D’Andre Carter is no stranger to the food world. The Chicago-based chef ran a Michelin starred kitchen, then left fine dining to strike out on his own. He first hosted pop-up dinners, then started a full-service catering company, and finally launched Soul & Smoke. There’s now three Chicago-area locations—plus a food truck—all designed to bring Illinoisans into the craft and comfort of barbecue. Carter describes himself as a chef first, and pitmaster second—a careful and elevated approach to the barbecue experience that makes Soul and Smoke unique.

What advice do you have for an aspiring Black entrepreneur?
Running your own business is a lifestyle! Every daily decision should be what's best for the business. Be willing to make sacrifices and believe in yourself no matter what anyone says. If you don't believe in your product no one else will.

How are Black culture and barbecue intertwined?
Grilled meats and smoked meats are certainly a huge part of Black culture. You can't talk about barbecue in America without first talking about the very first pitmasters, who were slaves, cooking tough cuts of meat over an open flame in the heat of the South. In recent years, there has been a reclaiming of BBQ as an art form and a craft. It's important that Black pitmasters are also a part of that conversation.

How would you describe Soul & Smoke?
Soulful, ambitious, timeless, nostalgic, and delicious! Being a Black-owned BBQ company means a lot to me. It's the food I grew up eating and to be able to share that experience with everyone is rewarding in itself.

What is one must-try product from Soul & Smoke?
Brisket Sandwich, Shrimp & Grits and Mac & Cheese. Our Signature Sauce is also loved by many and can be found in about 50 grocery stores around Chicago (which we're hoping to expand soon).

Brian Tooks has barbecue in his blood. Born in Memphis and raised in Kansas City—both renowned barbecue towns—Tooks is part of Pitmaster LT’s, a barbecue sauce and dry rub seasoning company created by his father, Luther "LT" Tooks. After his military service, the elder Tooks began experimenting with barbecue cooking methods and recipes at home, finally perfecting not only his secret seasoning recipes, but a proprietary barbecuing technique. What started as a family recipe is now a thriving business, available to consumers throughout America - from Kroger to Whole Foods and online at PitmasterLT.com - to retail shops in Mexico and Canada. However, every product still authentically honors LT’s vision and represents the best of Kansas City BBQ.

Tell us about the sauces and seasonings.
Dad developed these sauces to be all natural and possess a distinctively Kansas City-style barbecue taste and texture while also embodying hints of other flavors. Some of these other flavors are individually recognized as the characteristic flavors of other known regional BBQ styles, such as the style of Memphis where his home experiments actually began.

What makes Pitmaster LT’s unique?
We're an entirely family owned and operated BBQ brand that produces what some say are the highest quality BBQ products on the market - and we do so entirely health consciously with no junk or filler ingredients.

How are Black culture and barbecue intertwined?
Expressing individual style is characteristic of both barbecue culture and Black culture. For example, the "family reunion," as the great O'Jays sang about years ago, is a staple of Black culture, and barbecue is a staple of the Black family reunion.

What is one must-try product from Pitmaster LT’s?
Pitmaster LT’s Spicy Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce.

Call him Rano. Or Rallo. Or better yet, The Bauce of All Sauces. Regardless of what name you use, Serrano J. Barnes is ready to welcome you to the world of barbecue. The Howard University alum is the co-owner of The Got Damn Sauce, which was born after he wowed his friends with his sauce recipe at a Howard tailgate. Serrano says barbecue is a "whole love language" for him; after all, he’s been barbecuing since he was nine years old. The Got Damn Sauce now boasts a line of products with 11 robust flavor profiles—and the small but mighty company is just getting started.

What does it mean to you to be a Black-owned barbecue business?
It means everything, you know. My sons see me working, making sauce, catering. It puts a bit of pride in them to be a part of something that goes so far beyond their home. But ownership is a must these days and just having the opportunity to be a pillar in an industry that was typically not one that Black people thrived in makes me so happy and honored. To be the keepers of a culture is a very important task. My father passed away in 2007 so I know he's proud of me for this venture.

How are Black culture and barbecue intertwined?
You know, cookouts are our thing. It's a time for fellowship and bonding. It's one of the most sought-after experiences that we have. Bonds are made, and some relationships are crafted at these events so it is very, very integral to who we are as a people and across the Black diaspora.

