1 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,239 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor. I'm any Rees and I'm 2 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,159 Speaker 1: Lauren foc Obam and we have another bonus episode for 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 1: you today, Boneness Bones. And I want to say, Lauren, yes, 4 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,959 Speaker 1: that there are two things about this interview that we 5 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: are about to run with Elliott Moss over at Bucks 6 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 1: and Hall Barbecue. Then I want to share one. I'm 7 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: really glad we got this interview because it was one 8 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,239 Speaker 1: of those things where I think I was involved in 9 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: a seventy seventy email thread just trying to schedule and 10 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: it was the one that almost got away. Oh yeah, Yeah. 11 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: It's really hard to pin down chefs. I mean, they're 12 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: they're busy humans. They've got a lot of stuff going on. 13 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: I don't know what it could be the stuff we're 14 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: interviewing them about. Perhaps uh yeah, yeah. Elliott Moss is 15 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: the pitmaster and chef at Buxton Hall, which is a 16 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: barbecue joint in Asheville, North Carolina that we got to 17 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: go to. Um, if you listened to our Nostalgia, Comfort 18 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 1: Food and Carolina que episode, um, you heard him talk 19 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: about that kind of thing. But yeah, he talked a 20 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: lot about oh, just just lovely traditions that he grew 21 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 1: up with and why he wanted to start that restaurant, 22 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: and uh yeah, we thought it was a really terrific Listen, 23 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: we enjoyed the conversation ourselves, so we wanted to share 24 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: it with y'all. So here it is. Would you tell 25 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: us what kind of barbecue you're you're doing at Buxton? 26 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: We do what I'm just called Carolina whole hog. I'm 27 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: from the eastern part of South Carolina, which is you know, 28 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: in line with eastern North Carolina, where the whole hog 29 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: is done cooked over wood charcoal and dress with an 30 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: anger pepper barbecue sauce. Um. I've brought that style of 31 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: barbecue to the mountains of North care only it and 32 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: we use fashion raise hogs that are raised by my 33 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: good friend Larry and Kathleen Um have Vando Farms and 34 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,399 Speaker 1: it's right down an old fort Um they PASTI raise 35 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: all our picks for us and having provided him for 36 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: us for the past three years. But that's not the 37 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: only type of sauce that you offer, right we there's 38 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: a whole sauce bar involved. Yeah, we have a we 39 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: have sauces for people that want a different style. Um. 40 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: I lived in Columbia South Carolina for five years and 41 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: kind of got a taste for the mustard. So we 42 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: have the mustard sauce and we have a couple of 43 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: red sauces that we put on our barbecue chicken and 44 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: ribs and then offer it if anybody else won't sit 45 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: for their pulled pork or hog or French fries or 46 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: whatever else they want. Where did you learn to barbecue? 47 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 1: Back in back in eastern North Carolina, South Carolina, Lawrence. 48 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: It's near Myrtle Beach. Um. My grandfather was a welder 49 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: and taught my dad how the world, and we grew 50 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: up with homemade barbecue pit that we would cook hogs 51 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: um that my other grandfather would raise early on, and 52 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 1: then it just became a family tradition that leg would 53 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: cook hogs around the holidays for Thanksgiving and Christmas and 54 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: have a big party and have everyone over and pick 55 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: on the pig. And those are just some memories I 56 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: had my whole life as a little kid, and Um, 57 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: I started out cooking food for a living, and after 58 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: a few years aside, I want to open my own restaurant, 59 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: and I couldn't think of anything else with barbecue that 60 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: I wanted to do. Um, so that's that's why I 61 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: do barbecue some some some of the rest of the 62 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: menu though. Um, you've got a lot of really iconic 63 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: dishes on their Uh what are your influences when you 64 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: when you create those other mains and sides alongside your 65 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: whole hog. Um. Well, I've worked at my first job 66 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: in the restaurant businesses that play. I went there for 67 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: eight years. Um, I knew that I wanted to have 68 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: something on the menu to compete with the barbecue, so 69 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: we didn't run out all the time. And every body 70 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: a loves the fried chicken sandwich. So we have a 71 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: chicken sandwich that there's a little homage to my time 72 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: spent at Chick fil A, and it's it's a really 73 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: popular sandwich for us. Um, we saw a lot of them. 74 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: Bone at the Teeth named it the best chicken sandwich 75 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: in the country a couple of years ago. Um. That 76 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,600 Speaker 1: really helped solidify it as the cult status kind of thing. 