All over the place today
The day started with Bo and I going to a two hour food safety class (which I might add was supposed to be just an hour) at the health department in Franklin. Jeff Hill is our inspector and he just happened to be the environmentalist teaching the class. It wasnt too bad really, glad we went. I then had to rush Bo back to get to work in the joint while I took off to "climb up on top" of Mt. Juliet, TN to meet with a new co-packer. I have added a picture of Tommy & Sue from Tennessee Gourmet and Dennis from Deacon's Salsa. Dennis has got a commercial kitchen and he has teamed up with Tennessee Gourmet to expand. They are the perfect size for what I am looking to do right now in regards to amount. I'm going to be spending the next few days firming up my recipes so I can give them the information needed so they can give me a quote. The sauces I've been using for so many years are tied up with me and John McCall in another project we're working on (Martin McCall's). I want to be loyal to John with those sauces so I am developing new sauces for the joint......but really not all that different because they are based off those recipes. Hopefully this new relationship will be something within the budget I have set for the joint. They were, and hopefully will continue to be, a big help to me. They have done very well with their products and I will lean on (and pay) them for guidance to help us get the sauces off the ground.
What is this Blog???
You ever been sitting around cooking for your family and friends and been told the following: "Hoss, this is the best I've ever had in my dadgum life.....you have got to open up a place of your own". The thought crosses your mind to do just that, but for whatever reason you dont. Well I'm "that" guy that actually went through with it and did it. I had absolutely ZERO restaurant experience! I decided to start this blog about my own experience hoping that it may be of some use and help to others who might be interested in opening their own place.
I learned this craft almost 20 years ago cooking whole hogs on brick & cinder block pits at a couple of little BBQ Joints in Henderson, TN. I learned from old, lifelong career Pit-Masters, working with them as an apprentice during school off and on for four years. Over the course of that time I learned the old, time-honored craft of REAL pit barbecue. At Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint I am trying as hard as I can everyday to bring that time-honored authenticity to my customers.
As you read you'll see I've made some stupid decisions, and I've made some good decisions. If you are thinking of opening a restaurant, especially a BBQ Joint, read this blog! Maybe some of this info can be of use to you. At the very least you will be entertained because I pull no punches.
Now listen, this is my blog to not only help with information but my blog to freely rant about my day to day experiences. There is no real "bad language" on this blog but there might be some things said that are very "tongue in cheek". If you are easily offended and/or cant see the satire in my posts then please just leave the blog. It will save both of us the annoyance of each other. For those of you who do like satire and are looking for good information about this experience, then by all means enjoy!
1 comment:
Hey Boss, lookin good.
NEM
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