Advice on Love and BBQ from 3 Top Couples

Love is in the proverbial air, which means Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. As we have previously done over the past few years, we reached out to some of our favorite BBQ couples to get their words of wisdom on love and barbecue. They shared their sage advice on how to successfully work together while also maintaining a healthy relationship.

Here’s what the couples had to say.

Ed and Noelle Randolph
“The cost of ambition includes late nights, early mornings, lots of associates, and very few friends. It’s possible you’ll be single unless you’re lucky enough to find someone who truly understands your lifestyle. We’re thankful to have each other because we support and motivate the other. We provide light to each other in the darkest hours. In our business, you need the three P's: product, process, and people. We think we have a very good product and as a growing small business, we are constantly working on the most effective process. However, it is our people that separate us from the others, and we’re lucky to have each other on that front. Other couples who hope to do the same have to both take pride in their work and embrace the hustle of this life.” -Ed and Noelle Randolph of Handsome Devil BBQ in Newburgh, New York

Wes Agee and Elizabeth St. Clair
“Working and living together is tough on a normal basis, but during the pandemic has been especially so. This year has been a year of learning to give to each other when there is nothing left, loving more, being more compassionate and empathetic to each other’s feelings, and finding ways to make each other laugh. Make sure you make time (outside of work) with your significant other the utmost priority. Date night without phones is a must. Let the world go for those moments every week and laugh. Above all the stress, laugh with each other.” -Wes Agee and Elizabeth St. Clair of Charlie’s BBQ & Bakery in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Patrick and Erin Feges
“Clearly define your roles and stay in your lane. It took us a few years to figure it out but it’s definitely the key to successfully working with your spouse. Try not to take work home with you. And try not to take home to work.” -Patrick and Erin Feges of Feges BBQ in Houston, Texas

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Special thanks to Ed and Noelle, Wes and Elizabeth, and Patrick and Erin for sharing their advice and words of wisdom with our readers. We hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist) and Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet

—Pitmaster Kevin Bludso was interviewed by Texas Monthly about barbecue success and mentoring young Black pitmasters.—

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Pitmaster Kevin Bludso, the owner of three Bludso Bar & Que locations and recent judge on Netflix’s The American Barbecue Showdown, recently spoke with Daniel Vaughn of Texas Monthly about his role in the Preserve the Pit program from Kingsford and a few other topics. The Preserve the Pit program was designed to provide fellowships to aspiring young Black pitmasters and Bludso is excited to mentor. “If it wasn’t for people taking time and teaching me, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing,” Bludso told Texas Monthly. “Kingsford is really doing something. They are really educating people to put more professionals out in the world.” READ HERE.

Richmond Magazine recently profiled John Vest, owner of Redemption BBQ and a former minister, and spoke with him about his “mission to redeem the local food system and the very notion of Virginia barbecue.” Redemption focuses on using ethically sourced ingredients including pigs from local farmers, for example. “Farm-to-table eating shouldn’t be a niche,” Vest told Richmond Magazine. “It’s the way everything should be. The whole point of this venture, whether I succeed or fail, is I want to prove that you can have a barbecue business with locally, sustainably, humanely raised animals.” READ HERE.

The federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has offered some assistance to many restaurants across the country, including barbecue joints. But new restaurants have been left out in the cold despite the pandemic continuing. Smokecraft Modern Barbecue in Arlington, Virginia, for example, opened its doors on July 31, 2020, but only businesses operating before February 15 are allowed access to the PPP program’s forgivable loans. A new round of PPP loans was approved in December but even those are off-limits to businesses like Smokecraft, despite them suffering enormous losses due to the continuing pandemic. Naturally, they are upset that they can’t access this large-scale program designed to help businesses get through the pandemic. “There is no avenue to appeal,” Smokecraft owner Andrew Darneille said. “They said I have to write my congressman. I said, ‘Write my congressman? Do you think my congressman will read a letter from me?’ They’re not going to change the law just for me.” READ HERE.

Last week, Fresh Air Bar-B-Que in Georgia (which was recently recognized as the “best barbecue joint” in the state) caught fire in its pit. Firefighters from four different units came immediately in order to help save the joint. Thankfully, the blaze was quickly contained and extinguished, with the only loss being some smoked meats and Brunswick stew. The restaurant only had to close for a few hours before opening for Thursday dinner. “Thankfully we’ll be okay and thanks to the fire department for fast service,” George Barber, who co-owns Fresh Air with his brother, said. “We should be okay. It’s something that in the barbecue business happens. Just a little bit too much fire.” READ HERE.

The Desoto Times-Tribune recently profiled YouTube pitmaster sensation Malcom Reed of How to BBQ Right. Malcom has been making instructive barbecue videos for more than 10 years on the video platform. Today, he is averaging more than 3 million views each month and has racked up a million subscribers. READ HERE.