77 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: We do. Catfish. Um, my grandfather had a catfish pond. 78 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 1: I grew up catfishing and fried catfish is just really good. 79 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:42,920 Speaker 1: And we do a cured smoked fried catfish. We cure 80 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 1: the catfish first smoking on top of the pig and 81 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: then cool it off and then fry it. And then 82 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: we put our western North Carolina style mop on that 83 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 1: and serve it on a bun with a piece of 84 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: American cheese and lettuce and some pickles. Um that's kind 85 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: of her hit. I don't know if people don't order 86 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: the catfish because it's a barbecue place, but it's one 87 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: of my favorite dishes. Um. We have a double cheeseburger 88 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: because sometimes I want a cheese burder heard that? Okay, 89 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,799 Speaker 1: we use we use some nice local grass fed beef 90 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 1: for that and super yummy. Um. As far as the 91 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: sides and all, uh, I like to call them Grandma influence. 92 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 1: You know, I come from a chef background. After Chick 93 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: fil A, I had worked at a several different restaurants, 94 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,479 Speaker 1: but um, I moved to Asheville to work at a 95 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: restaurant called The Admiral and I worked there for about 96 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,919 Speaker 1: six years and got a James Beard nomination right before 97 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: I was leaving to come out in Buckston Hall. So 98 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: I approached it. I guess from a chef more than anything, 99 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: and it just happens to be barbeculated. Would you tell 100 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: us about the hash Yeah, the hash is a byproduct 101 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: um from making barbecue. You don't really see it much 102 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: other than South Carolina. UM. I think there's a few 103 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: places in North Carolina around the border, and a few 104 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 1: places in Georgia around the border. But you know there 105 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: might be more out there. I just you don't see 106 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: him like you do in South Carolina. Every barbecue place 107 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 1: pretty much has hash of some sort, and it's I 108 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: think it started as a way for them to use 109 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: up left over barbecue. Um. Ours is the process of 110 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 1: all the fatty bits that we scrape out of the hog. Um. 111 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: We can feedos overnight and save all the fat that's rendered, 112 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 1: and we bought our buns and try some things and 113 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: that make gravy. We save all those bits and you know, 114 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: a week's sort of looking hogs. We have a lot 115 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: of those bits, and we mixed that with stock that 116 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 1: we've made and pulling the bones and um. We put 117 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 1: some ground up pork liver in there for some good 118 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: clay there, uh and a few other secret things and 119 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: we cook it, you know, by the fire overnight and 120 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: we've blended up and it's kind of like a meat grazy. UM. 121 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:11,559 Speaker 1: The word hash is a terrible marketing name. Um, people 122 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,119 Speaker 1: confuse it for like a potato or corn be sash. 123 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: But the best way I can describe it over you know, 124 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: out seeing, and it's it's a gray or it's a 125 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: brown kind of crazy, super meaty kind of taste a 126 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: little bit like Brunswick stew or a chili. Um. But 127 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: we eat it over rice and serve it over rice 128 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 1: here at Luxon, and you can get it as a 129 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: combo with the barbecue. Some some old timers put it 130 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: over there barbecue like it's a barbecue sauce that kind 131 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:45,239 Speaker 1: of has that flavor. And well, a lot of people 132 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: eat over grits in the morning for breakfast. Um. When 133 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: one old man told me one time that that barbecue's 134 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: like cocaine and hashes like crack, so part it ditched 135 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: it up once you taste it. People all the time, 136 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: you know, I think about that hash all the time. 137 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, you should come try it if you have 138 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: hashes are very very humby saying it's the most soulful 139 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: and it's the thing that I'm the most proud of 140 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: on the menu for sure, just because of all the 141 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: love we put into it, and most places just throw 142 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: all that stuff away and you can put some time 143 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: and make it taste really yummy. We have some more 144 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: of our conversation with Elliott, but first we have a 145 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 1: quick break for word from our sponsor, and we're back. 146 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: Thank you sponsor. Now back to the interview. People have 147 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: opinions about barbecue. Um, what's it? What's it like running 148 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: a barbecue joint? I mean, do you do you get 149 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: weird flak from different folks? Do you get uh not 150 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: nods from folks? Uh? Does anyone ever ever give you 151 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: about the kind of barbecue that you're cooking? Oh? Absolutely? 