Meet The Team Series: David England

{Meet The Team}

      A George’s Blog Series

David England

Catering Manager - Dead End Maryville

Years Employed at Dead End: 3 Years

Where Are You From: Portland, Oregon

Tell us a little about yourself…

I’ve been in the barbecue business for nineteen years. When I moved to Tennessee, I joined the team at Damon’s Grill in Pigeon Forge. I worked for that company for 16 years managing, catering and building relationships in the community. After Damon’s, I came to Dead End BBQ Knoxville to work in their catering department.

Now I am the Catering Manager at Dead End Maryville, bringing our East Tennessee barbecue to Blount County and spending as much time with my beautiful daughter Amiah as I can.

When you are at work, what is your “go-to” meal?

Spicy BBQ Wings.

What is your favorite saying that has been posted on the Dead End Sign?

“Loading…”

Share a memorable experience you’ve had during your time at Dead End…

Last fall, I catered a wedding in Friendsville at the family’s farm. It was going to be a casual get together in the field with friends and family to celebrate the newlyweds. They had asked for me to bring the smoker to give a little ambiance at the reception. Little did I know they were providing their own kind of ambiance for the ceremony… Right as the preacher said,” You may now kiss the bride!” two people from the wedding party stood up, rifle in hand and fired shots in the air. Yee-hawww!

SEC Football Coaches & Dead End BBQ

{George’s Blog}

SEC Football Coach’s & Dead End BBQ

In 2006, I started a great journey of cooking for coaches and staffs throughout the SEC.  The common thread of these cooks has been my great long-time friend John “Chief” Chavis.  He has always had a passion for BBQ and I think that’s what has made our friendship endure for such a long time. Chief joined the Dead End Society BBQ Team and cooked in many events with us over the years, when his time and scheduled permitted. One time we went to Greenwood, SC to cook in a contest with Danny Ford, the Arkansas and Clemson Coach.

We did not know but Coach Ford invited some of his friends, like around 500!! We had so many people in our 20’x20’ space we could not move.  When it was time for us to turn in our food for the contest people were picking it up and eating it! Coach Ford was holding court as only he could, telling stories and talking to everyone.  As it all turned out, we all had a blast! 

During the 2007 season, I cooked so many times for the University of Tennessee Staff and the team that Coach Fulmer presented me with a game ball from the bowl game where we beat Wisconsin! It was like every week we cooked for the defensive staff Tennessee won; that was 10 times that season!  We proudly display that football in our trophy case on Sutherland Avenue. At Tennessee, we had some great coaches that we fed during the Fulmer years: Coach Brooks, Coach Caldwell, Coach Slade, Coach Chavis, Coach Fulmer, Coach Long, Coach Taylor, Coach Cutcliffe, Coach Clawson, Coach Roper, Coach Sprewell, Coach Michael, Coach Luke and Coach Atkins.  All of these guys were great, especially around a smoker!

My next stop on the SEC cooking tour was LSU.  When I was asked to cook for the coaches, I wasn’t sure how they would take a Tennessee guy coming down there and cooking for them.  What I found out was BBQ is a universal language that every coach knows and enjoys especially in the SEC!  So I am down in Baton Rouge cooking on a borrowed smoker and throwing down some Q for the coaches.  I did the usual cook: Chicken, Ribs, Pork and Brisket.  You could hear a pin drop in the coaches meeting room when they were eating the BBQ.  After everyone ate it was time to go to practice. As I was standing on the sideline, I felt a presence around me and all of the sudden I hear “The Brisket was Tender”.  I turned around and it was Coach Miles standing behind me.  That was the ultimate compliment!  I cooked for Coach Miles,

Coach Chavis, Coach Nader, Coach Moffitt, Coach Strudawa, Coach Kragthrope, Coach Wilson, Coach Cooper, Coach Ensminger, Coach Gonzales, Coach Haley, Coach McGaughey, Coach Raymond, Coach Henry, Coach Cameron, Coach Grimes and Coach Peveto. Great times were had around the smoker in the Bayou!  I would be remiss not to mention some great guys that were always there to help out with cooking in LSU and they were equipment manager Greg Stringfellow, film guy Doug Aucoin and my man Charles Baglio!

