ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO!

It’s official! Jack’s BBQ opens to the public this Monday, Sept. 8.

Chefs, bartenders, fire tenders and waitresses busted out some mean brisket, chicken, sausage, ribs, mac-and-cheese, corn pudding, pralines and so much more as friends and family converged on the new space last night, catching up with each other, enjoying southern-styled cocktails, and ordering off the menu.

As most of you know, this is Jack’s first restaurant (he’s been in high tech most of his life). Knowing that there was a lot he did not know, he wisely cherry-picked an all-star staff to assist in creating a world-class Central Texas menu. Pitmaster Tony White, who learned the art of the fire at Louie Mueller’s in Taylor, Texas, joins us via Tokyo, where he just opened a smoking factory specializing in bacon and sausage.  Jay Midwood, previously a chef at Ethan Stowell restaurants and a competitor in Dinner Lab 360, will oversee the kitchen, crafting recipes from the ground up including homemade pickled okra, house-smoked bacon and Texas barbecue sauce. Wesley Shaw, an amazing cook and native Texan, joins the team from Poppy in Capitol Hill.  Scott Hart, barbecue aficionado, beer expert and recent transplant from the fine dining scene in Palm Beach, will be mixing exciting concoctions such as a smoked orange Old Fashioneds and pickled okra dirty martinis.

While we have a few little adjustments here and there, the night went off without a hitch, and with the first trial run under our belt, we’ll soon be off to the races!