Ottawa has a lot of talent, from many sectors. One of the biggest talents is Chef T who prides himself on quality Barbeque, here at Bytown Blog we decided to learn more about him. This is his story.
Bytown Blog: What inspired you to become a chef? And when did you realize that cooking could become more than a passion?
I’m actually a self-taught chef. Cooking started as something I genuinely loved doing, especially cooking for family and friends and bringing people together around food. BBQ and cooking over fire really became my lane. I loved the whole process, the fire, the smoke, the patience behind it, and the way food can create a moment and bring people together. I think I realized it could become more than a passion when people started asking me to cook for their events, recommending me to other people, and actually willing to pay for the experience. What started small slowly became pop-ups, private dinners, weddings, corporate events and bigger opportunities. At some point I realized, Okay, this can actually be something. I can build a business around this.
And from there, THE BBQ JOINT just kept growing.
BTB: When people eat your food, what do you want them to experience?
I want people to feel something. Obviously I want the food to taste amazing, but for me it goes beyond that. I want people to feel the love, the culture and the work that went into it. I want that first bite to make you stop for a second and say, “Damn, that’s good.” My food is about bringing people together. Whether it’s at a wedding, a backyard BBQ, a pop-up or a private dinner, I want people to remember not only what they ate, but how they felt in that moment.
BTB: What is the biggest challenge building this business? What are some lessons you’ve learned so far?
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to be a business owner and not just a chef. I love cooking. That part comes naturally to me. But running a business means dealing with numbers, bookings, emails, staffing, food costs, scheduling, marketing, clients and all the things people don’t necessarily see behind the food. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that you can’t do everything yourself.
Building the right team around you is important. I’ve also learned that every opportunity isn’t necessarily the right opportunity. Sometimes you have to say no, know your value and protect the quality of what you’re building. And probably the biggest lesson is to just keep going. There have been mistakes and difficult moments, but every one of them taught me something that made the business better.
BTB: With all the great chefs and food businesses in Ottawa, what makes your food and business different?
Ottawa has a lot of talented chefs and food businesses, and I respect that. I don’t think being different means trying to compete with everybody else. I just focus on what makes THE BBQ JOINT us. My food comes from my story. I bring African flavours and influences into BBQ, live-fire cooking and comfort food, but I also like elevating it and presenting it in ways people might not expect. We can pull up and cook BBQ for hundreds of people, do a pop-up, cater a wedding, and then turn around and create a more intimate private-chef or multi course dining experience. At the end of the day, it’s still me. Fire, smoke, bold flavours, culture and food that brings people together. That’s the identity of THE BBQ JOINT.
BTB: If we circle back in 5 years, what do you hope this business has become?
In five years, I want THE BBQ JOINT to be bigger than just me. I want it to be a recognized brand with a strong team, where we can continue doing catering but also create our own experiences and concepts. l’d love to have our own space eventually, a place where people can experience what we do with live fire, BBQ and Afro-fusion food on another level. But growth for me isn’t only about getting bigger. I want to create opportunities for other people, especially young chefs and people coming into this industry who might not have taken the traditional route. Five years from now, I want to look back and say we built something that has longevity, something my daughter can be proud of, and something that really became part of the food culture in Ottawa – Gatineau.
BTB: What is one dish that tells your story better than anything else, and why?
I would probably say my smoked braised beef. It represents a lot of what my cooking is about. You have the BBQ side with the smoke and fire, but then you have that slow braising technique that gives you something rich, comforting and full of flavour. And I can take that same beef and serve it at a BBQ, put it into a sandwich or bowl, or plate it for a fine dining dinner with a beautiful sauce and sides. That really represents me as a chef. I don’t like putting myself in one box. I can give you BBQ, comfort food or an elevated plated experience, but there will always be something in it that feels like Chef T.
BTB: If you would like to book or work with Chef T, below is his information:
The BBQ Joint · thebbqjoint613@gmail.com
Website: www.thebbqjointcatering.ca
Instagram: @thebbqjoint_
Check out his: Google reviews
