On this episode of The Perfect Bite, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Chef D’Andre Carter and Heather Bublick, the duo behind Soul & Smoke, one of Chicago’s most beloved barbecue brands.

From staging at Moto under Chef Homaro Cantu to running underground dinners, private catering, and eventually pivoting during the pandemic to launch Soul & Smoke, D’Andre and Heather share their remarkable journey. Today, their soulful barbecue can be found across Chicagoland, from Evanston to Soldier Field, alongside their signature sauces and rubs in stores.

They open up about the realities of building a business, growing a team of 50+, parenting while running multiple concepts, and why resilience, flexibility, and heart are key to entrepreneurial success.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How D’Andre & Heather met at Moto and trained under Chef Homaro Cantu
• The early days of underground dining and Feast & Imbibe catering
• Pivoting during the pandemic and working with World Central Kitchen
• Building Soul & Smoke into a multi-location barbecue brand
• The evolution of their menu and upcoming Evanston flagship restaurant
• Balancing family, entrepreneurship, and community impact

You can visit Soul & Smoke’s outposts throughout Chicagoland in Evanston; the Avondale neighborhood; Accenture Tower; and at Soldier Field. 

To learn more about Soul & Smoke or to purchase their sauces and rubs, head to www.soulandsmoke.com or www.hereheremarket.com.

You can follow Soul & Smoke on Instagram @soulandsmoke, along with Heather at @heatherbublick and D’Andre at @chefdandrecarter.

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