What are you currently working on?
I'm currently working on doing some pop-ups for my po boy restaurant Angels and Saints, working on a sauce collaboration with one of my favorite rap groups, and we just got accepted into a program for a major retailer so we're excited about the possibilities of that.

What is one must-try product from The Got Damn Sauce?
A toss up between our Mambo Sauces, The Pineapple Ginger Experience, The Lemon Pepper Hot Sauce and The Curry Reaper Pepper Hot Sauce would be my choice.

Allison E. Collins knows good cooking. The self-proclaimed food snob grew up with a grandmother who made from-scratch meals for her family every day; she’s also part of the 70+ year legacy started by her father, Argia B. Collins, in the restaurant business. The elder Collins crafted his signature barbecue sauce, which he called MUMBO® SAUCE, to help his restaurants stand out from the competition on the south side of Chicago. The sauce was so popular that the family launched a manufacturing and distribution business in the mid-1950s, working diligently to get bottles on retail grocery shelves. The business has thrived, but Allison Collins says her father’s original goal—to help folks create great memories around the grill and at every meal—is still at the heart of all they do.

What makes your business unique?
Men are generally at the center of most conversations around the topic of barbecue. I’m proud to represent women in this industry as we aren’t always immediately considered experts in the world of barbecue. Importantly, as it relates to our brand, we are true to our original time-honored recipes that are made with natural ingredients and that capture the essence of everything that makes barbecue delicious. MUMBO® is the perfect balance between sweet, tangy and spicy. True to our homestyle roots, we want the brand we share not only to taste good but also to be "better for you."

What is one-must try product from Argia B’s MUMBO® SAUCE?
It’s hard to pick just one flavor, but lately fans have been going for Argia B’s MUMBO® Hickory Smoke Flavor. It’s very smooth (not a harsh smoke taste) and aromatic. It’s also delicious as a cooking ingredient to enhance the flavor of favorite go-to meals like tacos, meatloaf or pulled chicken sandwiches.

What does it mean to you to be a Black-owned barbecue business?
It means being a part of a rich cultural tradition. It is a way to honor and represent a simple way of life that continues to bring delight to BBQ lovers and those who are new to the table.

What’s next for Argia B’s MUMBO® SAUCE?
Working on new flavors to add to our line. Recently, I’ve experimented with the E&J Peach to create an Argia B’s MUMBO® SAUCE infused peach brandy chicken recipe.

Clarence Cohens is on a delicious mission: bless the people of Dallas, Texas with authentic Memphis-style barbeque. The Memphis native opened Baby Back Shak in 1995, and has been serving high quality dishes ever since: infused with flavor, rocking perfect texture, and marinated to perfection. The Shak Man, as he’s nicknamed, is also known for the Shak Rub—a proprietary seasoning that transforms any meat it touches. However, he also wants Baby Back Shak to be known nationwide as a welcoming, engaging, and positive place for people of all types to come together over great barbecue.

What makes Baby Back Shak unique?
The quality of the food that I bring to this game of BBQ and smoked meats. I really wasn’t a kitchen worker, my mom taught me quite a bit when I was young, but I thought that I needed to improve on the image of Black BBQ. I wanted to show our history, I wanted to bring a good atmosphere and have some of that nice smooth Memphis-style music jamming through my process. My day is dedicated to listening to good music, doing good food, rendering good service, and hoping to have a good day.

What advice do you have for an aspiring Black restaurateur?
Do your homework. Study on what you can do to improve it. If you can improve it, you’ve got to find a way to establish an identity. I have some things that I have to constantly work on to make sure that what I’ve established in this game will go on way beyond me.

What dreams do you have for Baby Back Shak?
That’s what I wake up dreaming about everyday, having a franchise or having more Shaks. My goal is to put out a great product everyday to bring the purveyors of smoked meat together and hopefully one day my seasoning will be on the major drives of the BBQ industry.

What are your passions outside of barbecue?
I’m an avid golfer, I’ve been golfing long before I opened Shak and it takes away the stress and the challenges that this business offers to me on a daily basis. I stay busy. I try to make sure that this life I live will be full of excitement and challenges.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE LOCAL BLACK-OWNED BBQ BUSINESS? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!