152 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: And you know I lot. I watched a lot of 153 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: TV food food shows growing up as a kid, and 154 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: I could see the rivalry and barbecue all across the 155 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: country from Afar and I definitely knew going into the 156 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 1: opening the barbecue place that I would have people coming 157 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: here saying that this isn't barbecue, or Texas is better, 158 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: Kansas is better? Your barbecue vinegar? What is that that's 159 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: not barbecue? Sauce? I knew all those things going into it, 160 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: so I felt like I was prepared. And you know, 161 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: we do get those things. And barbecue is a very 162 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:35,199 Speaker 1: regional thing and people like the barbecue that they grew 163 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: up eating. You know, I know I do. That's why 164 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: I cooked the vinegar barbecue. It's just what I so 165 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: my palate was raised on. UM. Not that I don't 166 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: like other styles, but that's just you know, like them 167 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 1: coming here San Texas is better. They were probably raised 168 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: on little neighborhood joint in Texas and the favorite barbecue 169 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: and you will never find another one like your first 170 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: favorite barbecue. Why do you think that these foods do 171 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: have such like a like a sense of timelessness in nostalgia. 172 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: I don't know. I guess there's such an old, old 173 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: food waste here. People haven barbecue and foods for a 174 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: long time. UM, and they're hard to find. You know, 175 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: people don't do it the right way as much as 176 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: they used to. UM. Starting to become more of a 177 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: trend now, for sure, But ten fifteen years ago it 178 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 1: was really hard to find good barbecue. And I don't know. 179 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: Food is nostalgic, all of it, really, I guess absolutely. 180 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: I guess speaking of doing it the right way, how 181 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: how do you all source your your wood? UM? Derek 182 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: Watson is my wood guy. We've been working with him 183 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: since the beginning and I was buying some wood from 184 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: him before we open. Um. Our wood is sourced by Derek, 185 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: and he's not out cutting down trees just for us. 186 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: He keeps his ear to the horn and when um, 187 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: a new development in the area is happening and they're 188 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 1: cutting some trees down. A storm knocks some trees down, 189 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,439 Speaker 1: he goes and get them and cut them up for us. 190 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: It's mostly oak around the mountains of North Carolina we're getting. 191 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: There is some hickory and some cherry. We mostly use 192 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:13,959 Speaker 1: red and white oak. Um. I mean, you said that 193 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: you had worked for for Chick fil A for number 194 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: of years, But how did you decide to make the 195 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: food industry like your your your industry like your your life. Well, um, 196 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 1: I guess I've come from the art background. As a child, 197 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: I always thought i'd be an artist, and I feel 198 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: like I'm pretty artistically creative, and um, you know, I 199 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: didn't really know what I wanted to do for Linton. 200 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: My dad was a welder. I knew I didn't want 201 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: to stand in the hot weldn shop, So you know, 202 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: I pursued some art and music was always a big 203 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: part of my life. Collecting music and just listening to it, 204 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: and I don't know. I started cooking at Chick fil A, 205 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: and I I did it for a long time just 206 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: because I needed a job and to pay pretty well. 207 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: And I guess it taught me a lot about you know, 208 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: how to work in kitchens and manage people and systems 209 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: and you know, quality of food and efficiency. I mean, 210 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: it taught me a lot how to work in the kitchen. UM. 211 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: And then when I decided I was ready to leave 212 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: Chick fil A, I just felt like it would be 213 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: easy for me to get a job in the restaurant 214 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: because I had some experience, but no one really wanted 215 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: to hire me because of Chick fil A experience. They 216 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 1: can't really see that as I just really experience. Um, 217 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: I don't know. So I was watching a lot of 218 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: Food Network, you know, just cooking at home, cooking for 219 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 1: my mom and dad and girlfriends and seeing their faces. 