Brisket, Family, and Five Years of “Best Of”

What do you believe sets 407 BBQ apart from other barbecue destinations?

One of the biggest things I believe is that we are truly a “mom and pop” restaurant that cares solely about customer service and food quality. I’m not just an owner — I’m an owner/operator, and that resonates not only with our customers, but with my employees as well. We want only one location, and the owner is here every day. My employees know they don’t have to go through a general manager, who goes through a district manager and then maybe an area manager to get an issue handled or question answered. They can come directly to me. I’m also a huge fan of not working on Sunday. In the food business, this is a huge financial day, but I want my employees to have a life outside of the restaurant.

What has been your proudest professional moment since starting the business?

Interacting with customers every day and seeing their delight when enjoying a great meal. I love watching my employees share the same passion I have — not only for barbecue, but for serving someone a great meal. Our dining room gets quite noisy, and some have recommended noise baffles, but I see it as something different. Oftentimes when people are dining out, everyone at the table is looking at their phones and nobody is talking. When I hear a noisy dining room, I know folks are communicating with each other and enjoying themselves.

What are your most popular menu items, and what keeps people coming back for them?

Our brisket is obviously number one. The old saying goes, “If you’re going to do BBQ in Texas, you better bring a great brisket,” and I think the results show we do that every day. We take a lot of pride in our brisket, as we do all our meats, but the brisket is hard for many to get just right.

Tell us about your motto of “Every tray, every slice, every bite … every day.”

As I coach my team, be consistent every day. Sometimes making the same meats, sides, and desserts every day can be a little monotonous, but I explain to them, you may make them every day, but someone is enjoying them for the first time today. Consistency in everything you do is what will produce great results. Every tray we make, every slice we cut, and every bite the customer tastes, all need to be as good on Tuesday as they are on Saturday.

407 BBQ has been voted “Best Of” by Living readers for five consecutive years. What does that recognition mean to you and your team?

Recognition from the community is so huge. I cooked for neighbors, friends, and family for years. Everyone was saying how great it was, but they were also eating it for free. It’s easy to get kudos when it’s free, but it’s so much more rewarding from customers who actually buy it. That’s when you’re truly humbled.