Pitmaster Greg Gatlin is placing years of barbecue-ing to the take a look at on the Meals Community.
Within the barbecue world, Greg Gatlin has lengthy been one in all Houston’s defining voices.
The Houston pitmaster first opened Gatlin’s BBQ in 2010, showcasing his household’s tackle East Texas–model barbecue with Creole aptitude for the town and past. After establishing what’s now canon to Houston barbecue, he expanded his footprint in 2022 with Gatlin’s Fins and Feathers, a soulful tribute to his roots in Independence Heights, a traditionally Black neighborhood recognized for its legendary fish fries. The menu contains a mix of fried seafood and hen, together with hearty sides like collard greens, bowls of seafood gumbo with sausage, and a Viet-Cajun hen sandwich that pays homage to Houston’s various culinary heritage.
This 12 months, Gatlin took his abilities to tv, competing on Meals Community’s sixth season of BBQ Brawl, a actuality TV competitors the place superstar cooks like Bobby Flay assemble competing groups of standout pitmasters and cooks from across the nation. Because the “Texas Legend” on Chef Maneet Chauhan’s group, Gatlin has introduced the smoke, spice, and Houston coronary heart to each problem. Although he’s stayed tight-lipped concerning the finale, which airs Monday, July 14, even host Flay says he’s positioned to win all of it.
Houstonia caught up with Gatlin to debate what it’s like to check his expertise on nationwide tv, the significance of celebrating the wins, and what’s subsequent for his rising meals empire.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
East Texas–model barbecue with a touch of Creole taste is the premise for Gatlin’s BBQ.
OK, I’m caught up on the episodes, and I really feel such as you’re representing Houston very properly.
Greg Gatlin: I’m attempting actually, actually onerous.
How did this chance come about?
It’s humorous as a result of the very first time that [Food Network] requested me about this was in 2021, and I handed it off to Chef Michelle Wallace as a result of I used to be doing another stuff for the restaurant. So, when it got here alongside once more, I mentioned, ‘You realize what? Hey, I’ll do it this time. I’ll go forward and exit right here and attempt to signify the household and the town properly, and have a great time doing it.’
Did you’re feeling such as you needed to put together in any respect? Did you do any take a look at cooks? How did you put together, if in any respect?
Actually, I simply tried to mentally put together for it, simply from the standpoint that the times are lengthy, and then you definitely don’t essentially know what they will throw at you. I didn’t do something in another way. I requested some individuals who have been on exhibits inquiries to know what to anticipate. All of us had been superb with the competing half, however if you intertwine that with being on tv, it’s important to get used to doing that, and you may inform who’s snug being on TV.
I observed that one in all your first dishes was a redfish sandwich, which was an attention-grabbing first selection for a barbecue competitors, however very Gulf Coast. Then later, you ready one thing spicy—a Thai cabbage salad. Houstonians love spice! Have been you going into this pondering you’ll showcase Houston flavors, or did you go along with what you felt was greatest? What was your technique or method?
I didn’t need to be locked into one factor. Some individuals had been very like, Hey, I cook dinner barbecue. That is what I do, and that’s all that I do, and I do know that competing on this, you’ve obtained to be versatile, proper? Within the first problem, I knew I wasn’t going to have time to barbecue a brisket. I wasn’t going to have the ability to cook dinner ribs or a hen in that period of time, so it’s important to know the customized meats that you need to use. My thought was, What am I going to have the ability to do in no matter period of time that they provide, after which, no matter it’s going to be, put sufficient taste into it after which current it in a method that is interesting and appetizing? These are the issues going via your head. In case you’re not going via these issues, you’re in all probability not going to succeed.
Competing on Meals Community’s BBQ Brawl, Greg Gatlin’s status preceded him. Cooks had been already calling him barbecue royalty.
Inform me about what it’s like competing on the present. What stunned you most? What’s been most difficult?
The most important problem is time. All people on that present can cook dinner. It’s simply, how do you cook dinner below stress? How do you take care of the component of time and having to cook dinner one thing throughout the allotted period of time? That’s the most important caveat it’s important to recover from.
Your perspective on the present is so upbeat, constructive, and optimistic, which is refreshing. Some individuals appear nervous, however you’re very even-keeled. How do you preserve that power?
My thought is you can’t get too excessive, in any other case you’re gonna miss one thing, and you may’t be down, beating your self up over a mistake that you just assume you made, as a result of a variety of occasions individuals don’t even know you made a mistake except you say one thing. For me, it’s nearly having fun with it. All people on the present is doing one thing they love, and so I simply attempt to do not forget that. I’m not going to complicate one thing that doesn’t must be sophisticated right here. There’s sufficient stress on me having to take care of the time elements and never realizing precisely what I’m going to be up towards. Then, they throw totally different caveats and curveballs at you in the course of the present. I’m simply gonna journey the wave, wherever it takes me, whether or not it’s up or down.
