The Pure Grit Story

Pure Grit was born from a simple desire to eat BBQ.

I am a huge fan: the passion, the effort, the mess, the sharing, the laughter and frankly, the entire journey. But there’s a catch: I stopped eating most meat when I was ten and, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become sensitive (ok, allergic) to gluten. It’s made enjoying anything remotely BBQ-y pretty tough.

For a while, I was the person that showed up at a backyard BBQ with the veggie burgers—the garden variety. I was a huge hit…not really. Not to trash veggie burgers, but as you can imagine, I’ve been missing the bold taste of authentic BBQ.

I was reminded of this fact in March 2019 when my entire company headed to Franklin BBQ. I was jealous and thought, “I cannot be alone, there must be other people that want IN on BBQ, all of it. NOT JUST THE SIDES.”

When I returned to NYC, I started researching plant-based BBQ. I quickly found out that it was a thing and people were interested!

I recruited my sisters and close friends to workshop the idea and a culinary wizard to start testing recipes with a smoker I bought on Amazon; you gotta start somewhere. The initial team consisted of meat-eaters, BBQ lovers, vegans and one celiac. The food exceeded our expectations. I was hooked and knew that we were on to something. 

I needed to come up with a name. One that meant something to me. So I went to Dallas BBQ and ordered a double margarita. After a few fails (pour one out for Best Life BBQ) I came up with Pure Grit BBQ, and lucky for me the name was available to trademark.

To me, Pure signifies honesty, authenticity, transparency and sustainability. Grit represents strength of character, tenacity, loyalty and resolve. At its essence Pure Grit is showing up. I felt like I was showing up for BBQ but I think the name inspires a visceral feeling in others as well.

Around the time Jenny and I started work on the branding, my dad was scanning and sharing dozens of iconic family photos. We were inspired by them and really taken by what it was like growing up in the seventies (and my time growing up on a commune, but that’s another story). We worked with an artist to explore hand lettering reminiscent of old-school grocery stores—the ones your parents dragged you into after a day at the pool. This imagery felt nostalgic yet fresh and hopefully, an approachable memory that our customers might share.

Now this brand is out in the world and I couldn’t be more excited and proud. But I didn’t do it alone. Since those early days of smoking jackfruit in a backyard in Connecticut, I have recruited a team of professionals to bring the menu to life. I am so lucky to have collaborated with American Royal winning pit master and plant-based BBQ expert Brian Rodgers of Fools Gold, local BBQ legend Daniel Jacobellis of Top Gun BBQ (previously of Blue Smoke) and Chef Nikki Bennett of Mostly Vegan.

I want as many people as possible to come to our table to enjoy BBQ. Come in and give us a try.