220 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: I guess, you know, coming from a family where food 221 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: is just always tried to worse down your throat for love, 222 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: you know, it's just my family always wanted to see me. Um. 223 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: And then I got a job at the chef um 224 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 1: and I worked in the open kitchen and I could see, 225 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: you know, people eating food and smiling. I could see 226 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 1: instantly if they like the food or not. And I 227 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:09,959 Speaker 1: think all artists really just want gratification and for the 228 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: work that they've done, and cooking food you can see 229 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:16,719 Speaker 1: that instantly if somebody likes it or not. And um, 230 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: that kept me around for a long time just for 231 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: concluden seeing people happy about and creating plates and dishes, 232 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: and then opening Buxton. I think it went more of 233 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:29,199 Speaker 1: a kind of a big installation art piece for me. 234 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: I got to create this whole space, you know, the 235 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: colors and things on the walls, and what the kitchen's 236 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: gonna was like, the music and look like, and shorts 237 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: ideas and it's a lot of places for create creativity 238 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: to happen, and opening restaurant. So I hope that ain't surgical. Yeah, No, 239 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: that was That was great. Um how was Buxton born? 240 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,719 Speaker 1: How did you meet up with nor One? Um? Me 241 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: and Mirjuan met uh at this supper club in greens Or. 242 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: He'd been to the Admiral couple of times, but I've 243 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: never really said anything to him, just kind of saw 244 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: him from far. And Um, I was planning on opening 245 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: Buxton with one of the partners from this place they have. 246 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:14,959 Speaker 1: We had a piece of property across the street and 247 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 1: we were pretty close to getting it open, and we 248 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 1: decided the last minute to you know, I do the project. UM. 249 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: Then we ended up selling the land and there was 250 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: a lot of hype behind it. And you know what 251 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: I called me one day. I was like, gay man, 252 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: what you doing? Told him kind of the short long story. 253 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: He let's have a drink and he said, what if 254 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: I help you try to get this done? And I 255 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 1: was like, well, you know, and talk about it. And 256 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: a couple of years later we know open bucks in 257 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: the Hall. We're going to pause the interview here. We've 258 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: got a little bit more for you, but we also 259 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: have one more quick break for a word from our sponsor, 260 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: and we're back. Thank you sponsor, and back to the interview. 261 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: So how did you wind up in in Asheville from 262 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: from South Carolina. I moved to Philadelphia from South Carolina 263 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: with a friend. We both helped open a restaurant there 264 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: called the Wig Um. It's still around in Columbia, South Carolina, 265 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: across from the State House. UM. We just decided to 266 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: get out of South Carolina and we moved to Philly 267 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: for a little while and he ended up moving to 268 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: Asheville and me and my wife stuck around and he 269 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: called me one day and said, hey, man, I found 270 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: this little spot. You want to come to the chef here? 271 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: And I was like, no, I was trying to move. 272 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: I was trying to move to Charleston. And my wife 273 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: at the time was doing makeup for a company called 274 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: Matt Cosmetics, and she was waiting on a transfer. She 275 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: was working up there, and she ended up just seeing 276 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: this she could get a transferred to Asheville, and she did, 277 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: and we decided to move here and open displace called 278 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: The Avenue. And I just said, I was there for 279 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: about six years. I've been in Asheville since two thousand seven. 