Sear + Savor was originally founded as Smash by The Kitchen Sink in July 2023 in Eagle, Idaho. Founders Ron and Lindsey Hunt had been working corporate jobs for more than a decade and believed there could be a more rewarding way to earn money. Lindsey had always dreamed of creating a restaurant where she could bring American comfort food to life. Building a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant would take heavy capital, years to build, and the restaurant scene in Eagle was already well-established. But she knew there was a better way.

The first iteration of the menu had sandwiches, several salads, luxurious cheeseburgers, and even gourmet hot dogs. But after countless (but fun and delicious) hours of menu testing, it became clear that the winner was always the burgers, but they weren’t just any burgers. They were smash burgers with a twist.