I had the opportunity to feature another excellent Lang Smoker Cooker user in Charlotte, Lee and Collier Counties in Southwest Florida and spoke with him about his barbeque business. We hope you will be encouraged by their story.
What is your name and your company name?
Michael Wilson. My business is Big Boyz BBQ Pit LLC.
When did you get started?
My landscape boss Bill Hunt helped me financially to get started three and a half years ago… he and I are both Big Boyz… tall and stout… so our slogan is ,”where the Big Boyz eat”
Where is your barbeque business located?
We operate in Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties in SW Florida, This area is a huge travel destination for travelers and snowbirds worldwide. Our weather is stunning, seven months a year.
Can you share some of your background?
I have been a landscape installer/manager/machine operator for nearly 40 years. I want to retire with this kind of work as a pastime/hobby…interacting and cooking for the community.
Have you always been interested in cooking?
I’ve been cooking and hosting backyard parties for over 25 years. Sometimes with 100 plus friends attending. I raise hogs and have utilized that and chickens to feed the pits and rotisseries, for the purpose of hosting the parties… it was costly, doing that monthly, so, I decided to take my passion and love of cooking to the next level, with the food truck.
Do you have a partner in the business?
No partner… I started off with financial help from my landscape boss, but I am now an independent owner.
How is the competition?
There are many food trucks in this area, but not many barbeque trucks or restaurants and even fewer barbeque establishments, that use charcoal and wood methods for cooking. We also set our truck up with music and light shows for entrainment
What do you find most challenging?
The most challenging part of this business is patience and location, “off tourist” season (during the hot summer months), and the torrential daily rains, during the summer months
Is your business brick and mortar?
We are a mobile food truck, with the kitchen in the truck (step van) and the trailer towed behind… we have hopes of having a brick and motor storefront soon.
Were you involved in any type of cooking before starting the business?
I was well versed in cooking and smoking food before the truck. I went to Cardoos Kitchen (a local Commissary) and Chef Robert Cardoos helped me get licensed and obtain the Serve Save Certificate, and to deal with the government requirements for the business.
Did you hit some rough spots along the way?
We started the business at the end of 2021… at the end of 2022, we were starting to gain a crowd of followers and gaining ground on better locations to serve. Hurricane Ian came through at that time and devastated this entire area. I was rendered homeless for 6 months but managed to stay afloat and served the community with their needs for food, since nearly all local establishments had been wiped out as well. Now, we are well established and have a great crowd of followers and communities, that have us periodically come and serve their events.
What other pitfalls came about?
The biggest pitfalls we experienced were in the beginning. The waste of product (over cooking), lack of locations to serve, and breakdowns in the truck, but we overcame most all those issues and are running much more efficiently now.
Would you recommend others to get into the business of barbeque?
I would definitely recommend anyone getting into the business do their homework on locations to serve, consistency of product, bulk meat deals, to save on spending, and a solid plan to reduce waste of product, if you don’t sell out.
What happened to your trailer?
In 2022, there was a local restaurant that closed, and the smoker trailer was parked in their back lot. The new buyer wanted the trailer gone and I struck a great deal with him to purchase it. The trailer was in above fair condition when I bought it, took it to a welder friend, for a few minor repairs, put some fresh paint on it and put it to work.
What Langs are you using?
108″ Deluxe with Chargrill is what we use, and I love it!! I use it to smoke the briskets, pork shoulders, and some of the ribs. While it on site, I use it as a warmer, and use the chargrill to cook chicken, burgers, sausages and some ribs. The Lang is solid, safe, and simple as well as a showpiece at our events .I love the smoker I have now, it does everything I need.
How does the Reverse Flow Help Your Business?
The reverse flow makes for a more steady and constant temperature, and even smoke distribution. My main goal is to provide a top-quality product with unique recipes and to entertain and enjoy our guests’ delights visiting us.
Do you have any favorite meals you prepare?
My favorite meals are brisket, pulled pork, smoked Mac and beefy beans… they’re all on our top order list and our customers normally eat on site and then purchase more to go, so they can either share with family and friends, or have a stockpile to continue eating.
Are you in any competitions?
Our first year in, and again, in year two, we competed in War of the Food Trucks, in Cape Coral and we placed 3rd overall, and then 2nd on the menu and plate. We’ve competed in 3 chili cookoffs, in Cape Coral and took 2nd,1st and 1st respectively. We participated in Beers, Bands and BBQ, in Ft Myers Fl, and took 2nd place brisket.
What do you think the most important points are to succeed in competition?
The most important factors for competition are consistency, flavor and final product. I love competition because of the thrill and anxious feeling it gives me, while prepping, and of course, seeing the customers and judges try the food for the first time and enjoy it fully.
What’s your experience been lithe barbeque community in general?
The local community here is not huge in chefs but, it is huge in the travelers from around the world, searching for the best local barbecue they can find. The few other chefs around have great comradery with each other, to the extent that we help each other through hurdles, when we see another in need.
Favorite type of wood do you prefer to cook with?
I normally use locally available wood, as prices to purchase imported wood are out of control. Water Oak, Laurel Oak, Hickory, If I’m doing seafood, I use button wood. I do love the flavors with apple and cherry, but it’s not easily available here
What’s your take on customers?
Most of our customers don’t realize how much time and effort goes into the final product. I try to inform them that there’s way more love put into each plate than they can ever imagine.
Would you share a recipe with our readers?
Check us out at the Lang Recipe Blog!!
