Jon G’s Owners Garren & Kelly Kirkman

[00:00:02] What you want, when you want it, where you want it. This is The MESH.

[00:00:12] The taste of Texas is spreading across North Carolina as brisket, sausage and other Lone Star favorites are

[00:00:22] shouldering their way into barbecue menus that was once reserved for pulled pork, coleslaw, and cornbread.

[00:00:29] John G's BBQ is responsible for a lot of that Texas tradition traveling into small town North Carolina in places like

[00:00:36] Peachland and today we're talking with the man and the woman behind John G's, Garen Kirkman and his wife Kelly.

[00:00:43] Garen Kelly, welcome back to The Low & Slow Barbecue Show.

[00:00:47] Hello, hello. Thank you.

[00:00:49] Yeah, we're so excited to have you today and I know you've got a big event

[00:00:52] that's gonna be coming up with John G's very soon. So that's where I want to get started.

[00:00:56] What is John G's Jubilee and how did it get started and why are you guys doing that?

[00:01:02] So yeah, Jubilee.

[00:01:06] It's origins can be traced back to an event we did for St. Patrick's Day with NC Oyster,

[00:01:13] Lawrence Barbecue.

[00:01:15] I guess what was it just last year?

[00:01:17] Yeah, last St. Patrick's Day. Anyway, we were just all hanging out having a good time and

[00:01:22] just so happened I was turning a big milestone of 40 last year as well and

[00:01:28] we're always looking for a good reason to hang out have some fun cook some food.

[00:01:32] So yeah, it kind of got pulled together.

[00:01:35] I shouldn't say easily. A lot of hard work on Kelly's part, but she made it happen

[00:01:41] and the best part about it all is good to raise a little money for our charity here in Anson County.

[00:01:46] Yeah, Jubilee

[00:01:49] helps raise money for Anson County Partnership for Children.

[00:01:54] There are a lot of things that they do within our community.

[00:01:57] One of the things we were able to give them last year was with the donations from our ticket sales and

[00:02:02] we were able to donate I think it was 77 pallets of diapers and wipes to

[00:02:07] families in need in Anson County. They also provide literacy programs for children.

[00:02:13] Their mission statement is basically to help kids achieve

[00:02:18] everything to the best of their ability with all of the resources that they can provide

[00:02:23] through that partnership. So we're happy to

[00:02:27] continue to work with them this year for the Jubilee.

[00:02:29] Yeah, fantastic a great cause and excited to hear you guys supporting that.

[00:02:33] So give me the specifics about it. When is it? Where is it? And who all is involved? Can I still get tickets?

[00:02:41] So it is June 22nd. It's actually held after BBQ Saturday.

[00:02:47] So it's from 5 p.m to 9 p.m.

[00:02:50] There are about 30 tickets left. So there's not that many.

[00:02:55] So who's involved this year? It's obviously us at John G's and then our friends at Lawrence BBQ.

[00:03:02] NC Oyster is coming back and then

[00:03:06] Brown Creek Creamery provides homemade ice cream for us. There are local creamery here in Anson County.

[00:03:11] And then Node of Ruing is actually going to be out slinging some adult fizzy sodas.

[00:03:18] Happy to have everybody on board.

[00:03:20] Yeah, an exciting event. So how are you guys going to pull that off from going from a big BBQ Saturday?

[00:03:25] Which I know is a huge event. We'll talk more in just a few minutes and then go right into another really big event.

[00:03:31] I'd say it's not too big of a change-up for us because I mean some days we finish up BBQ Saturday and we go cater.

[00:03:37] Massive weddings.

[00:03:39] So yeah, you know.

[00:03:41] Plus having a little help from our friends at Lawrence BBQ and NC Oyster and all that.

[00:03:46] That's going to help out a lot. But yeah, nothing too crazy outside of the norm.

[00:03:50] Yeah, just make a little extra food.

[00:03:52] Yeah, that's it. That's always the case.

[00:03:56] Well, so let's get back to the beginning and talk a little bit about the roots.

[00:03:59] And I know we had you on the show back during the Carolina BBQ Festival of 2023.

[00:04:05] But remind everybody where you guys from and how did you get into smoke and meat low and slow?

[00:04:12] Wow, man our roots kind of go back.

[00:04:16] My first backyard experience was probably in like I think it was 2011 was my first brisket ever.

[00:04:22] And that stemmed from a bite of brisket I had in 2009.

