Chili Head Barbecue Company

OnQ
Volume 26, Issue 1 - Winter 2008
Your Source for Great Cookshack Barbecue!
Chili Head Barbecue Company
“Home of the Big Rack”
Paul Bello got his start in the BBQ business five years ago when he purchased 3
Cookshack SM150’s and opened up Chili Heads BBQ, but he had been in the foodservice industry long before that. A 1987 graduate of Johnson & Wales, Bello was a
chef specializing in French cuisine at a hotel until the barbecue bug bit.
“I grew up down south, but when I moved north I couldn’t find any good
barbecue. No one was eating or preparing barbecue here. Now it’s a hot
trend, but it wasn’t then,” says Bello.
He decided to change all that, and he started out big. After looking at “a dozen
smokers”, the choice was made to go with the Cookshack SM150’s for their ease of
use, quality, service, online support, consistency, and the fact that Bello believes that
you can teach anyone to use it.
“Most importantly,” stresses Paul, “it’s a work dog. We use it 7 days a
week, 24 hours a day, and it keeps going. That’s the only way you can
put it. They’re work dogs. I also like having the 3 machines, because each
thing that we do can be cooked separately and that way you get consistency every time.”
The menu offers barbecue staples including three cuts of ribs (Spare, Carolina, and St. Louis), pulled pork, and brisket, but this
isn’t just a straight laced BBQ joint. Jerk Chicken graces the menu, and Paul is branching out and experimenting with Asian
BBQ, trying Thai BBQ sauces and adding Wasabi Ginger Chicken Wings to the menu. Mongolian BBQ dishes may be added
during the coming year.
If you like barbecue, you’ll LOVE
INSIDE:
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Chili Head Barbecue Company
Knuckleheads
Distributor Profile: The Buckingham Group
Extended Payment Offer!
Big Head Chili Company (continued)
“We’re planning on opening more units in
the next few years, and we’re going to stay
with Cookshack. We can’t believe how easy
and consistent it is. The customer support is
fantastic. I blew a part on the weekend of a big
blues festival where we were going to be cooking
for 3000 people. I called tech support, and the
President of Cookshack overnighted me the part
to replace it that night. That’s important to me.
That’s what I tell people about. There may be
cheaper products out there, but in the end you
get what you pay for.”
We have two young children, and we’re trying to teach them
to give back when you can.”
Chili Head Barbecue Company was voted Best of City Search
2006. The Bello’s are planning on opening a second concept
in early 2008.
Location: 320 W. Center St, West Bridgewater, MA 02379
Phone: (508) 941 0707
Website: www.chiliheadbbq.com
Knuckleheads
“The Best Little Biker Bar and Barbecue Joint in Texas”
Knuckleheads is Corpus Christi’s restaurant/bar version of the
well-known television establishment Cheers, where “everybody knows your name”. We talked to Ted who credits the
barbecue from their Cookshack smokers for some of the
place’s popularity.
Regular menu items include Texas V&V Sausage, brisket, pork
butt, pork ribs, and chicken smoked in the kitchen’s Cookshack Series 200 smokers. After proprietary prep techniques
are applied, the meats are smoked and then held in the Cookshacks until time to serve, with the exception of brisket,
which is placed in holding containers. Meals are served cafeteria-style with two sides and “bottomless” drinks.
Chili Head’s features a tequila bar with 53 different tequila’s, and live blues is performed 4 nights a week. While regularly scheduled bands are brought in, it’s not unusual for
impromptu performances to occur when a famous musician
just can’t curb the craving for some Chili Head ribs. “James
Montgomery will give us a call and say he wants to stop in for
some ribs, and I’ll tell him he’ll have to play for a bit. He’ll
end up performing all night in exchange for ribs. I have some
big blues artists that come in here unscheduled and play for
free, just for some ribs.”
Chili Head BBQ proudly donates up to 20% (a minimum of
8%) of their profits to charity. Currently, their biggest recipient is My Brothers Keeper (http://www.mybrotherskeeper.org)
an organization that delivers furniture, household items, toys,
clothing, and food free of charge to those in need, without any
qualifications to be met. “It’s an amazing program; we felt that
we are doing well, and wanted to give back to the community.
FEC100
FEC300
FEC500
The kitchen prides itself on very little waste of meat. Leftover
brisket and pork butt are combined with barbecue sauce and
made into sandwiches. Leftover brisket and sausage are added
to pinto beans to be served the next day. Leftover smoked
chicken is dressed with a proprietary sauce and sold by the
quart. In each case, the leftovers are combined with onions
and Knucklehead’s own seasoning recipes.
The kitchen also serves as commissary for the Santa Fe
Station, a take-out only operation.
Knucklehead’s has a long history as a biker-friendly place.
Both the Reguladorres, the police bike club, and the Cushman
club have chosen Knucklehead’s as their clubhouse. Knucklehead’s is a favorite place for events, and according to Ted,
during the Harley Owner’s Group (HOG) Convention in
Continued ...
DO YOU
FEC750
Q
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Pellet-Fired Smokers
Corpus Christi, a large number of the 7,000 Harleys in town
for the convention could be found in the Knucklehead’s
parking lot at any given time. Walls are decorated with club
vests: including Los Coyotes, Caballeros, Knuckledraggers,
and the Gypsies. The Corpus Christi Patriot Guard meets at
Knucklehead’s before departing for military funerals, where
they serve as an honor guard.
