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Barbecue (alt.food.barbecue) Discuss barbecue and grilling--southern style "low and slow" smoking of ribs, shoulders and briskets, as well as direct heat grilling of everything from burgers to salmon to vegetables. |
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Advice on starting a BBQ joint
I live in upstate NY. No good BBQ joints anywhere.
1. Can someone provide gotchas related to opening a small BBQ joint?(I don't want to open a franchise related place). 2. Where is the best place in USA to order a wood smoker? 3. Why don't famous places like Arthur Bryant's expand in the East? Should be a no-brainer in theory. 4. How much should a decent pit master make?(I want to recruit one from the West). Thanks Nat |
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> wrote in message
> > Thanks > Nat So, you want to open up a restaurant but not work at it. Riiiiiight, that's got success written all over it. |
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I will definetely manage the place. Not being an expert in running a
commercial type smoker, I hope to hire help (at least till I become an expert myself). |
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I will definetely manage the place. Not being an expert in running a
commercial type smoker, I hope to hire help (at least till I become an expert myself). |
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In article .com>,
> wrote: >I live in upstate NY. No good BBQ joints anywhere. Say what?!?! Where in upstate NY?? There's Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse (and Rochester). |
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Take no offense please. Can't tell you the exact location and have
someone beat me to the spot. >From the statements I've read, I get the vibe that only good BBQ cooks should attempt to get into this business. This may be true, but there has to be room for people with some venture capital and willingness to bust their ass to drive the startup efforts. I have a very good job in the computer field and have enough common sense to realize that my job will be outsourced sooner or later. Running my own joint (even if I have to put in 20 hours a day) would be a lot risky in the end IMHO. Thanks for all the good advice so far. |
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wrote: > Take no offense please. Can't tell you the exact location and have > someone beat me to the spot. Right. That's what happens all the time, people steal prime BBQ restaurant locations from usenet strangers. > Running my own joint (even if I have to put in 20 hours a day) would be > a lot risky in the end IMHO. If you meant to say, "a lot less risky" then you are sadly mistaken about the restaurant business. It has the highest failure rate of all startup businesses, even when started by food service professionals. Rank amateurs have little hope. If you were really interested in this, a better idea would be to get some substantial instruction in food service management before attempting such a venture. Brian |
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> I have a very good job in the computer field and have enough common > sense to realize that my job will be outsourced sooner or later. Nat- We are in the same boat. I'm in the computer field as well. The recent I.T. downturn has left me in a government job with tons of job security but, not a ton of cash. Yeah, we could be outsourced but, only that job duty that is outsource ready. Can't imagine a Network Tech not on site to punch down, pull cable, etc. The idea of opening my own Q' joint has sounded attractive to me as well. But, NO WAY am I going in to business without a damn good plan and some solid food service managment experience (not taught in college)! The competition in my part of NC is serious. There are three entrenched players within a 10 mile radius of each other and one of these is a local, multi-unit operator. Recently, a new joint opened and seems to be doing well by outward appearances. However, all are old school a.k.a. barely smoked, pork joints with some sprawling into doing breakfast and dinners with fried fish. If you can find some VC and not give away the candy store all the better for you. The VCs are way more decerning than ever with the "Dot-bust" behind us. Besides, VCs demand a huge slice of the pie and AN EXIT STRATEGY. So, then you're out another job (possibly) and this is the one you built from the ground up. Rob Rob |
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> wrote in message oups.com... >I live in upstate NY. No good BBQ joints anywhere. > > 1. Can someone provide gotchas related to opening a small BBQ joint?(I > don't want to open a franchise related place). > > 2. Where is the best place in USA to order a wood smoker? > > 3. Why don't famous places like Arthur Bryant's expand in the East? > Should be a no-brainer in theory. > > 4. How much should a decent pit master make?(I want to recruit one from > the West). > > Thanks > Nat http://davebbq.com/ Dimitri |
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On 8-Feb-2005, wrote: > I live in upstate NY. No good BBQ joints anywhere. > > 1. Can someone provide gotchas related to opening a small BBQ joint?(I > don't want to open a franchise related place). > > 2. Where is the best place in USA to order a wood smoker? > > 3. Why don't famous places like Arthur Bryant's expand in the East? > Should be a no-brainer in theory. > > 4. How much should a decent pit master make?(I want to recruit one from > the West). > > Thanks > Nat One thing you can do right off Nat is to log on to FoodNetwork.com and read the biographies of the successful cooks there. Many of them own more then one major restaurant that they started from scratch. You'll quickly note that they all went to culinary school and all worked many years for one or more successful restaurant(s) beforebranching out on their own. They likely have more culinary knowledge then you'd need for a strictly BBQ place, but they needed the restaurant management knowledge that they picked up from a safe vantage point. Brick (Keep the shiny side up) ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
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wrote:
> I live in upstate NY. No good BBQ joints anywhere. > > 1. Can someone provide gotchas related to opening a small BBQ joint?(I > don't want to open a franchise related place). > > 2. Where is the best place in USA to order a wood smoker? > > 3. Why don't famous places like Arthur Bryant's expand in the East? > Should be a no-brainer in theory. > > 4. How much should a decent pit master make?(I want to recruit one from > the West). > > Thanks > Nat > Nat: Remember this and move n it soon! Just because you like something in no way means the community will like! I spoke with the owner of Baby Back Blues in Plainfeild, IL. Even thogh he had great commercial cooker, the locals had no idea what good bbq was. The locals would not eat his ribs unless they were boiled first! First thing that I would do If I were you is do some trials. Some market reasearch up front! Get yourself a Weber Smokey Mountain. You should be able to get good results fast with it. Then try some of the recipes you can find here and in the FAQ. Then give samples away to strangers, not family, tell the you are doing market research and need to know their opinion. You also need to decide what will be on your menu before time, not just meats but sides too. Also, take yourself to some of the real bbq restraunts already in business to find out what is actually selling. For example, Th Moonlite in Owensboro, KY, The Lexington in Lexington, NC, Thelma's in Houston, TX, to name just a few. On my MSn Group, The Practical Bar B Q'r you'll find links to commercial cookers such as the Olyer Pit and Ole Hickory Pits. Withthese your learning curve for Q will be fast. I beleive your biggest obstacles will be learning the business of the kitchen. Food codes and food safety, along with the fact that if you've never run a business before, then basic business accounting. youll also need to find suppliers for food, napkins, etc.. Id say don't worry about a bbq chef but perhaps someone that can manage arestraunt! Just for starters! (grin) -- Mike Willsey (Piedmont) "The Practical Bar-B-Q'r!" http://groups.msn.com/ThePracticalBa...ewwelcome.msnw Charities; Oxfam GB: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/about_us/index.htm, Operation Smile: http://www.operationsmile.org/ If you or a loved one has thyroid issues, please have their thyroid checked for radiation levels! |
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Default User wrote:
> If you meant to say, "a lot less risky" then you are sadly mistaken > about the restaurant business. It has the highest failure rate of all > startup businesses, even when started by food service professionals. Based on what several folks in the biz have told me, the half-life of a new restaurant is something like 6 months and this can extend for years. Dana |
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> wrote in message oups.com... >I live in upstate NY. No good BBQ joints anywhere. > > 1. Can someone provide gotchas related to opening a small BBQ joint?(I > don't want to open a franchise related place). Sure, not enough people in the area to support one. Probably less than 1% know what real bbq is. We had a mediocre one in my town, population 10,000 and surrounding towns of another 15,000 and it barely made it for a couple of years. Finally closed in December. > 2. Where is the best place in USA to order a wood smoker? Sitting at your desk in your office. > > 3. Why don't famous places like Arthur Bryant's expand in the East? > Should be a no-brainer in theory. Sure, not enough people in the area to support one. Probably less than 1% know what real bbq is. > > 4. How much should a decent pit master make?(I want to recruit one from > the West). I'd do it for you for 100k, but it would have to be up front or in an escrow account. Too many restaurants fold after a few months. Truth is, I rarely ate at the bbq place in town, or any other others in the east. Why? Because none make the food as good as I can at home. If it does not meet my standards, I'm not buying it. Here in New England to worst of places make a decent chowder and I often order it when out. . Very few bbq places make it big because people just don't care about it. The care about chowder and fish 'n' chips. -- Ed http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/ |
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"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
> > wrote in message > > >I live in upstate NY. No good BBQ joints anywhere. > > > > 1. Can someone provide gotchas related to opening a small BBQ joint?(I > > don't want to open a franchise related place). > > Sure, not enough people in the area to support one. Probably less than > 1% know what real bbq is. We had a mediocre one in my town, population > 10,000 and surrounding towns of another 15,000 and it barely made it for > a couple of years. Finally closed in December. > > > 2. Where is the best place in USA to order a wood smoker? > > Sitting at your desk in your office. > > > > 3. Why don't famous places like Arthur Bryant's expand in the East? > > Should be a no-brainer in theory. > > Sure, not enough people in the area to support one. Probably less than > 1% know what real bbq is. > > > > > 4. How much should a decent pit master make?(I want to recruit one from > > the West). > > I'd do it for you for 100k, but it would have to be up front or in an > escrow account. Too many restaurants fold after a few months. > > Truth is, I rarely ate at the bbq place in town, or any other others in > the east. Why? Because none make the food as good as I can at home. If > it does not meet my standards, I'm not buying it. Here in New England to > worst of places make a decent chowder and I often order it when out. . > Very few bbq places make it big because people just don't care about it. > The care about chowder and fish 'n' chips. I hope you're listening AND paying attention, Nat. None of the posts that I've seen in response to your question have been intended to turn you off, only to make you think. Call it tough love. Ponder well, Grasshopper! -- Nick. To help with tsunami relief, go to: http://usafreedomcorps.gov/ Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! ! |
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Yeah, very surprised by the complexity...