[00:04:28] That just blew my mind. I mean I grew up North Carolina.

[00:04:31] Whole hog family reunion, pig picking, chicken, fire department fundraiser.

[00:04:36] You name it.

[00:04:39] I mean North Carolina is very BBQ.

[00:04:41] You know, but anyway, yeah first bite of brisket just blew my mind.

[00:04:46] It's hard to find brisket in North Carolina.

[00:04:48] So yeah, it was then a lot easier now.

[00:04:52] But yeah, I stumbled upon that.

[00:04:56] It's like man, I just got to make this myself.

[00:04:58] Like I like the challenge of it.

[00:05:00] Everybody's like, oh you're going to start with brisket.

[00:05:02] I mean guys will smoke hundreds of butts before they'll even attempt to brisket just

[00:05:06] because of the money involved and the time.

[00:05:09] It's just mind blowing for most people.

[00:05:11] So anyway, went out and bought the old chargriller in 2011.

[00:05:15] Bought a reduced price brisket because it was expired.

[00:05:22] But looking back now is wet aged.

[00:05:25] I'm going to go with wet aged.

[00:05:26] So yeah, ruined it.

[00:05:28] Of course, history is made.

[00:05:30] But I want to do better.

[00:05:31] So I just kept plugging around with it and finally did our first public pop up at Southern

[00:05:37] Range Brewing in Monroe in 2016.

[00:05:40] Yeah.

[00:05:41] So how do you the motivation from going from a backyard ruin or of briskets and turning

[00:05:46] that into a business?

[00:05:48] Especially since I know you had another career that you had going on.

[00:05:51] Yeah.

[00:05:52] Yeah.

[00:05:52] I was working full time in healthcare,

[00:05:55] nuclear medicine, technologist, radiology manager.

[00:05:58] But I don't know, man, once I get my mind made up, like I just can't let it go.

[00:06:04] That's true.

[00:06:05] I own a lot of things, but brisket definitely has stuck around more than anything else.

[00:06:10] And yeah, I still can't go at it.

[00:06:13] Can't let it go.

[00:06:14] Yeah.

[00:06:14] So you talked a little bit about not a lot of brisket you're able to find at the time

[00:06:19] around the Carolinas and definitely it's really kind of sweeping and become more commonplace.

[00:06:23] But you know, you guys really kind of have a Texas approach to things and getting a

[00:06:27] lot of recognition as Texas barbecue.

[00:06:29] You know why the Texas tradition for you guys.

[00:06:33] Man, I, I hesitated on even putting Texas associated, but I feel like I kind of owe

[00:06:40] it to people.

[00:06:40] Like if they pull up, they see the place they're thinking they're going to get

[00:06:43] regular barbecue.

[00:06:44] So I feel like before they stand in line, you know, if I didn't look at social

[00:06:48] media and or anything like they would have an idea, like I'm not going to get chopped

[00:06:52] barbecue here.

[00:06:53] Um, at one point it could, but uh, yeah, just kind of, you know, puts it out there

[00:06:59] like, Hey, this is more brisket driven barbecue joint than your typical North

[00:07:05] Carolina barbecue joint.

[00:07:08] Well, and it's not just the brisket too.

[00:07:10] It's, it's a little bit about the serving process and the tradition of

[00:07:13] stepping up to the line and asking each, each folks, how big of a role does that

[00:07:17] play in what y'all's business is doing that, that service line tradition?

[00:07:23] Yeah.

[00:07:25] Services, everything from the time people show up at John G's in the morning

[00:07:30] on a Saturday to the time they walk out.

[00:07:32] Um, and I know you've been out before, so you can kind of speak to that too,

[00:07:36] but it's a full experience from morning until after you eat lunch.

[00:07:41] And so a lot of that is our staffing and our responsibility to create that

[00:07:46] experience for everybody that's coming out to visit us.

[00:07:50] Um, you know, usually me or another girl are out taking protein orders, um, to

[00:07:55] make sure we're going to have enough meat for everybody.

[00:07:58] And then once they're inside of that market line, you know, we want everybody

[00:08:01] to feel like it's their time to shine because it is, you know, you've

[00:08:06] waited all this time and it's really special.

[00:08:09] Um, and we don't want you to feel rushed.

[00:08:11] We want you to feel like family.

[00:08:13] Um, you know, a lot of people are not comfortable ordering that way.

[00:08:17] So it's our responsibility to make them feel comfortable, um, and welcome

[00:08:22] into our establishment.

