Our Story

If you had told us 17 years ago, when we met in the parking lot of Miguel’s Pizza, that we would be launching a barbecue food truck together, both Sam and I would have laughed and told you to kick rocks. We were just young, dirtbag rock climbers back then, living out of our trucks and sweating our balls off in Slade, KY.

My path seemed fairly laid out before me at the time. I was living in my van and taking oil and gas contracts when they popped up. I don’t think anyone else in our social circle had a plan at all, which has brought a smile to my face on more than one occasion when I see how well everyone turned out. I mean, we all have access to hot running water these days.

From that parking lot, Sam went on to culinary school and began working at some of the world’s most renowned restaurants, including Per Se and Casa Enrique in New York and The Catbird Seat in Nashville. Another one of our friends became a doctor. I stayed busy on my chosen path, doing rope access and building out increasingly varied camping rigs, dreaming of one day not having to travel for work.

I suppose it wasn’t until we all found ourselves back in Chattanooga that it occurred to me how obsessive we all are. We tend to go deep into rabbit holes.

I had been getting down in the weeds with smoking barbecue when Sam returned to TN. His plan involves a bit of a career change, switching from highly accomplished chef to an aspiring ER doctor. When he had mentioned starting up a tamale cart to help pay for his schooling, I said we could probably do one better, and Archie’s Rig Barbecue was born.

Now this isn’t a fly-by-night operation. We are combining more than a few obsessions here. We hope this leads you to enjoy the best Roadside Texas Barbecue experience available in America today.