On the present, you’re round all these totally different, proficient cooks. You’re engaged on a group. What have you ever realized from the competitors?
Seeing totally different areas of the nation and varied elements of the world, and gaining that have has been the most effective factor for me. Generally we get caught in our bubbles, and in the event you don’t get outdoors of that, you don’t know or get to expertise what these issues are. I regarded again and thought, All of us and all our cultures are so alike. We speak about soul meals, for instance, and that spans throughout nationalities and totally different international locations—it’s primarily based on survival meals, and that’s a part of your on a regular basis life-style. Then, if you transfer into the world of being a licensed chef or cooking for a enterprise, you will have avenues to raise or do one thing totally different than the easy issues we do to outlive. That’s the gorgeous factor about meals. There are a lot of methods to attach with it, and in the end, it tends to deliver individuals collectively.
Brisket is not the one factor that Greg Gatlin does properly.
I heard you had a watch occasion for the primary episode. How did that go?
The turnout was completely superb. I couldn’t have requested for higher. I noticed a bunch of individuals I hadn’t seen shortly, a bunch of regulars, household, and mates. I completely loved that second. There have been some quiet moments that had been very reflective. It was so humorous as a result of I used to be within the kitchen, attempting to feed individuals. I’m in my consolation area, and my publicist got here and obtained me out. She mentioned, ‘Get out of the kitchen. Now. [The staff] will care for it.’
Generally, you don’t get an opportunity to have fun your self, and I’ve been instructed that I must attempt to do this a bit of bit extra. My factor is all the time, what’s the following? What’s the following factor that we’ve to do? However, truly being there and having that chance was nice. No matter what you assume could also be going improper or what you need to enhance, that is an superior alternative that many individuals don’t get. So, it’s essential to have fun that and be grateful, be grateful.
What wouldn’t it imply so that you can win?
Personally, it’s a problem for me. I’ve been doing this for greater than 15 years now, and it’s me displaying all of the issues that I’ve realized and are available throughout. I’ve one other method of showcasing it outdoors of the eating places that we do on a day-to-day foundation. It’s about having the chance to win, but additionally, my friends on this explicit present—they’re completely superb on the issues that they’ll do. I feel in addition they have some nervousness and reservations about going towards guys who barbecue all day, each day, however with the ability to navigate that and compete towards your friends, whereas gaining their respect, is a giant deal for me. Like I mentioned, I’ve been doing this for a very long time, and a few individuals come and go. Having the validation of my friends is my reward for one thing like this—once we go to barbecue festivals, and guys come as much as me and say, You realize what? You probably did an superior job, dude.
Gatlin has mastered soulful barbecue and has branched out into fried hen and seafood and hearty Houston fare at his restaurant Gatlin’s Fins and Feathers.
Past the present, what’s happening with you right here in Houston?
I’m attempting to determine my subsequent transfer with every of the ideas. We’ve been at this factor for 15 years, and now, we’re wanting on the present economics and the issues which can be occurring. How can we proceed to develop our enterprise? How can we proceed to remain related? I’m able proper now the place I need to discover a area the place I can mix [Gatlin’s BBQ and Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers] collectively on the identical property, so I’d like to discover a area to have the ability to try this. Then, we’re looking for methods to offer again to any younger women and men who need to be on this business, seeing those that appear to be them come from comparable backgrounds, and giving them the boldness that, Hey, you are able to do this, too, and that is what it takes. Put your thoughts and your coronary heart into it. Assess your ardour, and go for it.
Is there anything you’d like individuals to find out about your expertise on the present, or belongings you’re doing in Houston?
I would like individuals to look at the present and get a glimpse of who Greg Gatlin and the Gatlin household are, and know, hey, we’re simply regular individuals attempting to do good issues. I need to create an area the place individuals can take a look at [me] and say, I need to do what he is doing. And so they can.
I chortle on a regular basis as a result of some individuals say I’ve a wholesome ego. I’m like, What do you imply? My dad raised us to trust in ourselves, however to do this in an especially humble method. I really like embracing alternatives like this, as a result of, like I mentioned, they don’t come each day, and you’ve got to have the ability to reap the benefits of the alternatives that God blesses you with or individuals have given you. You need to benefit from it as a result of life is brief, and also you’ve obtained to have the ability to reside these experiences and make them worthwhile.
