Interview by: Catherine Stiles
Portraits by: Wyatt McSpadden
On the heels of opening a 2nd restaurant location in Houston, Texas….Erin Smith is ready to roar. Meet Erin Smith co-owner of Fege’s BBQ. She’s a mom, restaurant owner and so much more.
Name: Erin Smith
Restaurant: Feges BBQ
Age: 38
Erin Smith - Fege’s BBQ
Tell me a little bit about where you are from and where you grew up?
I was born in El Paso and grew up in Houston. So, Texan born and bred. But also, not very stereo-typically Texan.
What did your parents do? What influence did they have on you in becoming the woman you are today?
“My parents divorced when I was five, and both remained very involved in my upbringing. My mom worked as a paralegal for several companies including Enron (she was there until the bitter end helping the company file bankruptcy), my dad was the director of global sales for a large software company, and my stepmom works in the pharmaceutical industry. I consider myself very lucky to have two hardworking women in my life. They showed me every day what women are capable of in the workplace and at home. As a working mom it’s never easy to balance the demands of life but they did it with resilience and grace. My dad was my #1 cheerleader. He taught me and my sister that we could do anything if we worked hard enough. He was literally my coach- soccer and basketball. Some of my friends still call him Coach Smith!
What were you like as a child? What did you want to be when you grew up?
I was a huge tomboy. I wasn’t into dolls and “girly” things. I was always dirty and scraped up from playing outside. I loved bugs! Which is funny because I hate bugs now. I wanted to be a rock climber, doctor, or veterinarian when I was little kid.
Tell me a little bit about Feges BBQ and how it all came to be. How did it get started and what makes it such a special place?
BBQ has always been a dream of Patrick’s. We met working in the kitchen, and both have a fine dining background. At the beginning of our relationship, we would have long conversations about our dream restaurant- it would combine our talents of BBQ, fine dining, and wine. Eventually we got married and a few years later opened that restaurant- Feges BBQ!!
What do you think people might not know about the day in the life of Erin and your role in the business?
My role is everything. I designed almost half the menu and have a chef background, but my day-to-day job involves a lot more business management than chef stuff. I handle all our catering and private events as well. It’s nonstop, around the clock. I think some people are surprised when they find out I’m a chef. They’re even more surprised when they find out I won Chopped and worked in some of the best restaurants in the country. I guess most people assume Patrick is the chef and I’m “the wife.” I don’t mind it though. Being underestimated is fun for me.
Patrick & Erin - Feges BBQ
How did you meet your husband? Fun fact we might not know about your relationship?
We met when I started working as the culinary director for the now defunct, Clumsy Butcher Group, which ran Underbelly, Hay Merchant, Anvil, Blacksmith, and other notable establishments in Houston. Blacksmith was about to open across the street from Underbelly/Hay Merchant and I was working on the opening menu for the coffee shop. Patrick was a line cook at Underbelly at the time and appeared to have a caffeine habit based on the number of times he came into Blacksmith. Turns out he’s not much of a coffee guy…just wanted an excuse to run into me every day. After my project with Blacksmith ended, I began to focus my attention on the menu at Hay Merchant and worked even more closely with Patrick. We started dating in May of 2012 and have pretty much worked together ever since.
A little-known fact about us is I’m five year older then Patrick. He reminds me all the time. Calls me his “old lady.”
What is the best thing about being in the restaurant/bbq/hospitality business?
I think the people are the best things about the restaurant and bbq industry. Some of the finest people you will ever meet! It’s truly a great community to be part of and one of the most welcoming groups of people I’ve ever come across. We look forward to getting together with other chefs and bbq folks at festivals and other industry events because we really enjoy hanging out with everyone. That’s been one of the hardest parts of the past 18 months- all the festivals and events were cancelled due to the pandemic. We’re really looking forward to getting back out there!
How do you maintain your sanity with being a busy restaurateur, and a young mom? The restaurant business can be one of the most exhausting businesses to be in...Any advice you can give as to making it all happen every day and juggling that work/life balance?
I learned a long time ago to focus on the things I can control and release myself of guilt if I can’t do it all. That was a mantra I had before becoming a mom. It’s a 1000x harder to live that mantra as a working mom but even more important. I feel so much responsibility for my son, my staff, my investors, it can be incredibly overwhelming. I just take a deep breath and do the best I can. That’s really all any of us do. The one area I’m trying to get better at is setting firmer boundaries at work so it doesn’t impact my time with Wyatt. That’s my 2022 goal!
What do you do for fun?