[00:08:23] So hopefully we're doing that.

[00:08:25] Yeah.

[00:08:25] You build a little bit of a rapport with them as they step up to the line too.

[00:08:29] And that's definitely a cool experience.

[00:08:30] And hey, again, as you said, I've been there.

[00:08:32] It's really cool to see you guys serving it up and preparing it.

[00:08:35] And again, slicing it and weighing it out and everything else.

[00:08:38] And I'll tell you what, you got some expert people that know the weight,

[00:08:41] they slice and serve it up there.

[00:08:43] How long have your team been with you?

[00:08:47] Uh, most of our people right now have been with us for a while.

[00:08:50] Uh, Connie, I think she was on the slicing board that day for y'all.

[00:08:52] She's been with us about three years.

[00:08:54] Um, Daniel's been with us a couple of years.

[00:08:57] Um, and then we do have some newer people on the side side, but then

[00:09:00] Maddie at the register, she's been with us for two and a half years,

[00:09:03] I think almost three.

[00:09:05] Um, so, and then the restaurant world, that's a long time.

[00:09:08] And we've only been open since 2020.

[00:09:10] So, um, proud to say that, you know, we, we try to keep our employees happy

[00:09:15] and we're, we're tickled to have them.

[00:09:17] So yeah, fantastic.

[00:09:18] They do a great job.

[00:09:19] So kind of going back to before you guys opened up in 2020, you mentioned

[00:09:23] Garen that you guys started with that first pop-up in Monroe.

[00:09:27] And I guess things kind of evolved from there.

[00:09:29] At what point did you, did you, did you know you wanted to go from

[00:09:32] being in a pop-up and a food truck scenario into, and to getting

[00:09:36] into that brick and mortar investment?

[00:09:39] Man, I still don't know.

[00:09:41] I mean, it was almost a necessity.

[00:09:43] I mean, we, we did the pop-up temporary food establishments.

[00:09:46] Um, you know, got the extra commissary space to run the food trailer.

[00:09:54] Ultimately just needed more room.

[00:09:56] Um, and at that point we were still just going to be a food truck

[00:10:00] pop-up catering kind of person or business, but COVID popped in

[00:10:06] there and changed our plan a little bit.

[00:10:09] Well, I don't, I keep saying plan, but we really didn't have a plan.

[00:10:11] Yeah.

[00:10:11] Like we signed papers on our building in February of 2020.

[00:10:14] So we literally watched COVID unfold on the news and, um, you

[00:10:20] know, North Carolina shut down.

[00:10:21] And like he said, we never planned to open it as a restaurant.

[00:10:25] We were happy being a caterer and a food truck in Charlotte.

[00:10:29] Um, and life changed.

[00:10:34] And so we had to change with it.

[00:10:35] And like you said, there really was no plan.

[00:10:37] Um, we just sent some prayers up and decided to do some pre-orders

[00:10:41] from our food trailer to see if people would be willing to drive

[00:10:44] out to the middle of nowhere.

[00:10:46] And luckily they were.

[00:10:48] And so that kind of, uh, was where barbecue Saturday was born.

[00:10:53] Yeah.

[00:10:53] Yeah.

[00:10:54] So you talk about being in the middle of the nowhere.

[00:10:57] So tell me a little bit about that building and how did you get

[00:11:00] to be in Peachland and in the middle of the middle of the middle

[00:11:04] of the nowhere?

[00:11:04] How did you get to be in Peachland and in that particular location?

[00:11:09] Yeah.

[00:11:09] So we're, we only live like 12 minutes away.

[00:11:12] Um, but I think I had taken a random picture of this building

[00:11:16] in 2016, like before our first pop-up ever, I don't know why

[00:11:20] it's on my camera reel, like still no clue.

[00:11:25] I don't know.

[00:11:25] Like we did go and eat there.

[00:11:26] It was a barbecue restaurant then.

[00:11:28] And I do remember eating there, but it was just kind of a,

[00:11:32] I don't know.

[00:11:33] It used to be, you can talk about it.

[00:11:35] I think the earliest restaurant in that building was a place

[00:11:38] called Bosco's and they were known for their burgers.

[00:11:41] Um, I've even heard tells of having frog legs and there's been

[00:11:45] a hundred different renditions to this building.

[00:11:47] Um, you can, you can just see all the past history and where's

[00:11:52] where what used to be.

[00:11:53] And yeah, I think then, uh, Barbie's bought it.