Cookshack Distributor Profile
Location: 819 N. Upper Broadway, Corpus Christie, TX
Phone: (361) 882-9997
Website: www.knuckleheadscc.com
Territory: All DE; PA Zips 179-196
Contact: (215) 785-3250
E-mail: [email protected]
We Want You for On Q!
If you would like to see your business featured in On Q, contact Donna
Johnson at [email protected] or 405.361.2196. You must have
been a Cookshack customer for at least a year, and we will need a photograph or your logo to publish. Submissions with recipes and photos get first
consideration as this is what our readers enjoy.
START 2008 OFF GREAT
with Extended Payments on Your New Pit!
Buyers can purchase any Fast Eddy by Cookshack, or a
Cookshack SmartSmoker Series 200 or Series 300 with
only half down. The balance is to be paid in two equal
payments 30 days and 60 days after purchase. Simply
purchase your new smoker before February 29th, 20008,
and you will be smoking profitably into the new year.
Visit www.cookshack.com for more information,
or call 1-800-423-0698 to speak to John today.
Offer applies to orders placed directly with Cookshack only. If you are not ordering from
Cookshack, please contact your local dealer or distributor to see what specials they may offer.
To find a distributor in your area,
please call Cookshack at 1-800-423-0698.
Cookshack is continuously looking for quality specialty distributors to
strengthen our network and better serve our customers. If you are interested in becoming a distributor* in an un-served area, please call us at
1-800-423-0698.
*Stipulations for becoming a Cookshack distributor include, but are not limited to:
•
Located in AK, DC, HI, NV, SD, or WV
•
Must be established in the restaurant equipment business
•
Must specialize in no more than 4 types of equipment
•
Must agree to make Cookshack their only smoker line
The Buckingham Group
Chuck Stabeno, President
425 Otter Street, Bristol, PA 19007 USA
Since 1990, Chuck Stabeno and has been selling Cookshack products in
Pennsylvania. From their 800 sq. ft. demonstration kitchen, the company
shows buyers how to achieve professional-quality barbecue and smoked
foods. Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack wood-fired smokers are demonstrated at
the customer’s site from the company’s trailer. “Demonstrating Cookshack
products is a vital to our success,” says Stabeno.
A recent demonstration on preparation of Jamaican Jerk Shrimp resulted
in a smoker sale to a restaurateur who was surprised to learn about the
versatility of Cookshack smokers.
The most popular model is the SM150, because of its small footprint, low
energy cost, simplicity, and reliability.
Stabeno tells us that his customers love the simplicity and reliability of
Cookshack products. “In the 17 years that we have sold Cookshack smokers
we have had very few problems. Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack smokers opened
a new market – competition cooking – to our existing restaurant market.”
Stabeno’s credits the company’s success with Cookshack products to the
versatility of Cookshack smokers, enabling them to reach different market
segments such as traditional barbecue restaurants, seafood restaurants,
and culinary schools. The Buckingham Group averages two Cookshack
smoking seminars at regional culinary programs in community colleges
and technical schools.
The company has a great relationship with the Delaware Valley chapter of
the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The Restaurant School at Walnut
Hill College, in Philadelphia, purchased two Model SM160s a couple of
years ago after learning about Cookshack from the Buckingham Group.
After sale service includes delivery, setup and startup training on the
smoker, including how to prep the food, how to clean the smoker, how to
operate the time and temperature controller.
Most popular menu items are ribs and chicken in local farmer’s markets,
cold-smoked salmon and cold-smoked cheeses in country clubs.
Buckingham Group’s customers include the well-known Reading Terminal
Farmer’s Market in Philadelphia, and the Marion Golf Club, home of 2010
US Open.
According to Stabeno, “We certainly love Cookshack. We have a very
successful and profitable relationship with Cookshack that I have enjoyed
professionally and personally.”
2304 N. Ash St.
Ponca City, OK 74601-1100 USA
Return Service Requested
Series of Smokers
Left to Right: SmartSmoker® Series 70, SmartSmoker® Series 100, SmartSmoker® Series 200, SmartSmoker® Series 300
On The Road Again ...
February 17-18, 2008 –
North America Pizza and Ice Cream Show
Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, OH; Booth #501
February 26-27, 2008 –
International Restaurant Show/Nightclub and Bar Show
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV; Booth #2214
March 2-4, 2008 – CRFA Show
Direct Energy Center, Toronto, ON; Booth #2200
March 9-11, 2008 –
The International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York
Jacob K. Javitz Center, New York, NY; Booth #2324
For more information about trade shows we are attending, please visit our Web site at:
www.cookshack.com
OnQ
Volume 26, Issue 1 - Winter 2008
On Q is published quarterly by:
Cookshack, Inc.
2304 N. Ash St.
Ponca City, OK 74601-1100, USA
Direct comments and inquiries to:
Donna Johnson, Editor
© 2008 Cookshack, Inc.
Sales 1-800-423-0698 (USA & Canada only)
Office 580-765-3669
Fax 580-765-2223
E-mail [email protected]
Web site www.cookshack.com
Cookshack is proud to be
a founding member of the
National Barbecue Association