratch-made dishes keeps it rooted in Johnson's original vision.