During the Dooley era at Tennessee, I was able to cook for the coaches and their families on several occasions! Coach Dooley was always great to me and was by my side every time I was at his house cooking.  I didn’t know if it was to help, learn or try to tell me how to cook?  Finally one day I looked at Coach and said you have cobwebs on your Weber, when you clean those off you can talk to me about cooking.  The next time we are there the Weber had been cleaned and he was free to hang around the grill with me again! Hanging around a smoker or grill relaxes people and all of the coaches during this era were great people to hang around and talk with especially about BBQ. On his staff we cooked for Coach Dooley, Coach Pendergrass, Coach Wilcox, Coach Chaney, Coach Smith, Coach Baggett, Coach Thompson, Coach Russell, Coach Joseph, Coach

Hiestand, Coach Hinshaw, Coach Pittman, Coach Sunseri, Coach Palermo, Coach Coiner, Coach Ansley, Coach Conkin and Coach Graham.  I really enjoyed getting to know Coach Dooley and I wish all the success in the world with the Cowboys.

Just when you think things are hot in Tennessee, you need to go to College Station, TX.  I mean, I went down there to cook with Chief and his staff one weekend and it was 91 in the shade and 102 in the sun! Chief bought a new smoker from my other company Champion Smokers & Grills and we sent it down to Texas A&M for him! I flew down in July to cook for his defensive staff and give him a tutorial on

his new smoker which is named The Chief. For 12 hours Chief and D-Line Coach Terry Price hung around the smoker with me.  Coach Price took at least 10 pages of notes on how to smoke BBQ!  There was a lot of rumblings that the people around there couldn’t believe Chief would bring someone from Tennessee down there to cook BBQ when they were in Texas.  I reminded them there would not have been a Texas if it weren’t for some Tennesseans! That made everything more relaxed around the pit. But when the Brisket came off the smoker all eyes were on me.  I have to say that was the best brisket I had smoked in my life, you could cut it with a butter knife!  To my amazement the people at the party were all saying that was the best brisket they ever ate!  That means a lot coming from Texans! The people I fed that day were Coach Chavis, Coach Price, Coach Hagen, Coach Moorehead and former UT Coach Joseph who now at A&M. We were very fortunate to hang out at Dr JP Bramhall’s house to do the cooking and his son Bobby is now attending Law School at Tennessee.  It’s such a small world!

We have been fortunate to feed the football teams at the University of Tennessee every year since we opened in 2009 with the exception of the Kiffin era. In fact last month, we were able to feed the entire Defensive side of the football and their coaches.  Coach Jancek and his staff are outstanding leaders of men.  I cannot leave out feeding Coach Lawson and the strength coaches, those guys are the unsung heroes of team! Hopefully one day soon, we will be cooking for Coach Jones and his staff!

As you can see I have been blessed to be around some great coaches in the SEC!  I hope everyone can get a chance to gather around a smoker or grill on football Saturdays and enjoy great food and great friendships!  You never know where it might lead!

Keep the fire burning!

George

Meet The Team Series: Marlowe Whittaker

{Meet The Team}

      A George’s Blog Series

Marlowe Whittaker

Catering Sales Manager

Years Employed at Dead End: 2 Years

Where Are You From: Born in Memphis, TN. Raised in Chattanooga, TN.

Tell us a little about yourself…

If you had told me seven years ago that I would have a career in the hospitality industry, I would have told you that you were crazy.

My original plan was to graduate from the University of Tennessee with a degree in international business, move overseas and work for a global powerhouse. But as I have learned during my time here in Knoxville, plans are meant to change. And luckily for me, my plans morphed into something I could have never imagined.

I spent my first two years of college just going through the motions; taking course, after course. While my friends were diving deeper into their majors, I just couldn’t find any real passion for my classes. I started thinking about what I love in life and things that I am good at. I knew I liked working with people. I was always trying to plan trips and parties. And I loved food!

After a hard slap of reality, I decided that I needed to make a change. I applied to several internships in Knoxville to test out different career options. Whether the internship was for a week or a year, paid or unpaid, I was willing to work. And after several weeks of interviews, I landed a spot with Visit Knoxville as their Community Outreach Intern. I would be working closely with the Director of Community Outreach, making sure all of the city-wide events ran smoothly.

The highlight of this position was planning Boomsday 2010. I spent all year researching sponsors, creating marketing strategies, setting up event layouts and working with vendors to prepare for this epic event. I got to see the largest fireworks display in the US come to life, from start to finish. And on the night of Boomsday, when every detail was in place and every attendee was patiently waiting for the first firework to light, I knew I could do this forever.

So seven years later, here I am…Catering Sales Manager of Dead End BBQ. And I couldn’t be happier. I actually get to work at a job that combines everything I love: people, parties and food. Plus, I work with some of the most amazing people in the business. From the owners to the restaurant managers to the Catering Team, everyone puts their heart and soul into making each day at Dead End a success. You just can’t ask for anything more than that. I’m truly am blessed.

