first "catering" gig

[MattWaldenGFX]

hey y'all!

checking back in feeling a little different than in my previous posts...

when i bought the franklin bbq pit, i did so to start a new chapter in life. the past 15 years, i've spent most of my time on the road running LED walls/video screens on concert tours/music festivals/award shows/etc...
i had friends all over the world, but none in houston, because when i was home, it was family time. since covid hit and the events industry went completely out of business, i made the decision to get off the road and find a full-time gig that would keep me home with my family year round.
i bought the pit so i can cook for people and build community!

unfortunately, due to the pandemic, my first 5 or 6 cooks were pretty much family-only kind of deals.

UNTIL LAST WEEK!

some friends from atlanta who i've worked with over the years were in town working a show and we planned on going out to dinner to catch up. that is, until one of my friends said he's been watching my posts about the stuff i've been cooking, so he'd buy all the food if i'd cook and serve it to the team. wait... a catering gig? SURE! let's go!!!

in all my previous cooks, i prepped for a few days making sure i had everything i needed. but this time, i had less than 24 hours! so i dropped the kids off at school in the morning, went to HEB and bought them out of dino ribs, got home, started my fire, scrambled to find supplies, seasoned the beef ribs and got to cooking!

8 hours later, the beef ribs were done! i wrapped them up, and drove an hour to set up at the crew hotel. i was about to feed a team of 15 crew guys who had been working all day! when they got to the hotel, they were ready to eat!

it was pretty incredible to cook for others, serve them, and be there as they ate. a totally new feeling for me.

i knew 5 of the 15 on the crew. 4 of the 10 i didn't know said it was the best BBQ they had ever had. i couldn't believe those words were coming out of strangers mouths about something i cooked! it left me speechless!

anyway, to those of you who cook for others on a regular basis, MUCH love and respect! i've had my first taste, and i want more! hahaha!

[kathicooks]

Good for you. I haven’t done any commercial cooks, but plenty of office groups and parties.
Just moved to an area where we know no one. Smoked a couple pork butts and brought pans of food to several neighbors. I have no problem buying love with food!
Have fun with your new career. Looks like you are off to a good start.

[MattWaldenGFX]

Good for you. I haven’t done any commercial cooks, but plenty of office groups and parties.
Just moved to an area where we know no one. Smoked a couple pork butts and brought pans of food to several neighbors. I have no problem buying love with food!
Have fun with your new career. Looks like you are off to a good start.

thanks! it's a BEAUTIFUL new chapter!

[jzadski]

Right On! Your cook looks on point. Hopefully this will be that start of something good

[Mikhail]

Those ribs look great! Glad this worked out for you.

[ronbrad62]

I'm a firm believer of "when one door closes another one opens", and you are a solid example of that. Congrats on your first gig and best of luck on your others.

[Greygoose]

Looks like you nailed those ribz spot on,,,,
Always a good sign when you see the jaws movin and no words are coming out,,,,
Except for a few groans of delight

[Jason TQ]

You truly know how good your q is when you ask friends and family to pay full price and they agree :-D.

[Titch]

Great looking bones mate, congrats on your new venture

[TC Smoke & Que]

Those Ribs look fantastic, and the looks on those eating them says it all! Doing what we love for others is a Labor of Love and it creates that satisfaction of knowing we got it right.
I too am venturing in to the catering aspect of Que, and have some orders for racks of ribs for Super Bowl. Just like you, I hope it becomes a grander scale.
Good Luck with you venture!!! Looks like a promising start!!

[Dweverett]

Great looking ribs and awesome way to connect with friends and make some new ones!

