A veteran Houston chef has taken over the kitchen at J-Bar-M BBQ. Chef Arash Kharat started serving as the chief chef and pitmaster on the EaDo restaurant in April, he tells CultureMap.
His path to J-Bar-M got here by way of an surprising supply. After leaving Blood Bros. BBQ final yr, Kharat had been bartending at Holler Brewing Co. Whereas there, he bumped into Houston Chronicle barbecue columnist J.C. Reid, who recommended he meet with J-Bar-M’s proprietor and administration staff. Having labored at each Beaver’s and Buffalo Bayou Brewing, Kharat determined he was able to get again into barbecue.
“It’s an attractive house,” the chef says about J-Bar-M. “All of the firepower they’ve within the pit room is superior. There’s solely a few spots in Houston which have this a lot gear.”
Kharat has plans for all that gear — together with 4, 1,000-gallon people who smoke; two roasters that can be utilized for complete hog or rooster; and a reside hearth grill for gadgets corresponding to burgers and steaks. Search for gadgets corresponding to crawfish on Saturday, barbacoa on Sunday, and his award-winning fried rooster. After all, he is aware of to maintain his deal with the smoked meats.
Kharat has targeted on enhancing the barbecue at J-Bar-M.Courtesy of J-Bar-M BBQ
“Little by little, I’ll begin including increasingly more,” Kharat says. “My foremost focus in the meanwhile is getting all of the barbecue to 100%. It was good, however now it can get even higher.”
Along with his expertise within the kitchen, Kharat additionally brings his outgoing persona. He’s been spending time within the eating room greeting clients.
“You recognize me, I prefer to be in entrance of individuals speaking, taking pictures the breeze,” he says. “They instructed me the earlier guys would simply keep within the pit room. I like touching tables. That’s what this place is all about.”
Opened in 2021 by actual property developer John Toomey and his spouse, Michelene Guseman Toomey, J-Bar-M occupies nearly a complete metropolis block close to the intersection of Leeland and Emancipation. With an 8,000-square-foot eating room and a spacious, coated patio, it presents loads of room for eating and particular occasions. Texas Month-to-month included the restaurant on its 2023 checklist of the High 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas.