It’s not easy to offer pit-smoked barbecue in places like New York City and other urban centers, but Mighty Quinn’s has found a winning formula. Mighty Quinn's co-founder Christos Gourmos sat down with the Menu Feed podcast and chatted about how the restaurant differentiates its menu with a low-and-slow cooking technique and inspired side dishes and how he is positioning the fast-casual joint for growth despite the pandemic. READ HERE.
 

ADDITIONAL READS

Chicago’s Restaurant Community Rallies to Help Selfless Pitmaster Hipolito Sanchez

Texas chefs including pitmaster Mark Scott of Convenience West in Marfa, Texas recently shared sandwich recipes with Texas Monthly

The Houston Chronicle’s Alison Cook wrote about her experience with bacon-wrapped meatloaf stuffed with mac and cheese from Brett’s BBQ Shop

Recently closed Houston food truck Eaker Barbecue will open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Fredericksburg, Texas

Junior Urias, of BBQ Pitmasters television fame, will soon open Up In Smoke BBQ in Early, Texas

Lewis Barbecue announced the opening of a second location in Greenville, South Carolina

Atlanta chef Todd Richards put together this guide to the Black-owned barbecue joints across America that inspire him.

Edna Jane’s BBQ Brings a Taste of the Carolinas to a Hollywood Side Street in Los Angeles

Care and dedication to the craft makes Little Miss BBQ a Phoenix staple

New fast-casual BBQ joint Salted Pig American Barbecue in Oro Valley, Arizona turns to Texas, Carolinas for inspiration

Allentown’s beloved Ritz Barbecue restaurant, closed since last spring, nearing rebirth under new ownership

Myron Mixon, celebrity chef and judge on BBQ Pitmasters, opening Barbecue Restaurant in Hoboken, New Jersey 

Texican Tex-Mex Barbecue Spot Opens in Downtown Roswell, Georgia

Barbecue restaurant the Stellar Hog opens a second location in Chesterfield, Missouri

—Dead End BBQ in Knoxville has managed to thrive even in the face of challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.—

WATCH

Dead End BBQ — The Restaurant Comeback

The Restaurant Comeback Series features inspiring small business stories from restaurateurs who endured and overcame the most devastating time in the restaurant industry (COVID-19 global restaurant shutdowns). This small, homegrown and mouth-wateringly delicious restaurant is not just surviving the COVID-19 pandemic but also thriving during this time. Dead End BBQ is owned by George Ewart, a successful restaurateur and football coach for West High School’s feeder middle schools. WATCH HERE.
 

LISTEN

1701 Barbecue — Tales From The Pits

Blue Broussard, a lifelong native of Southeast Texas, left the security of the family business to chase a dream and open up his own BBQ joint in Beaumont. This historic East Texas city has long been known for its distinct style of barbecue that varies greatly from the Central Texas flavor profile that is prevalent throughout much of Texas these days. Taking a risk, Blue decided it was time to introduce Central Texas barbecue to Beaumont. Though the 1701 Barbecue menu has some nods to Beaumont’s barbecue past (in the form of an all-beef sausage that has a fair but restrained amount of garlic), the cooking style and seasoning is much more in line with what one would find in Austin. The Broussards opened the doors at the beginning of December 2020 and the locals responded in full force. With a steady but quick-moving line, 1701 has been a welcome addition to the barbecue landscape of East Texas. With this crew’s dedication to the process, this young business which is already off to a very good start should get even better as time goes on. LISTEN HERE.
 

READ

South: Essential Recipes and New Explorations — Sean Brock

Southern food is one of the most beloved and delicious cuisines in America. And who better to give us the key elements of Southern cuisine than Sean Brock, the award-winning chef and Southern-food crusader. In South, Brock shares his recipes for key components of the cuisine, from grits and fried chicken to collard greens and cornbread. Recipes can be mixed and matched to make a meal or eaten on their own. Taken together, they make up the essential elements of Southern cuisine, from fried green tomatoes to smoked baby back ribs and from tomato okra stew to biscuits. Regional differences are highlighted in recipes for shrimp and grits, cornbread, fried chicken, and more. Includes key Southern knowledge too: how to fry, how to care for cast iron, how to cook over a hearth, and more. This is the book fans of Sean Brock have been waiting for, and it’s the book Southern-food lovers the world over will use as their bible. READ HERE.

—This Valentine’s Day, try making this Hanger Steak Dinner for Two recipe for your Valentine..—

Hanger Steak Dinner for Two

By All Things BBQ

For our Recipe of the Week, we chose this delicious video recipe from All Things BBQ. Chef Tom teaches you how to treat your Valentine to a “Hanger Steak Dinner for Two” made entirely on the smoker. This recipe features roasted lemony green beans, potato wedges, and a dijon compound butter over grilled hanger steak.

—Many of the largest barbecue events of 2020 have been canceled or postponed.—

In light of the constantly changing coronavirus crisis, we are leaving our events section blank for some time. We’ll be updating our events section on our website with the most up-to-date information as we have it.

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