My favorite thing to do is travel. I love experiencing new places and things. The hardest part of the past year has been the lack of travel. I look forward to planning trips again and bringing Wyatt along for the ride.
Erin Smith, Feges BBQ Photo by: Wyatt McSpadden
If you were going to give one piece of advice to a young person who wanted to get into the business of barbecue or just "food" in general, what would that be?
Stage! Stage! Stage! Spend 3 months working really hard at a place you admire with people who will push you and teach you. If you still like after that then by all means pursue it. This job isn’t for everyone. And it certainly isn’t glamorous.
If you could do something outside of the restaurant/hospitality business, what would that be?
A doctor or scientist. I have a bachelor’s degree in molecular biochemistry. Before culinary school I was really considering something medical. I even considered becoming a virologist! Can you imagine?! I think about that all the time now because of the pandemic.
When you actually get the chance...what do you do for fun with girlfriends or a "Night Out?"
Usually, we go out for dinner and drinks. Nights with friends are few and far between, so I consider the evening an opportunity to try a new restaurant or hot spot while catching up.
When you have guests in town are there any local restaurants, shops, or favorite attractions you like to direct them to?
I always tell people to check out Coltivare, which is my favorite restaurant in town. If they aren’t familiar with TexMex I take them to Ninfa’s on Navigation. I also love taking out-of-towners to Chinatown and Little India. There is no shortage of great ethnic restaurants in this town.
Favorite Musician?
I love listening to music but I don’t obsess over a musician. I like music to be something I stumble across and enjoy listening to.
If you were to empty out your purse on the table right now, what would we find?
My purse weighs about 15 pounds. Its ridiculous. I have lots of work documents, my laptop, wallet with 3 checkbooks (!!!), a big Yeti water bottle, sunglasses, usually some snacks for Wyatt, a massive key chain with keys for ALL THE THINGS, some lip gloss, and about 10 masks that I keep forgetting to take out and put in the laundry.
Is there a local or national charitable cause that you support and would like more people to be aware of?
I’m the co-founder of an organization called I’ll Have What She’s Having. We are an organization uniting women chefs, hospitality professionals, entrepreneurs, physicians, scientists, artists and other professionals in social activism. Our particular focus is creating a community that focuses on women’s rights, women’s healthcare, and mentorship for the women in the hospitality industry. We recently launched the 1973 Project Fund to raise awareness and funds for Texas women.
Anything we should look out for coming up at the restaurants soon?
We are about to launch our 2021 Thanksgiving menu!!! The menu and order guide will be live on our website www.fegesbbq.com soon!
We end each interview with a piece we can share from your kitchen to the reader’s home kitchen. Think of it as sharing a recipe card from one good friend to another. What is a favorite recipe you like to share from your home kitchen when you are entertaining with friends and family?
FEGES BBQ WHOLE HOG STUFFING
In honor of Thanksgiving being around the corner here is my whole hog stuffing recipe. I’ve made this every year since we started doing whole hog at the restaurant and it’s my favorite stuffing to eat!
Ingredients:
1 bag of cubed rustic bread
1 cup chopped leeks
1 cup diced celery
1 ea yellow onion, diced
½ lbs Feges BBQ smoked whole hog
1 cup smoke hog lard
2-3 cups poultry stock
Thyme leaves
Sage leaves, torn
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Spread the cubed bread onto a baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Once toasted, set aside and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
2. Crisp the whole hog in a large sauté over medium heat. You may need to add 1 tbsp of the hog fat to get a good sear. Once browned and crispy, remove the hog and set hog aside in a large mixing bowl.
3. In the same pan melt 2 tbsp hog lard. Sauté the leeks, celery, and onions in the hog lard until softened. Add 1 cup of poultry stock to de-glaze then transfer to the bowl containing the crisped whole hog.
4. Toss the toasted bread cubes, thyme leaves, and torn sage leaves into the bowl containing the other ingredients and mix well.
5. Add poultry stock to the bowl in 1 cup increments, mixing well between each addition. Stop adding stock when the bread has fully absorbed the stock and liquid starts pooling in the bottom of the bowl.
6. Grease a 9x13in baking dish, or similar, with hog lard. Pour the contents of the bowls into the baking dish. Using a spoon or pastry brush slather the remaining hog fat over the top of the stuffing. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!
Erin, Patrick, & Wyatt at Feges BBQ - Greenway location. Photo by: Wyatt McSpadden
We hope you enjoyed “meeting” Erin as much as we have in this new “Tales of a Barbecue Wife.” Get out and see her at Feges BBQ the next time you are in the Houston area!
Till next time!
Catherine Stiles