[00:11:57] I think I was in 2010 ish somewhere on there.

[00:11:59] I think that was a big renovation of the building.

[00:12:01] They added on a little front portion of the dining room, back

[00:12:03] portion where the smoker is now.

[00:12:06] Um, yeah, Karen, uh, Mike, great people.

[00:12:10] Um, Mike's no longer with us, but, um, I think about a lot

[00:12:15] of history, but ultimately restaurant will take a toll on you.

[00:12:17] And, uh, Karen was obviously really, really tired whenever

[00:12:21] we come along to buy that building.

[00:12:23] Um, so yeah, it changed hands.

[00:12:26] Thus, yeah.

[00:12:28] Yeah.

[00:12:29] So tell me a little bit about that experience.

[00:12:30] As you indicated, I've been out there with my friend from master blend

[00:12:33] and barbecue bros and the smoke sheet, all those guys, but tell

[00:12:37] them to people who don't know about it.

[00:12:38] What is somebody going to experience when they come to John G's

[00:12:41] on a barbecue Saturday?

[00:12:43] Yeah.

[00:12:44] So if, if I come from Charlotte, they're going to take a ride of

[00:12:46] about 45 minutes, um, basically in the middle of nowhere, uh, straight

[00:12:51] down highway 74, uh, headed towards Wilmington.

[00:12:55] Um, Peachton's a little town of about 430 people, maybe 429 now.

[00:13:00] I don't know.

[00:13:03] There's just not anything else here.

[00:13:05] Um, a post office, uh, just, just normal people, no stoplights.

[00:13:12] Yeah.

[00:13:12] Not even a stoplight, not even in downtown Beijing or right now.

[00:13:17] But, um, yeah.

[00:13:18] Ah, man, what else to say about it?

[00:13:20] It's just, yeah, it's just something different.

[00:13:22] So I kind of started to me anyway, when, when it was COVID and

[00:13:27] you know, it was phase one and phase two, um, people were wanting to

[00:13:30] get out of the city.

[00:13:31] And so that's really where it started.

[00:13:33] They wanted to get outside.

[00:13:34] Um, that's where we could all be together without being together.

[00:13:38] And so that sort of started that tailgate line.

[00:13:42] Um, people would come out and just kind of get to know each other.

[00:13:46] Um, and then kind of as the years continued on and COVID lessened,

[00:13:51] uh, that luckily grew and people learn to love it, uh, as something

[00:13:56] different than just a meal.

[00:13:58] So it just became more than barbecue.

[00:14:02] This episode of the low and slow barbecue show is sponsored by the

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[00:14:09] has sanctioned barbecue tournaments to further their goal of preserving

[00:14:13] a Southern tradition or providing well-trained judges to contest

[00:14:16] that are raising money for charitable causes in the Carolinas.

[00:14:20] In addition to supporting charitable barbecue competitions,

[00:14:23] the Southern barbecue network also donates annually to numerous local

[00:14:27] community organizations, hospitals and nonprofits to find out more

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[00:14:35] judge training classes.

[00:14:36] Please visit SBBQN.com for more information.

[00:14:41] Again, that is SBBQN.com.

[00:14:47] Yeah, definitely.

[00:14:48] Well, it kind of, as you indicated there, it is really like a big

[00:14:50] tailgate party line.

[00:14:51] You know, people line up for, for hours before the, the

[00:14:54] business even opens, they hang out, they, you guys provide some

[00:14:58] beers for them, you know, and they hang around and they talk

[00:15:01] and they discuss.

[00:15:01] And, um, and then once they get into the business, they step

[00:15:04] up to the service line.

[00:15:05] They've had a chance to look at the menu for a while.

[00:15:08] They place their order, they're served out and they're out

[00:15:10] into the back wherever they want to go and sit down and eat,

[00:15:13] whether it's inside or outside really super experienced.

[00:15:16] But, you know, when you look at that tailgate line, uh, you

[00:15:19] know that, Hey, I got there at seven o'clock and it was early

[00:15:22] in the morning.

[00:15:23] And by the time I get to be about eight 30 or nine o'clock, that,

[00:15:26] that early morning breakfast is worn off and Hey, you guys got

[00:15:30] that taken care of.

[00:15:31] Tell me about how the Kalachi's got started in there and as part

[00:15:35] of your, your morning routine.

[00:15:38] Yeah.

[00:15:38] So Kalachi's stem, I mean, obviously from Texas as well.

