Introduction to BBQ.

My path into barbecue didn’t start in a traditional kitchen. Years ago, while running an country music indie label, I spent a lot of time in North Carolina and Texas. That is when I really learned how to elevate my own hardwood barbecue and live-fire cooking. At the time, smokers were rare where I lived, and the idea that fire itself could be the primary cooking tool stuck with me.

What began as curiosity quickly became obsession.

Humble Beginnings.

My first smoker was a Weber Smokey Mountain. I didn’t know what I was doing. My first cook was smoked hamburgers (without a grill finish), and I made the mistake of inviting guests. The results were humbling.

That cook taught me something important: live-fire cooking rewards patience, discipline, and understanding. I realized quickly that if I wanted to cook with fire properly, I had a lot to learn.

Becoming a Chef.

As my skills improved, I could cook all kinds of proteins, but I felt limited. Barbecue, to me, was more than serving large cuts of meat. I wanted to understand flavour, balance, technique, and how fire fit into a complete culinary experience.

That led me to enroll in culinary school. As fate would have it, my chef instructor was from North Carolina. The combination of formal culinary training and traditional barbecue thinking changed how I approached cooking with fire.

KCBS Certified BBQ Judge.

After graduating culinary school, I became a KCBS Certified Barbecue Judge.

At the same time, I expanded my focus beyond North American barbecue, actively seeking out hardwood-based cooking traditions from around the world.

I am fascinated by how different cultures use fire, wood, and smoke. I’m also a purist when it comes to fuel: hardwood and lump charcoal only. No gas. No pellets. Fire should be honest.