About Henry Perry
Lived 1875 – 1940 (aged 64–65). Henry Perry was a restaurateur.
Henry Perry (March 16, 1874 – March 22, 1940) was an American chef and restaurateur. He is widely considered the "Father of Kansas City barbecue."
Biography Perry was born in Shelby County, Tennessee near Memphis. He worked on steamboat restaurants on the Mississippi River and Missouri River before moving to Kansas City, Missouri in 1907. In 1908, he began serving smoked meats to workers in the Garment District in Downtown Kansas City from an alley stand.
He then moved his stand, "Perry's Barbecue", to 17th and Lydia in the inner city neighborhood of 18th Street and Vine. He had a sign in his restaurant that said "my business is to serve you, not to entertain you," and it was known for its far-reaching BBQ smells. He was known for his generosity, and would often give food to people for free.
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Important facts
Related people
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Henry Perry's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Henry Perry?
American restaurateur
When was Henry Perry born?
Henry Perry was born in 1875 in Shelby County.
When did Henry Perry die?
Henry Perry died on 22 March 1940 in Kansas City.
What was Henry Perry's occupation?
Henry Perry was a restaurateur.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Henry Perry (restaurateur)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Henry Perry. https://biography.guide/henry-perry-restaurateur/
MLA: "Henry Perry." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/henry-perry-restaurateur/.
Chicago: "Henry Perry." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/henry-perry-restaurateur/.
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