[Shiz-Nit]

Pit and ribs look freaking awesome

[ModelMaker]

Here comes Debbie Downer!!!
Anytime you accept payment for BBQ to the public you HAVE to up to speed with all Serv-Safe. insurance, state sales tax. It seems pretty unnecessary until someone (your fault or not) gets sick and looks to recover in a lawsuit.
One time will wipe you out.
Ed

[MattWaldenGFX]

Here comes Debbie Downer!!!
Anytime you accept payment for BBQ to the public you HAVE to up to speed with all Serv-Safe. insurance, state sales tax. It seems pretty unnecessary until someone (your fault or not) gets sick and looks to recover in a lawsuit.
One time will wipe you out.
Ed

not a debby downer for me because i have no plans of ever making a penny off my new hobby!

my friends paid for the food from the grocery store and i cooked it for them. they offered to pay me for my time and i refused! i just enjoyed cooking for some friends who were in town working a show. the enjoyment they got from eating food i cooked was all the payment i needed! (government can't tax that)

EDIT: i just realized it's possible i wasn't clear. i got a "real" job that will keep me at home from now on. that real job has nothing to do with cooking! since i'll be home, i bought the pit so i can start building community and have people over. i have no plans of ever making money off cooking! i called the other night a "catering gig" because in the events industry, you go to "catering" for every meal.

[CptKaos]

You would enjoy coming to a "Brethren Bash"

[MattWaldenGFX]

You would enjoy coming to a "Brethren Bash"

tell me more

[Smokin Dawg77]

One heck of a job ! Yea that feeling is hard to match for sure

[PaPaQ]

Nice looking bones!

[CptKaos]

tell me more


The Texas Bash is held twice a year, Texas Spring Bash is usually held in April in the D/FW area, the Fall Bash is in October in the central Texas area.
These are informal gatherings centered around Q and fellowship. You can cook, eat, drink and visit with brethen who have the same love of cooking barbecue.

[MattWaldenGFX]

The Texas Bash is held twice a year, Texas Spring Bash is usually held in April in the D/FW area, the Fall Bash is in October in the central Texas area.
These are informal gatherings centered around Q and fellowship. You can cook, eat, drink and with brethen who have the same love of cooking.

love it!

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

Matt, that is a beautiful cooker and those are awesome looking dino bones. I haven't ventured into trying any type of beef ribs yet, but you make me want to try. I know what you mean about the adrenaline you get for cooking for others and them acknowledging you did an excellent job. Keep on brother!

[jkief]

Wife and I spent hours last night talking about the next chapter in my life after the military. It’s coming up fast, and catering keeps coming back up to the front of our list! Hope it works out for you as well. Looks damn good!

[jwilliamson1000]

I doubt that frees you of liability.

[MattWaldenGFX]

I doubt that frees you of liability.

it's no different than cooking in my backyard or kitchen and having friends over for dinner. i made no money, it was a meal made for friends. they reimbursed me for the groceries and not a penny more.

people can sue for anything they want, it doesn't mean they'll win. and if my friends want to sue me, i need new friends!

[TC Smoke & Que]

Wife and I spent hours last night talking about the next chapter in my life after the military. It’s coming up fast, and catering keeps coming back up to the front of our list! Hope it works out for you as well. Looks damn good!

Jeffry, Wife and I jumped head first in to a Concessions Trailer back in 07, it was a learning experience with a huge curve because here in Florida they have some very strict rules and regulations. And Dept of Ag / Health (local) is pretty by the book. When the economy fell in 08 / 09, the business did too and BK became our only option after that.

That said, it can be lucrative but is a ton of work, plus we made some really great friends.
As my customer base grows I will step by step my way back in, but that previous knowledge allows me to know what steps I have to take. The one thing that you can not control is the economy and peoples descresionary spending, so product quality and service has to be top notch to survive.

[Mann Vs Food]

Congrats man, that looks awesome. I've been a line cook for about the last year in two diff places, a restaurant/bar and currently a fine dining place. I love to cook but nothing beats my side gig cooking for others and seeing their faces. I did like 15 pop ups and one chicken BBQ fundraiser and when you see the same people coming to see you and eat your food week in and week out, nothing beats that feeling. Keep with it man, thats one heck of a start and you def now have the bug and best of all... everyone needs to eat!