Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Butler.
Christopher, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I received a “big green egg” for a wedding gift. Which is an amazing gift by the way. I’ve always been I to BBQing with charcoal doing chicken and carne asada, but never anything more. So I research the capabilities of this new bbq and discovered its potential very quickly. I started with a Pork butt and continued cooking to the point of my family is tired of smoked meats. That didn’t stop me, I kept going and started taking the weekends to cook to work Monday mornings. I am an active duty Navy Diver, so I could count on the guys at work to give me a brutally honest opinion. Needless to say, they loved it. That continued for a few months till the request for specific foods started coming in. One day I figured id go for it, because “everyone loves free food, but would they pay for it?” So I said that I was going to start charging. To my surprise, they all went for it. I started selling food by the pound. I slowly started saving up and eventually earned my way to catering events and breweries. My wife convinced me throughout to build a social media following and to advertise through that platform, I eventually listened and started posting about all my cooks. And here I am today. Posting, catering, and competing in KCBS bbq competitions
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been smooth. Being active duty and running a food business has presented many obstacles. Having my career, finding time to cook for events, and spending time with my family. Gave me a very definite timeline to accomplish everything without losing it all. Somehow through my family’s support. I managed to make it happen. Now I face my biggest challenge with a deployment. I’ve had to shut down the catering temporarily while I’m gone so I can serve my commitments to my career.
Tell us more about the company.
I am a bbq catering company. I started as a backyard BBQer playing around with a new toy. With continuing positive feedback, I figured id test my skills with a competition, little did I know the world of difference between competition and catering for the masses. I specialize in slow smoked meats, particularly brisket and pulled pork. I am most proud of the continuing positive feedback and the feeling of watching the look on people’s faces when they take their 1st bite of my food. What sets me apart is the passion and refusal to rush to produce a quality product. I’ve been hassled about how long some things take but my response is always the same. “The food will be done when it wants to be done” you cannot rush good food.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck hasn’t played too much of a role in this aspect of my business. I have worked hard to perfect all my recipes and stayed up countless hours experimenting with them. I was lucky to receive such an amazing gift for my wedding and am lucky to have the support at home to be able to put the time and effort into my business.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 619 977-7372
- Email: c.butler.bbq@gmail.com
- Instagram: @butlersbbqsd
- Facebook: @butlersbbqsd
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