[00:15:41] Um, there's, there's a place we always used to go to call

[00:15:44] the Kalachi factory.

[00:15:46] Um, that's more like a fast food of Kalachi's.

[00:15:49] You've got check stop and a few other well-known places in

[00:15:51] Texas, but simply put, I mean, as a, as a house made pastry,

[00:15:56] uh, yeast roll without like just going into a ton of detail,

[00:16:01] but then we'll stuff it.

[00:16:03] You know, we've got bacon popper, we've got chicken bacon

[00:16:06] ranch, we put our sausage in some, and then there's also

[00:16:08] the sweet side of things.

[00:16:10] Uh, that would do like peach apple strawberry.

[00:16:12] Uh, we've even got a cookies and cream one.

[00:16:15] So yeah, like you said, man, just, just breaking up,

[00:16:18] you know, okay, here's a little bit of breakfast.

[00:16:19] You are here anyways.

[00:16:21] Here's some breakfast.

[00:16:22] Um, not something you're normally accustomed to in North Carolina.

[00:16:26] For sure.

[00:16:26] And that helps utilize our food trailer too.

[00:16:29] Um, so they usually, if it's not raining or served from our

[00:16:32] food trailer, um, and we start serving them about 9 30

[00:16:35] every Saturday morning.

[00:16:36] And there are some people that do, they just drive up for Kalachi's,

[00:16:39] you know, they're not really, they're waiting on the food for lunch,

[00:16:42] but they've realized we start selling some breakfast pastries at 9 30

[00:16:45] and they'll show up just to get the Kalachi's.

[00:16:48] Yeah.

[00:16:48] So let me, let me make sure I get that correct.

[00:16:50] Cause I feel like I saw some folks do that.

[00:16:51] Some law enforcement officers from around the community rolling in at 9 30

[00:16:56] don't have to stand in line, just walk right up and get the Kalachi's.

[00:17:00] Might be a small one for Kalachi's, but nothing like the,

[00:17:03] it's the bar.

[00:17:04] We were just talking to today.

[00:17:05] It's finally feels like it's starting to take off as like time to up our number again.

[00:17:09] Uh, or we're selling them all pretty quick at this point.

[00:17:12] So yeah, we'll, uh, we'll definitely add into that and hopefully grow that.

[00:17:16] Yeah.

[00:17:17] So folks come and they spend the day.

[00:17:19] What do you want people to remember about their visit to John G's?

[00:17:24] I am, you know, Gary and I talk a lot about this and I kind of

[00:17:28] addressed it a little earlier about the experience, but

[00:17:32] you know, Gary and I've met people in Texas and barbecue lines that we still talk to today.

[00:17:37] So we really formed a lifelong, hopefully friendship with, with people.

[00:17:42] And that I see that every Saturday because typically it's me out on the

[00:17:45] line doing protein orders.

[00:17:46] And, um, you know, I'll say are y'all all together and they're like, no,

[00:17:50] but we kind of are now, you know, so just talk to all of us.

[00:17:53] It's fine.

[00:17:53] Like we're all friends now.

[00:17:55] Um, and they'll get each other's phone numbers and they'll say,

[00:17:58] we're going to meet back up next month.

[00:18:00] We've got a group of guys that comes out once a month.

[00:18:02] Um, I mean, they have it on their calendar for the whole year.

[00:18:06] And, um, I just, that feeling of more than food is what I want.

[00:18:12] I think both of us want people to remember.

[00:18:15] Because that's going to create that experience creates them to tell somebody else.

[00:18:21] And then they're going to tell somebody else and hopefully they'll come out and

[00:18:23] have that same experience.

[00:18:25] And so it just kind of lives on that way.

[00:18:27] Yeah.

[00:18:28] And definitely I made a similar connection with the barbecue bros and the smoke sheet.

[00:18:32] So I can definitely appreciate how that goes.

[00:18:34] And that's really kind of a differentiator for you guys.

[00:18:36] Let me step on in now into sort of the barbecue jewels as we're kind of short on time,

[00:18:40] but what do you enjoy most about operating that business and being a pit master?

[00:18:49] Oh, man.

[00:18:51] Sorry.

[00:18:54] Yeah.

[00:18:54] Obviously the people, I mean, it's all about the people like Kelly was alluding to,

[00:18:58] I mean, forming those relationships with we've had so many people just thank us for

[00:19:04] the experience that they had.