I was working in VA (just outside DC) a few years ago. There was a farm near my office complex. One of the farmers would smoke a large pig every day in a homemade smoker he kept right by the road. At lunch time, we would all go over there to get $5.00 plates of pretty decent Q. By 2:30 he would sell all the meat and always had a pretty impressive wad of cash (income tax free). When I lost my job, I stopped in for my last meal and thought to myself "..this guy with a 3rd grade education has the best gig in town and sleeps much better than me....". Nat |
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Yeah, very surprised by the complexity...
I was working in VA (just outside DC) a few years ago. There was a farm near my office complex. One of the farmers would smoke a large pig every day in a homemade smoker he kept right by the road. At lunch time, we would all go over there to get $5.00 plates of pretty decent Q. By 2:30 he would sell all the meat and always had a pretty impressive wad of cash (income tax free). When I lost my job, I stopped in for my last meal and thought to myself "..this guy with a 3rd grade education has the best gig in town and sleeps much better than me....". Nat |
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> wrote in message oups.com... > Yeah, very surprised by the complexity... > > I was working in VA (just outside DC) a few years ago. There was a farm > near my office complex. One of the farmers would smoke a large pig > every day in a homemade smoker he kept right by the road. At lunch > time, we would all go over there to get $5.00 plates of pretty decent > Q. By 2:30 he would sell all the meat and always had a pretty > impressive wad of cash (income tax free). > When I lost my job, I stopped in for my last meal and thought to myself > "..this guy with a 3rd grade education has the best gig in town and > sleeps much better than me....". > > Nat If you read the history of barbecue, there were many people that did that sort of thing. Probably the best food you can get. Today, they'd take you to court and take away the family farm in court costs and fines. Check out the requirements for a catering truck to comply with all the laws. |
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"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
> > wrote in message > > > Yeah, very surprised by the complexity... > > > > I was working in VA (just outside DC) a few years ago. There was a farm > > near my office complex. One of the farmers would smoke a large pig > > every day in a homemade smoker he kept right by the road. At lunch > > time, we would all go over there to get $5.00 plates of pretty decent > > Q. By 2:30 he would sell all the meat and always had a pretty > > impressive wad of cash (income tax free). > > When I lost my job, I stopped in for my last meal and thought to myself > > "..this guy with a 3rd grade education has the best gig in town and > > sleeps much better than me....". > > > If you read the history of barbecue, there were many people that did that > sort of thing. Probably the best food you can get. Today, they'd take > you to court and take away the family farm in court costs and fines. > > Check out the requirements for a catering truck to comply with all the > laws. Here in Los Angeles, the requirements are brutal, not only for the truck but for your base of operations. While they're called 'Roach Coaches', if they find on roach, dead or alive, or one rat turd, you're shut down. I forget what the re-inspection to let you operate again costs, but it's much more thorough, if that's possible. -- Nick. To help with tsunami relief, go to: http://usafreedomcorps.gov/ Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! ! |
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>>>>>>The locals would not eat his ribs unless they >>>>>>were boiled first! That's one way to make the folks here boil their ribs. If they buy 'em, boil em! > wrote in message ... > "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote: >> > wrote in message >> >> > Yeah, very surprised by the complexity... >> > >> > I was working in VA (just outside DC) a few years ago. There was a farm >> > near my office complex. One of the farmers would smoke a large pig >> > every day in a homemade smoker he kept right by the road. At lunch >> > time, we would all go over there to get $5.00 plates of pretty decent >> > Q. By 2:30 he would sell all the meat and always had a pretty >> > impressive wad of cash (income tax free). >> > When I lost my job, I stopped in for my last meal and thought to myself >> > "..this guy with a 3rd grade education has the best gig in town and >> > sleeps much better than me....". >> > >> If you read the history of barbecue, there were many people that did that >> sort of thing. Probably the best food you can get. Today, they'd take >> you to court and take away the family farm in court costs and fines. >> >> Check out the requirements for a catering truck to comply with all the >> laws. > > Here in Los Angeles, the requirements are brutal, not only for the truck > but for your base of operations. While they're called 'Roach Coaches', if > they find on roach, dead or alive, or one rat turd, you're shut down. I > forget what the re-inspection to let you operate again costs, but it's > much > more thorough, if that's possible. > > -- > Nick. To help with tsunami relief, go to: http://usafreedomcorps.gov/ > > > Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! > ! |
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Come north a bit over into Southern Ontario and visit Camp 31
> wrote in message oups.com... >I live in upstate NY. No good BBQ joints anywhere. > > 1. Can someone provide gotchas related to opening a small BBQ joint?(I > don't want to open a franchise related place). > > 2. Where is the best place in USA to order a wood smoker? > > 3. Why don't famous places like Arthur Bryant's expand in the East? > Should be a no-brainer in theory. > > 4. How much should a decent pit master make?(I want to recruit one from > the West). > > Thanks > Nat > |
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