When you are at work, what is your “go-to” meal?

My “go-to” meal….that’s tough. I don’t think I have one. Currently, I’ve been trying to eat on the healthy side of barbecue, so anything with our smoked chicken is my “go-to”,

But the smoked sausage and cheese appetizer is the best thing on the menu!             

Hands Down! I could eat it all the time.

What is your favorite saying that has been posted on the Dead End Sign?

“I like pig butts and I cannot lie.”

Share a memorable experience you’ve had during your time at Dead End…

My most memorable experience would be the first time I catered The Coaches Clinic at the University of Tennessee. Now, for those of you who aren’t familiar with this event, let me give you a little info.

For two days in April, high school football coaches from all over the US come down to Knoxville to learn about football. They go to seminars, listen to speakers, run drills, etc. And for the past several years, we have catered their lunch.

Well this was my first large, catered event with Dead End and by large, I mean we fed 600 hungry, ex-football-playing men.

After preparing for this lunch for a month, the team woke up bright and early to gather the food and load the catering vans. We drove to Thompson Boling Arena and began setting up for the lunch. Three hours and three buffet lines later, my nerves hit me all at once. This was it. My initiation into Dead End BBQ Catering.

The coaches came flooding down the arena stairs, lining up for our East Tennessee barbecue. They were hungry and in a hurry. I was manning buffet #1, prepared to give each person their portion of pork and chicken. The first couple of guys came through the line and everything was great. But before I knew it, all 600 men were pushing through the buffet lines. Pork and chicken were flying everywhere. My adrenaline was pumping. I was just trying to keep these giants happy and fed. I look over and the rest of my team had the same sense of urgency; running around restocking sides but just as they refilled the macaroni and cheese, the green beans would be empty.  

It thought it would never end. But as I plated my last pulled pork sandwich, I looked up and the sea of men was gone.

In 30 minutes, we had fed 600 football coaches.

Best. Event. Ever.

Smokehouse to Vineyard: Southern Roots

{Smokehouse to Vineyard}

      A George’s Blog Series

Growing up in the South, I am no stranger to barbecue. At every family reunion, summer shindig and pool party, some type of barbecue was on the table. Even the rehearsal dinner for my wedding involved a smoked pig, and that dinner served to join a Tennessee and a Kentucky family together for better or for worse. Believe me, after watching some games together, that dinner is still much appreciated!

My family is definitely not the only Southern kinfolk to enjoy each other’s company while eating some barbecue. In colonial times, pigs were a low-maintenance, low-cost way to feed a family. Much more pork was consumed than beef, and every piece of the pig was used for food in some way. Southerners had created a self-sufficient food supply, which became a source of pride for many. They rarely exported their product north, wanting to keep this Southern tradition to themselves. Soon, pig slaughtering became a time of celebration, with the family doing the butchering inviting their neighbors over to have a little fun and a lot of barbecue. However, the only thing missing was the Vino.

As barbecue restaurants continue to move from the picnic table to a more upscale venue, a pairing in addition to the traditional beer is needed. According to The Bounty Hunter Wine Bar and Smokin’ BBQ restaurant in Napa, California, “Pigs with Pinot” is the first rule of thumb. Pinot Noir can be an excellent pairing choice, especially since Pinots tend come in many different styles. Originating in Burgundy, France, but grown in regions all around the world, Pinots are most usually light to medium bodied, with light flavors of cherry, raspberry and mocha.

California Pinots from Sonoma, Los Carneros and Napa are a few of my favorites. If you like Sonoma wines, try the 2012 Don & Sons 100% Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. It exhibits an inky ruby color and has aromas of wild strawberry, with a hint of vanilla. Its silky texture and lively tart raspberry flavors pair perfectly with smoked pork. Add a raspberry, chipotle bbq sauce and it’s even better. The 2013 Black Stallion Pinot Noir from Los Carneros is 97% Pinot with a little Syrah and Zinfandel added. In contrast to the subtlety of the Don & Sons, Black Stallion is voluptuous and full of rich flavors and soft tannins. Due to its pronounced acidity and subtle minerality, this wine goes well with the heavier and fattier part of the smoked pig.

For something in the middle of Don & Sons and the Black Stallion, try the 2012 Aquinas Pinot Noir from Napa Valley. This wine has 90% Pinot Noir with a little Petite Sirah and Grenache added. With a lively acidity, this wine pairs well with just about any part of the pig.  Aquinas is full of cranberry and raspberry tart flavors which is balanced with subtle clove and toasted marshmallow flavors.  The tannins of this wine are perfect with Dead End’s smoked bologna or burnt ends.