280 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: Well have you stuck around in Nashville? Like, like, what's 281 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: the what's cool to you? I guess about about the 282 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: scene there. Um. Well, to be honest, when I first 283 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: moved here, I hated it. I hated it so much, 284 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: Like why did we move here? Um? I didn't have 285 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: a car. I was living in Philly. Um, public transit 286 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: was pretty decent and not so good here. Um it 287 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: was even years ago, way before Uber and all that stuff. 288 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: But we I don't know I ot in this. I 289 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: stuck around here because that the job. Um. And then 290 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: you know, towards the end of my time at the Admiral, 291 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: Ashville had changed a lot. Um. You know, I met 292 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: a lot of people here. There's always folks moving from 293 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: all over the country here, so it's just always meeting 294 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: new folks that are are to stare weirdos, good weirdos, 295 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: you know, a good way. There's just a lot of 296 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: interesting people here. Um. For a small of the town, 297 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: it is. Uh. There's a lot of tourists, but you 298 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: can kind of seeing the tour star and once you 299 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,239 Speaker 1: can look past the tourist, it's a small town. Um. 300 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 1: And there's a lot of good a lot of good 301 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: people here. And everyone's doing interesting things, whether it's art 302 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: or growing vegetables or pigs, or making pottery or clothes 303 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: or jewelry. There's just a lot of a lot of 304 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:36,160 Speaker 1: crafts stuff here that makes it fun. Um, a lot 305 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:43,960 Speaker 1: of entrepreneurs. Uh. The nature of the mountains is really great. Um. 306 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: A lot of waterfalls, rivers, lakes, there's tons of hiking trails. 307 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: If you're in the bike, they're just being outside foraging 308 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 1: the mushrooms or I mean it's like a paradise scare. Um. 309 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: The way there is great. You know, I don't like 310 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 1: being too too hot, you know, I don't like being 311 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 1: too too cold. But the winners are pretty bad. But 312 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: most of the year it's just kind of perfect weather. Um. 313 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: We do get a lot of snow sometimes in the winter, 314 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: but you know, we get a lot of great warm 315 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: summer days that aren't melting your face off, you know, 316 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: just just right. Yeah, And it's it's a good location. 317 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: You know, Atlanta is not too far from South Carolina, 318 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 1: so I can go see my family without it being 319 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,400 Speaker 1: a big hassle. Speaking to us some of those those 320 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 1: other entrepreneurs and artists and producers, who who else do 321 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 1: do do you collaborate with? For mostly for Buxton, but 322 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 1: I suppose in general, Dave Bauer. We've been working with 323 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: him for you know, years and years, even before Bucks 324 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:56,880 Speaker 1: and Open. Uh. He has a farm called Farm and Sparrow, 325 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 1: and they do greens, They grow green and mil their 326 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:06,200 Speaker 1: own flowers and corn. They grow know their own grips, 327 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 1: and we use some of their products here. Um. We 328 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:12,919 Speaker 1: do brunch every week and we have their grips on 329 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: the menu and they're super course. And yummy and um. 330 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: He also had the restaurant here called All Souls with 331 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:25,679 Speaker 1: Brandon we're using and they make pizza and pasta and 332 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: they used the flour that then growing the midling and 333 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:31,920 Speaker 1: use the organic stuff. It's really yummy. But we've done 334 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:35,479 Speaker 1: some things with them in the past. The shore. Um. Uh, 335 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: there's farm to home milk. There's a Amish family up 336 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:45,399 Speaker 1: the road that's making milk, are milking cows and selling 337 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: milk and they deliver it to us, you know, once 338 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 1: or twice a week and using some local milk. And 339 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: I pastries and ice cream, so it's really nice. Few 340 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 1: things like that. A lot of farms here are vandal farms. 341 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 1: I think I mentioned into you already, but you know, 342 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: we we spend we buy twelve or fourteen hawks and 343 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: from those guys that we can, it's been nice to 344 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: see their family go with our I've read the words 345 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 1: marinated vanilla lab cheese on your website and I don't 346 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: I don't think I saw that on the menu. But 347 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: what what on earth is that? Please tell me about it. 348 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 1: That was something we just did. Um, you've only gotten 349 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: it here. Um. There's a creamery here called Looking Glass 350 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: and Yeah. They make this cheese called chocolate Lab and 351 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: it's kind of like a tomb that's rubbed with cocoa 352 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: and forget what else