[00:19:06] And I'm like, we're, we owe that to y'all.

[00:19:09] Like y'all made that happen.

[00:19:10] Y'all make this happen.

[00:19:12] I mean, I don't know guys just talk about that all the time.

[00:19:16] Coming back, like I met this guy, we did this, did this, this.

[00:19:18] I mean, I love hearing that.

[00:19:20] I mean, that's, that's goes so far beyond food.

[00:19:24] Yeah.

[00:19:25] And they're always so tickled to meet Darren and he's so humble that he would

[00:19:28] never say that, but they really are.

[00:19:31] And you know, he's, we're just normal people taking out trash too.

[00:19:36] So, you know, but also we get to raise money.

[00:19:41] I was going to say that's growing in the kind of Jubilee thing.

[00:19:43] I mean, just being able to have a platform that we can put these events together,

[00:19:48] raise money for the community.

[00:19:50] Man, that's huge.

[00:19:51] Like, I don't, I just can't describe that.

[00:19:56] I mean, it's crazy just seeing the pictures of these fundraisers, you know,

[00:20:02] grocery carts full from the front of a food line to the back like for charity.

[00:20:07] I mean, just.

[00:20:08] And we get around barbecue.

[00:20:10] We get to help facilitate that.

[00:20:11] And, you know, our customers are so amazing that they, they, they trust us enough

[00:20:17] to give us money to give to this, these charity events and that we can

[00:20:21] give back to the community that we're in.

[00:20:24] Anson County is a pretty high poverty county in North Carolina.

[00:20:29] And so just to be able to give back to that community and it's not,

[00:20:35] it doesn't have to be in the biggest way.

[00:20:37] Um, but you know, we're proud to give back what we can.

[00:20:41] Yeah.

[00:20:41] So I want to take just a moment and talk about that Texas spotlight.

[00:20:44] You guys have gotten from Daniel Vaughn and you know, the barbecue snob

[00:20:47] and, and Texas monthly, you know, he's kind of put a spotlight on you guys.

[00:20:51] Tell me about that experience, what was involved in it?

[00:20:54] How did that affect your business?

[00:20:57] That was, uh, it was one of the biggest days highlights of this whole thing.

[00:21:02] Um, I guess it was, was it 2020 and Vaughn was either 20 or 21.

[00:21:08] He's been twice.

[00:21:09] Yeah.

[00:21:09] He's been twice now, but the first time he rolled up, you know, it's all of

[00:21:12] eat, all eat, sleep and breathe.

[00:21:14] I mean, it's so he walked up and I'm like, Hey, Daniel Vaughn.

[00:21:18] He's like, how'd you know?

[00:21:19] And I'm seriously, man, like, you know, this is incredible that you're even here,

[00:21:23] you know, and, uh, I don't know.

[00:21:26] I might've shed a little happy tear at the end of that day.

[00:21:29] Uh, then when the article came out, maybe a couple more, but

[00:21:32] it was huge, man.

[00:21:33] I mean, I respect what he does, um, for him to acknowledge our food and

[00:21:38] justify us for whatever way.

[00:21:40] I mean, that was just, it was huge.

[00:21:42] Um, still, still like if we hit a few other magazines with that one was

[00:21:47] top of the list, I think, um, just everything I've read and saw up into

[00:21:51] that point.

[00:21:53] Yeah.

[00:21:53] And do you feel like it helped the traffic of the business and, and did

[00:21:56] it bring further people from further away?

[00:21:58] Yeah.

[00:21:59] I mean, I think, uh, all the Texas transplants, uh, it helped justify us.

[00:22:04] Texas is very proud of their barbecue.

[00:22:08] I was putting it lightly, but, um, just to have that little extra like,

[00:22:12] Hey, this is legit.

[00:22:13] Go check it out.

[00:22:14] You know, that, that drives that and, uh, yeah, it totally just

[00:22:20] justified us for transplants.

[00:22:22] Cool.

[00:22:23] Cool.

[00:22:23] So, you know, you guys have been on this journey here for, you know,

[00:22:26] going on more than a decade or so when you get into the backyard times,

[00:22:30] what do you feel like is the biggest lesson that you've learned along the way?

[00:22:35] Um, I think, you know, we hear a lot about one day a week, one day a

[00:22:40] week, one day a week.

[00:22:41] And, um, we have really tried to stay true to who we are and it's not

[00:22:47] one day a week.

