9 Hours of BBQ Paradise

I get obsessed with foods rather quickly. Restaurants less so, but the holy grail intersection of foodservice experience and food item obsession typically lies in what we call “food trucks.”

Back in 2017(?) when I was a counselor at summer camp, I’d always see on the left side of the road this truck with a ton of graffiti and an outdoor eating area. However, while counselor I never actually made it to the truck.

Fast forward to mid-summer 2018, on the morning of camp alumni day, I decided to make a point to grab some breakfast at the truck. I pulled up and interesting enough the food truck was not in operation. Rather an RV-type station was opearting as a breakfast BBQ truck. I rpromise you it was still more than I could have ever wished. I probably dropped $30 that day — and it’s not an expensive truck

Of course I had a copious amount leftover but didn’t want to put it to waste. So what did I do? (Camp people cover your ears) — I brought the leftovers to Alumni Day and gave them to the waiters helping us out at the front. 5 years prior I had been a waiter and let me tell you if someone brought over a pulled pork sandwich to me on a mid 85 degree Saturday I would have freaked out. And to no surprise, I got quite the reaction when I snuck in those sandwiches. These waiters weren’t former campers of mine or anyone I had known past being their color war CA the prior year (for context I was color war CA for half of the camp). Their euphoria was immensely infectious, and I felt it too.

That is my personal origin story to an obsession with my favorite BBQ place in the world: Big Kev’s in Monticello. Let’s be real for a second - if we were to compare Terry Black’s [of Austin TX] and Big Kev’s in a blind taste taste which would I like better? I can’t necessarily provide an answer.

In food it’s super important to understand context. The price / quality ratio of Big Kev’s is at least 3x every other food establishment in the surrounding area. It’s one of a kind — my Instagram in the summer will always feature a few stories there as I thoroughly enjoy my $20 platter.

Today

Today, I did not get to visit Big Kev’s. That day will have to wait until later in the summer. But I did get an interesting opportunity. In my quest to teach people how food works, I have cold approached a select set of restaurants and food establishments to make videos for them — completely for free. You may think it’s a no-brainer but trust me even with a decent viewership on social it’s hard to get a YES.

After a cold visit, text back and forths, another “cold” visit, and more text back and forths, I finally got the opportunity to film a full day’s BBQ prep in Brooklyn at Mable’s Smokehouse.

I arrived hungry at 7am this morning and left at 4:25pm with a full stomach, a full SD card, and some really cool moments that I will remember for quite a long time.

And on that note — good night. If you want to hear about the shoot, follow me on YouTube and you’ll see a video posted there in the not-so distant future recapping the entire day.

Tomorrow I am getting Acupuncture for the first time in my life. Spicy blog incoming.

-Jack