Mark Cooper

Hi, my name is Mark. I was born and raised right here in the Northwoods. After graduating from Bruce High School, I went on the attend Le Cordon Bleu in Minneapolis, where I continued building my passion for great food- especially barbecue.

Years ago, I had my first taste of authentic Texas-style barbecue while visiting Austin, Texas, and I've been hooked ever since. I started out on may own with a basic Brinkmann smoker, learning as I went and slowly getting better over time.

As I upgraded my equipment and skills, I eventually met Norman and that's when things really came together. I learned what it takes to make true Texas-style barbecue the right way.

Now, my goal is simple- to share what we've learned and bring authentic Texas-style barbecue to the Great Northwoods of Wisconsin.

Norman Kelly

How it all Started

Late nights working swing shift in a hot, dusty paper mill usually lead to conversations. For us, those conversations almost always came back to smoky, juicy barbecue.

Those late-night talks turned into ideas, and those ideas turned into something more. With no real experience, we jumped in and took on a 300- pound chicken cook for a friend using nothing but a homemade flip-flop grill.

From there, we kept learning, improving, and pushing ourselves to get better. What started as a simple idea has grown into something much bigger- and today, we're proud to be serving our barbecue to the community.

From Smokey Dreams to Barbecue Reality

We serve brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and sides bringing authentic Texas-style barbecue to events across the area. From weddings and corporate events to festivals and private parties, we focus on making sure people get great food and a smooth, stress-free experience.

We've built our setup to handle larger groups, with a focus on consistency, generous portions, and doing things the right way.