[00:22:47] It's one day a week to the public, but there's so much more involved in

[00:22:50] this business that people don't see.

[00:22:52] Um, and we have a young child.

[00:22:55] We have a child on the way.

[00:22:57] And so we always really took a lot of pride in saying like, this is how

[00:23:02] this is our business model.

[00:23:04] This is how we chose to do things.

[00:23:06] This is what's working for us and, um, you know, not really get greedy

[00:23:10] necessarily.

[00:23:11] And so just stay true to who you are.

[00:23:14] Garen's pretty hard headed.

[00:23:16] Yeah, I was going to say, uh, obviously just don't give up, man.

[00:23:19] There was so many times when we were cooking in parking lots

[00:23:21] with the TFA, like it was grueling.

[00:23:25] I mean, just, just to have the determination, the stubbornness, if you

[00:23:28] will, like just don't give up.

[00:23:30] Um, if you want it, go get it.

[00:23:32] I mean, it's simple.

[00:23:36] Yeah, do it your way.

[00:23:37] Uh, you know, Saturday only kind of STEM because I used to work

[00:23:41] Monday through Friday.

[00:23:43] Um, then those Monday through Fridays kind of turn into catering and

[00:23:48] charity work, like food truck on Wednesdays.

[00:23:51] Yeah.

[00:23:51] I mean, so just, just go there and get it.

[00:23:53] Make it yours.

[00:23:54] Um, give it all you got.

[00:23:58] Sure.

[00:23:58] Okay.

[00:23:58] Cool.

[00:23:59] So when you're looking for advice on doing things better or differently,

[00:24:03] where do you turn when you're looking for that advice?

[00:24:07] Man, I think kind of going back to the last question, like we've

[00:24:10] kind of paved our own way, but there's, there's some people in

[00:24:12] the barbecue world, like I'll bounce stuff off of.

[00:24:15] I mean, he's talking to Dylan cook this morning from Fort Grove,

[00:24:19] Andy Fox, Fox fire.

[00:24:22] Um, there's, there's definitely a few type friends, city limits,

[00:24:25] Robbie.

[00:24:26] Um, a lot of those guys, I'll just bounce stuff off vent to, but, uh,

[00:24:30] I mean, they're kind of all out there doing their own thing too.

[00:24:33] So it's a collaborative, um, collaborative, uh, take on it.

[00:24:38] Yeah.

[00:24:39] For sure.

[00:24:39] Yeah.

[00:24:40] So, and Kelly kind of alluded to this before.

[00:24:42] I know that you guys probably get around a little bit and have some

[00:24:45] barbecue.

[00:24:45] You mentioned some Texas barbecue line.

[00:24:47] So I'm going to get those secrets from you.

[00:24:49] Where is your favorite barbecue restaurant and, and why is that

[00:24:53] your favorite?

[00:24:54] Yeah.

[00:24:55] We honestly, I can't, we can't just say one, but man, if I

[00:25:00] can make the ultimate plate, there's just so many places involved.

[00:25:05] I mean, brisket from this place, carrots, sea flavor from that place.

[00:25:09] I mean, it's just like, Oh goodness.

[00:25:12] Great.

[00:25:13] Yes.

[00:25:13] I'll just start.

[00:25:14] I love the chicken at snows.

[00:25:16] That is like the best freaking chicken you'll ever have in your life.

[00:25:20] Yeah.

[00:25:20] Um, Gary said, care, supply, carousel, flare from Tejas, uh, last, I don't know,

[00:25:26] two weeks ago we were at Houston barbecue festival.

[00:25:28] I went up there and brought back a whole half pan.

[00:25:30] Um, what else?

[00:25:31] Or to you that Valentina's with their brisket and their guac.

[00:25:34] Oh my gosh.

[00:25:35] So good.

[00:25:36] Yeah.

[00:25:36] Uh, you just can't go without mentioning Franklin.

[00:25:39] Yeah.

[00:25:40] All this truth.

[00:25:41] Um, you know, so many great places.

[00:25:45] It's hard to, you can, I can find something that's like my favorite

[00:25:48] thing at every single place.

[00:25:51] Yeah.

[00:25:51] So what do you feel like those guys have that, that maybe we are

[00:25:56] missing here in the Carolinas?

[00:26:00] Who, uh, man, I, I tell you just like a culture, it's a different

[00:26:09] barbecue centric culture.

[00:26:11] Um, it's just hasn't got watered down yet.

