These Lone Star trailblazers are setting Texas barbecue on fire.
Theyre making big things happen and being taken seriously.
Theyre teaching others the secrets ofbarbecueand live-fire cooking online, on television and at in-person events too.
Lockhart Upstart Pitmaster Chuck Charnichart opened her Barbs-B-Q restaurant in May.Credit:Robbie Caponetto
A lot of women in the industry are also married to the pitmaster, she explains.
That always throws people off.
Defying expectations is nothing new for Lewis, though.
Sawyer Lewis sits outside her Austin barbecue truck.Credit:Robbie Caponetto
The bridge from Contigo to what we do now is not actually too far, explains Lewis.
Our food is farm to table.
All of our meats are locally sourced and sustainable, and thats something were really proud of.
Specialties include pork hash and rice, sausage made with hops, and beef cheeks.Credit:Robbie Caponetto
Now, the business has grown far beyond the original truck.
We each wear a lot of hats, Lewis says.
But she says theres a lot more to running this business successfully than managing the fires.
Chuck Charnichart aims to help create a more inclusive scene for female pitmasters like herself.Credit:Robbie Caponetto
I hope that operators start to get a little bit more attention, she says.
Its not necessarily the most glorious, sexy work, but its important.
Im going through such a big life transition, she says.
At Barbs-B-Q, sides like cacti de gallo and green spaghetti rival the ribs.Credit:Robbie Caponetto
Thats a common reality for women in the food-and-beverage industry.
In a lot of restaurants, there is not any sort of maternity leave, she says.
Owning the operation doesnt solve the problem.
Kelli Nevarez uses custom smokers made by her dad.Credit:Robbie Caponetto
We were kind of surviving on a weekly basis, so I really needed to wait….
Being gone for six weeksin most environments, its not really tolerated.
She and LeRoy have big plans for the future toonamely, opening up a brick-and-mortar place.
Pork ribs, sausage, and tamales are standouts at LaVaca BBQ.Credit:Robbie Caponetto
Thats some New School Barbecue for sure.
I didnt even know that there was a Texas-style brisket, she says.
She had no idea that its owner, Aaron Franklin, was an internationally famous pitmaster.
Credit:Robbie Caponetto
The pay was better than at other restaurants, so she took the job.
Seven years later, she is on her way to becoming a culinary celebrity herself.
Charnicharts journey began at Franklin, but that was in the front of the housenot in the pit room.
Pryles has a seasoning line that includes a beef rub made with activated charcoal.Credit:Robbie Caponetto
It didnt feel like a place where I belonged, Charnichart says.
She did, however, strike up a friendship with Jonny White, one of the youngest cooks.
However, despite her eagerness, she says her requests to get in the pit were denied.
In fact, Charnicharts cooking ambitions had to wait until she graduated from UT in 2020.
White wanted Charnichart to join them, but the business was not exactly thriving.
They were cooking maybe three or four briskets a day, and it was very slow, Charnichart recalls.
White and Charnichart jumped at the chance.
It was a very challenging, intense experience, she remembers.
When they returned to the U.S. in early 2021, business was still slow at Goldees.
Charnichart was often the one overseeing the pits.
They would call me the head pitmaster, but we all knew how to do everything, she says.
We switched positions on and off every six months.
Both of my parents are from Mexico, says Charnichart, who grew up in Brownsville.
Every weekend, they would have a cookout.
It would be mainly chickenpollo asadoplus beef finger ribs, jalapeno poppers, and some really good sides.
Those tasty sides are now prominent features on the Barbs-B-Q menu.
I dont add any sugar, she says.
The sweetness comes from pears, beets, and honey….
The Lapsang tea gives smokiness.
Theyre focusing on what really matters: cooking great food and serving it to hungry customers.
I have a surprise for yall.
When Christine retired from her teaching career, she and Lupe started a weekend barbecue trailer.
(So she wasnt bored, Kelli explains.)
LaVaca BBQ opened on November 16, 2019.
Lupe was considered an essential worker at his plant and was soon buried in projects.
By summer, Kelli and her mother were largely running the place by themselves.
As the new school year approached, Kelli knew something had to give.
I decided I didnt want to be half-hearted, she says.
I couldnt do part of the day with the kids and the rest here at the restaurant.
Before the summer ended, she had quit teaching to become a full-time pitmaster.
Her father welcomed the transition.
Once he saw peoples reactions to my food, he stepped back, Kelli says.
He was like, No, youve got it.
Four years later, LaVaca BBQ has earned a reputation as one of the top joints in the state.
With a teacher turned pit-master at the helm, LaVaca BBQ is just getting started.
Her first taste of Texas barbecuea beef rib with superbly smoky barkwas at the now-departed Artz Rib House.
In 2010, Pryles started a blog to chronicle her journeys and publish recipes.
In 2015, she moved to the Lone Star State and doubled down on her passion.
She published her first book, Hardcore Carnivore, in 2018 and launched a line of seasonings.
Now,Hardcore Carnivoreblends are distributed all over the world.
Thats one of my biggest sources of pride, she says.
As someone whos an immigrant and female, I think it speaks to how hard Ive worked.
Shes still evolving and learning.
In December 2022, Pryles graduated from the Meat Science Program at Iowa State University.
Its a craft, she says.
But I did like the aspects of things like doneness in steaks being measurable and understanding beef grades.
Theres another motivation for getting formal credentials.
I had learned so much stuff that I wasnt really getting the credit for, she says.
Unfortunately, we women have to work a little bit harder sometimes and insist on things.
But she prefers to be an influencer in the actual world through cooking demos and festival and conference appearances.
Im still fascinated and inspired by what I do, Pryles says.
And I really couldnt ask for a better situation.
