This Week In Barbecue

132 - A House Fire That Turned Into a Business Pivot: Hill City Chop House

Hill City Chop House earned real recognition in Texas barbecue, but Dustin Martin made a decision most people fear: he closed the brick-and-mortar and went back to the trailer, catering, and private events. In this episode, we talk about why the economics of barbecue can make four walls feel like a trap, how a house fire pushed him into the restaurant lane in the first place, what the Texas Monthly list does and doesn’t change, and why success sometimes looks like sitting on the porch with your kids instead of chasing a dining room you can’t forecast."My advice: just do it. Make the jump." - Dustin Martin

131 - When the Food Doesn’t Match the Hype

This week’s episode runs through everything from National Tater Day facts to real restaurant industry news, including Sysco acquiring Restaurant Depot and why that should matter to every small operator. Then the episode turns into an Atlanta barbecue conversation about community, decorum, and what happens when a new player shows up throwing shade at the pioneers who built the brisket market in the first place.

130 - How to Celebrate Barbecue Culture: Insights from the Syndicate Smoke Down Festival

Join us as Andy Eldridge from the Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate discusses the upcoming Syndicate Smoke Down 2026, a celebration of barbecue, music, and Texas heritage that supports youth in agriculture through scholarships and community programs.If you care about barbecue culture, food community, and events built around purpose, subscribe and watch the full episode. Drop a comment with your festival strategy and whether you’re team Barbecue Time, competition walk-through, or both.

129 - The Economics of BBQ + Kitchen Culture: Fair Pay, Real Costs, and What’s Next

In this episode, we break down the economics of eating out: hidden costs, real margins, shrinkflation, and why rising prices are forcing restaurants to rethink “value.” From smaller fry portions to surging brisket costs driven by fuel and cattle prices, we talk about how menus are changing, including pivots toward proteins like pork or lamb just to stay afloat.Then we go beyond the plate and into kitchen culture, calling out the old abusive hierarchies and making the case for integrity, accountability, and sustainable practices that protect both people and the craft.

Meat Dave on Barbecue, Comedy, and Why Community Matters More Than Clout

In this episode of This Week in Barbecue, Rasheed Philips sits down with Meat Dave for a wide-ranging conversation about barbecue, stand-up comedy, health, community, and the reality of building a career in modern food media. They dig into Meat Dave’s weight loss journey, the connection between crowd work and live-fire cooking, the rise of social media in barbecue, the pressure of performance, and why community matters more than competition.This conversation also explores the Gundo Comedy & Barbecue Festival, Old Town Patio, mentorship, respect in the barbecue world, and Dave’s new “Yard Hard” vision for bringing people together through food, storytelling, and backyard culture. If you care about barbecue culture, pitmaster life, barbecue media, open-fire cooking, and the people shaping where this world is headed next, this is one to watch. Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of barbecue, culture, and craft.