[00:26:16] Um, it's just every new place that pops up is just doing something really

[00:26:22] good.

[00:26:23] If they are able to stick around, um, yeah, just doing it the real old

[00:26:28] fashion, good focus on quality experience.

[00:26:33] Yeah.

[00:26:34] And that's not to say North Carolina is there are some really amazing

[00:26:38] North Carolina barbecue spots too, um, that we, we love as well.

[00:26:42] And, uh, they're working really hard to keep that history of North Carolina

[00:26:47] barbecue.

[00:26:48] Um, and still welcoming new people like us.

[00:26:52] So, yeah, sorry, go ahead.

[00:26:56] I was just going to say, I mean, like to serve barbecue in a restaurant,

[00:27:00] like it helps to be an actual barbecue restaurant.

[00:27:02] Whenever I was out here redoing this building, so many people are

[00:27:05] like, are you going to actually cook barbecue here?

[00:27:07] And I'm like, yeah, or, or barbecue restaurant.

[00:27:10] Yeah.

[00:27:12] I mean, that's so simple to say, but yeah, there's just so many places you

[00:27:15] can go and get barbecue.

[00:27:16] That is not a barbecue restaurant.

[00:27:18] Yeah.

[00:27:18] Well, and you mentioned how folks are starting to evolve around the

[00:27:22] Carolinas and keep their tradition, but also doing something new.

[00:27:24] And your buddies at Lawrence are definitely doing that kind of thing.

[00:27:28] You mentioned Dylan at Fort Grove and city limits, you know, who else do

[00:27:32] you feel like is, you know, holding onto that Carolina barbecue tradition,

[00:27:36] but also kind of pushing the envelope on something new.

[00:27:39] Oh, had meant he said pushing the envelope.

[00:27:43] Yeah.

[00:27:44] I was going towards skylight.

[00:27:46] That's like the quintessential North Carolina plate to me.

[00:27:50] Not, you know, but Jake, Jake comes to mind, man.

[00:27:54] He is pushing the envelope.

[00:27:56] You know, he's taking that chefy background.

[00:27:58] Always joke with him about his tweezers, but, um, with his micro

[00:28:02] greens, but, uh, I don't know, man, he is definitely pushing the

[00:28:05] envelope, but at the same time, I mean, he's cooking all wood,

[00:28:10] doing a bunch of the same stuff that we are too.

[00:28:12] But, uh, man, he is Mr.

[00:28:13] Flavor.

[00:28:14] They're working his team.

[00:28:16] His team has led a lot like our team.

[00:28:18] Like we're very small.

[00:28:19] We're very family oriented.

[00:28:21] We have children about the same age.

[00:28:22] You know, it's just, we find a lot of connection with one another.

[00:28:25] And so that grueling work week, weekend and week out, um, there's

[00:28:32] just so much, so many good things to say about them.

[00:28:35] And there's so many other places and, you know, that are pushing the

[00:28:38] envelope in North Carolina too.

[00:28:40] Um, you know, but we're happy to be in the middle of it.

[00:28:45] So, yeah.

[00:28:47] Yeah.

[00:28:48] Well, that looks like a pretty good place to wrap up.

[00:28:50] Really appreciate y'all's time.

[00:28:51] You guys have been listening to the low and slow barbecue show

[00:28:54] on the mesh.tv network of podcasts.

[00:28:56] Be sure to visit us online at low slow bbq show.com.

[00:29:00] That's where you'll find the blog and you can hear other podcast episodes

[00:29:04] featuring our Carolina's great pit masters.

[00:29:06] If you like what you hear on the low and slow barbecue show, please

[00:29:09] follow us and subscribe in your favorite podcast stream.

[00:29:13] Special thanks to Garen and Kelly Kirkman from John G's barbecue.

[00:29:16] Kelly guys, congratulations on the upcoming baby.

[00:29:19] Best wishes there.

[00:29:20] Thank you.

[00:29:21] Thanks for having us.

[00:29:22] Thank you so much.

[00:29:23] Yeah.

[00:29:23] I know your hands are going to get even full.

[00:29:25] You think they're full now.

[00:29:26] Yeah.

[00:29:31] Thanks as well for our producer, Andrew Moose and the whole team

[00:29:34] at the mesh.tv network of podcasts.

[00:29:36] Most especially thank you for listening to the low and slow barbecue show.

[00:29:40] Remember for the best barbecue and the best barbecue podcast,

[00:29:44] make it low and slow.

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