they rub it with, but it's 353 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: an aged cheese and they rub it and let it 354 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 1: and the chocolate is from from the the rub that 355 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: they put on it. But they just gave us a 356 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: wheel without the rub, so it was just like a 357 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:01,119 Speaker 1: naked lab and we just married did it in some 358 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 1: old oil and orange peel and garlic and herbs, and 359 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:11,399 Speaker 1: Jillian served it with some bread at room temperature and 360 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 1: he's like mad about that. She's in the background is 361 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 1: making faces. You know, it's a small question. What do 362 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: you What do you think the future holds for for 363 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 1: for Buxton? Um, well, I hope we're a destination at 364 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: this point as long as I think people keep coming 365 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 1: to Asheville Bucks and should still be here. UM, I 366 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: don't want it to go anywhere. You have a We've 367 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: got about seventy employees and I'm gonna try my hardest 368 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 1: to keep them employed and keep on going. Um. We 369 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 1: do do a lot of traveling for different barbecue events. UM, 370 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: so you can't get out to Bucks at all, you know, 371 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: we do travel up in the Texas a few times 372 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 1: and plan on going back again a few times next year, 373 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 1: and something trent CIEs across the country. Um. Yeah, We'll 374 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,359 Speaker 1: just keep cooking whole hogs and making great desserts and 375 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: and besaw its cold beer. Is there anything that you 376 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 1: would like to speak to that we did not ask about? 377 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 1: I don't think we talked a lot about our desserts, 378 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 1: but you know that's something that's, you know, pretty different 379 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 1: and special for us. Is you know, we have a 380 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: pastry chef, Ashley Caps, and not too many barbecue restaurants 381 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: have pastry chefs or pastry team, so something pretty special 382 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: about us. And um, they do some good work down here, 383 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:40,480 Speaker 1: use a lot of the lard in the poe crust 384 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: and make yellow out of the pigs feet for kids jellos, 385 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: and we do some weird stuff down here. And this 386 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: brings us to the end of the interview, to the 387 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: end of another Saturday fight night, which is not really 388 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: a fight to our night. I don't know when you're 389 00:22:57,240 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: listening to this or if you're fighting with anyone, but 390 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: I do like a catchy name for things, so I'm 391 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 1: working on that, and I'm going to answer a burning question. 392 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: I know you all have. Oh yeah, because at the 393 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 1: top I mentioned I had two points about this interview. 394 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 1: I wasn't even paying that much attention. I feel like 395 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: a really bad co host. Now what is your what 396 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: is your second penny? No, it's good. It built suspension. 397 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 1: I'm sure everyone was like, what about the second point? Though? 398 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: Perfect it is. We were determined to talk to someone 399 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: about barbecue and he was that, but also he expounded 400 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 1: on this whole artistic view of food that for me 401 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: was personally enlightening on this trip and I wasn't expecting 402 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: that and it was a lovely surprise. Yeah. We we 403 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: talked about that in the It wasn't the ones in 404 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 1: a lifetime meal And yeah, there's a there's a sort 405 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: of sort of poetry to all of it. So we 406 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,639 Speaker 1: would love to hear what you think about all this. 407 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: Let us know. Get in touch. Yes, you can do 408 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: that via email, electronic message our email addresses Hello at 409 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: savor pod dot com. We're also on social media. You 410 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: can find us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at sabor pod. 411 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 1: Thank you so much to Elliott for speaking to us today, 412 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 1: and to Landi's Taylor and the whole team over at 413 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 1: explorer Asheville dot com for helping us get in touch 414 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: with him, Um, And to our co executive producer here 415 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: at Stuff Media, Christopher Hasseiotis for helping us get in 416 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:27,199 Speaker 1: touch with them. Thank you as always to super producer 417 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: Dylan for putting out three episodes a week now instead 418 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 1: of two. That's you know, that's a bonus for you, friend, UM. 419 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,199 Speaker 1: Thanks for other co executive producer Julie Douglas for all 420 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 1: of her good advice. Thanks to you for listening, and 421 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: we hope that lots more good things are coming away.