If you are looking for a perfect everyday Pinot pairing, try the Smoking Loon Pinot Noir. With a little more sweetness than the other three suggestions, this one is perfect with a Dead End appetizer, barbecued entree or for simply sipping with a group of friends on the patio. Both locations offer this one, so try it next time you are there.

Following the great Southern tradition of celebrating with friends and neighbors over barbecue, next time you’re near a Dead End BBQ, grab a seat on the patio and order your favorite dish. Invite your friends to join you, or make new ones while you’re there. Most importantly, don’t forget to ask your server for excellent pairing suggestion! 

-Kim

Meet The Team Series: Neal Kelly

{Meet The Team}

      A George’s Blog Series

Neal Kelly

General Manager - Dead End Knoxville

Years Employed at Dead End: 4+ Years

Where Are You From: Boston, but I have lived in Knoxville and East TN for almost 30 years.

Tell us a little about yourself…

I’ve been in the restaurant business most of my professional life. I worked for OSI (Outback Steakhouse and Bonefish Grill) for 17 years. I grew up in Miami and attended high school in Atlanta. For college, I went to Emory University. I began my restaurant career working for Steak and Ale for 10 years, most of that time in Johnson City. Before joining Dead End, I had the tremendous privilege of helping Bill Regas and his family close Regas Restaurant.

When you are at work, what is your “go-to” meal?

The sausage and cheese appetizer.

What is your favorite saying that has been posted on the Dead End Sign?

“Show HIM how much you love HIM. Let us cater your wedding!!!”

Share a memorable experience you’ve had during your time at Dead End…

A couple of years ago, a travel crew with a television station from The Netherlands came to Tennessee to produce an episode highlighting Tennessee. They chose Chattanooga for Civil War history, Nashville for music and Knoxville for barbeque. We were the restaurant chosen to represent Tennessee Barbeque!!! The crew was fun and everyone had a great time. That was the day Dead End BBQ went INTERNATIONAL!!!

DEBBQ Meets The Blog World

{George’s Blog}

Well, Dead End BBQ is entering into the blog world!  This is our first blog of many to come, discussing the art of barbecue, catering and where ever our journey takes us.

Barbecue has been a passion of mine since I was 14 in the backyard with my father on a grill.  Even though it was hamburgers and hot dogs, I got the bug.  I always gravitated towards a grill at any party, either to observe or get advice until I felt that I could command the grill myself.  Mostly I considered myself a backyard grill guy. That was until we started cooking on our Dead End Street.

In February 2000, my wife and I went to dinner with two other couples on our Dead End Street. That night the Dead End Society was formed!  We decided to smoke a whole hog on Memorial Day weekend.  I contacted a friend of mine and borrowed a smoker big enough to cook a whole hog.  Only two of us had ever cooked a whole hog before and the other had cooked a goat. We smoked the hog for 20 hours and had about 50 people come over to eat it with us!  It was a blast!

The next year I purchased a smoker big enough to smoke two hogs at the same time. That was my first big smoker; now I have nine! The second year we got a lot better and by 2002 we decided to enter a contest in Townsend, TN.  We won first place in three categories: Whole Hog, Chicken and Anything Butt (a KCBS category that judges anything except for the 4 main meats); we did a chocolate banana dessert! By 2004 we were the Grand Champions of that event. We thought we were pretty good!

So The Dead End Society went out on the national circuit and got it handed to us!  Our competitors were big time and we had a lot to learn.  Every weekend we would practice the art of barbecue until we finally got it right in 2007.  That was the year we won the State Championship of Tennessee in Cookeville!  

In 2008, we were selected to represent Tennessee at the Jack Daniel's World Invitational BBQ Championship in Lynchburg, TN. There were 11,000 teams overall that year and we finished 44^th in the world.  Our dessert, which was a vanilla bean, chocolate chunk, swirled with Jack Daniels ice cream, sandwiched between chocolate chunk chocolate cookies, finished 9^th in the world. We finished 12^th overall in brisket, 32^nd in chicken, and 36^th in pork. Our ribs were 66^th overall and that was only because there was too much Jack Daniels in the equation at the time the ribs were smoked.

After the Jack, we decided to open our first Dead End BBQ restaurant, which we did in October 2009.  We haven’t been able to do as many contests as we would like, but we will be out there some day soon!  

In the meantime, we have classes every year on the patio to share our knowledge of barbecue with the community. This year, we are having two classes. The first is May 16^th in Maryville, which is a beginner’s class and the other on June 20^th in Knoxville, which is a more advanced class. Click here to sign up. Hope to see you soon!

-George