Monica (Mo) Carvajal-Beben and Thomas (Tom) Beben have been awarded the 2024 Alumni Special Recognition Award from Coker University.
Monica (Mo) Carvajal-Beben literally grew up in the food world. Her childhood was filled with unique stories and experiences from time spent in her grandmother’s pie shop and her mother’s diner. Growing up on a small farm in Oklahoma taught her the importance of taking an active role in the growth and production of food, from garden to plate. Never feeling more at home than in a restaurant environment, Monica is still in the kitchen duplicating and recreating the recipes from her youth thirty years later.
Thomas (Tom) Beben was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. His father’s military career as a US Air Force Captain led Tom’s family to move frequently throughout his youth, but the Beben family finally settled in Sumter, SC, when Tom was 11 years old. There, he excelled at baseball, football, and basketball at Thomas Sumter Academy. In 1998, he was awarded a scholarship to play basketball for Coker College.
In 2002, through Coker College’s travel abroad opportunities, Tom and Mo studied in Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. In 2003, Monica earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis in Graphic Design from Coker, and Tom graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in History.
Tom and Mo share an interest in how certain areas’ traditional food and drink experiences can define and strengthen the cultural experience, health and unity in those communities. Further travel to other countries and throughout the United States deepened their love and respect for the connection they feel between food and culture. Motivated by that shared passion, in 2007, Tom and Mo opened Smoking Mo’s in Shelton, WA. Starting in a small take-out-only food stand, the restaurant eventually grew to a full-service establishment. Their menu was created as a tribute to the people and places of the Midwest and Southern United States and in honor of their unique upbringings. In 2012, the couple purchased a century-old bank building in the heart of downtown Shelton. After a complete remodel, focusing on restoring and protecting the historical features of the space, the restaurant boomed. Eventually, they added an event venue space and catering services to their business.
Smoking Mo’s was voted the number one barbecue restaurant in Western Washington by Seattle’s King 5 News voters. In 2015, the Mason County Chamber of Commerce selected it as the Business of the Year. Pacific Mountain Workforce Development also honored it with The Nancy Payne Award, which recognizes companies that exemplify workplace excellence and customer service, meaningful employee engagement, and a constructive, diverse, and progressive workforce culture.
In 2019, Tom and Mo again expanded their overseas studies by joining the Coker University’s exploration of Italy.
With a newly fueled interest in the process of brewing and specifically recognizing the connection between the quintessential brewing styles familiar to specific countries and their history, Tom added Brewer to his work resume. Tom and Mo opened High Steel Beer Co. in 2021. The microbrewery’s beer catalog celebrates the US Pacific Northwest experience by using locally grown flavors, honoring local landmarks, and celebrating local folklore.
In addition to her restaurant work, Mo is an artist and a writer. Her work has been featured in Western Washington writers’ groups and published in Washington travel guides and newspapers. She is currently completing her first book, which is expected to be released in Summer 2024.
Tom is a member of The Shelton Rotary Club. He coaches basketball at Oakland Bay Jr High and plays in a local city league. In 2018, the Shelton Chamber of Commerce selected Tom as the Mason County Citizen of the Year.
Tom and Mo are the proud parents of their daughter, Grace.
The Bebens have worked tirelessly throughout their careers to enrich the lives of their neighbors and community members in Shelton, Washington, by procuring and delivering food to families in need and to the ever-growing broad range of needs for youth who otherwise go without. They know living life to its fullest potential is hard if you spend much of your time hungry. Their mission is to prove that full bellies can fuel compassionate minds.
