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All aboard! The Flavor Train is leaving the station! This week I sit down and talk with the conductor of the flavor train, Chuck Matto! If you're not following his content, you're missing out!
In this episode we talk about:
- Getting over the hurdles of imposter syndrome and self doubt
- Why it's important to be yourself in everything you do
- Staying humble and adjusting your goals as you progress
A weekly podcast focused on talking to influencers in the barbecue industry, uncovering how they’ve cultivated huge followings, unique income sources, and sponsorship possibilities from a love of cooking over fire. Hosted by Jordan Moore of @thebackyardbrisket
013 | Chuck Matto of Chucks Flavor Train
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[00:00:00] Voiceover: You're listening to influential barbecue, the podcast where we talk to influencers in the barbecue industry to uncover how they've cultivated, huge following unique income sources and sponsorship possibilities from a love of cooking outdoors. If you want to turn your passion for food and fire into a world of opportunities, you're in the right place.
And now your host Jordan Moore.
[00:00:30] Jordan: You know what time it is, it's time for another episode of influential barbecue. Thanks so much for joining me again this week. This one is going to be a lot of fun. Chances are you are acquainted with this week's guests. You've seen him slap a whole brisket on Tik TOK. He throws down some amazing cooks and he always brings.
210% energy when he's cooking or when he's creating, or even when he's just hanging out. He doesn't hide anything on social media. He's just 100% him all the time. And I think that's what we all really love about him. I sit down and I chat with the conductor of Chuck's flavored. This episode is less about techniques on how to improve your brand or gained followers or create more income.
Um, Chuck talks a lot about his mindset and some of the mental things he's dealt with to get to where he is, which is just as, if not more important than any other aspect on this big journey that we're all. I would also like to note that we ran into the odd technical issue on this episode. So in the odd spot, there are some words that are cut off or cut out that I couldn't recover, but they don't take away from the context.
So just try and ignore that and keep on listening. So grab a drink, stick that pinky out and let's get into it with Chuck's flavor
[00:01:45] Chuck: tray.
[00:01:52] Jordan: All right. Welcome back to another week of influential. You this week, my guest needs very little introduction. I've heard from more than one person that he's more official than a rough with a whistle. And he's the head of the bang bang flavor gang. I got Chuck the flavor train with me today. Chuck, thanks so much for joining me.
[00:02:09] Chuck: Thank you to me. It's an honor. That intro was much more esteem than I'm deserving of, but I will gladly take it. So I appreciate that.
[00:02:17] Jordan: You're a modest man. That's what I've noticed. Um, to get things started. Can you just. Tell anybody who's under a rock listening to this kind of who you are, what you're all about.
And
[00:02:27] Chuck: absolutely. Yes. He said, my name is Chuck, um, conductor of the flavor train, which started off kind of just as a nickname, um, turned into the catering company, business page, persona, whatever you want to say. But I grew up in Napa, California. Um, now I live in Vallejo. Water right between now. Um, that's where I reside at cook cater, Sheryl, my recipes have fun and that's basically what I do is try to cook, have fun.
I've been blessed that, um, what started off as a hobby and the pictures just kind of grown into what it has. Not much has really changed. You know, I think it's funny friends, people, you know, the, oh dude, are you famous now you're going to quit this or that. Or do you have to say, nah, dude, it's, I'm still the same me.
I'm doing the same damn thing I was doing three, four years ago only differences. Now people seem to care for whatever reason.
[00:03:14] Jordan: Yeah, that's kind of how it all goes. So like how, how did it start up? How did you get into barbecue and then transition that into social media? Because that's kinda how this thing blew up.
If I understand correctly is through socials.
[00:03:26] Chuck: Yeah. So, um, my brother got me a smoker December of 2016, and it's funny every year. It's a little bit more, but I still tell people like, man, I haven't been doing it for a long time. I had never ran a smoker slash grill barbecue outside of a backyard gas grill.
Until, you know, December, 2016 and, you know, since then everything has happened, but it started with that. I had a family friend over for dinner, um, that October or September before that, excuse me, I made a braised lamb neck pasta. She's like, dude, you got to share this. I do a blog and I was kind of anti blog.
I mean, everyone has their niche. I don't mean that. I just feel. Especially, I was still coming out of college at this time. It's like blogs kind of had like, oh dude, I'm not writing a 35 page novel about what it was like wine tasting. And then the first time I cooked a steak, like, that's just not what I was trying to do.
That's all I'm trying to say. And she's like, well, people post things on Instagram or Pinterest or whatever. And again, Pinterest, I didn't really know how to. Instagram I had, I made one, but never really messed around with it. So I had started posting food recipes once I got the smoker and started posting some of the barbecue.
It's like, oh, damn dude. It's like, I mean, it's like, I was like a big booty girl in the yard. You got people coming out of the woodworks. Like, let's talk, let's talk. And it's all guys wanting to talk, just like, oh, I got this kind of a smoker. And I use this type of wood and it's like, oh, this is. A cult-like community of guys that like to drink beer and smoke meats and just have fun.
It's like, where's this been missing all my life and really it's, um, you know, we all go through things mentally and I was going through a, down a dark time at that point. And it just so happened that kind of the food thing and the IgG community all happened at once. And, um, I just kinda fell in love it's I didn't even realize.
And even now I try not to take up. I mean, it's like, there's a lot of people out there that, you know, we're into this and following this. And again, that wasn't the dream or the goal of the whole thing was just let's cook and share. And that's still what the goal is, but, um, yeah, it just, it all sprung from that.
Just wanting to share and be a part of the community and learn and grow. And this big John's doing this and my buddy Brian up in Canada is doing this and you see all these people, it's like, I want to try what he's doing. I want to learn. And it really was just, you know, a quest and journey. A fact of the journey that's led me to this.
[00:05:38] Jordan: Yeah, that's so cool because it's, it's, you know, it starts on Instagram by yourself. They can, no, one's gonna want to see it. And then all of a sudden, your Instagram community's the same as if you had 60 people over for a party, like you're, you're giving them so many things. You're giving them recipes.
You're giving them entertainment. You're showing people what you are doing and what you love doing. And now it's just got such a grander scale on how you can share the things that you love to do, and the things you love to create, which is so cool.
[00:06:05] Chuck: The scale. That's a good way to put it as a, again, it's very strange just lately to doing some things that have been televised and with the 49 or is it's, uh, it's all about the scale.
That's just a great word to say, and it's nothing has changed, but there's more people, whether it's going to the Niners game and you hear someone, eh, bang, bang, flavor, gang. Like you get it. Like, I don't have to change. Like they're trying to vibe with me. Like they know what I do, they understand, and I don't have to change myself this morning today.
I was doing a fire pit in the backyard. I had some trash not spotting over. You're supposed to burn trash. I was burnt. I don't really care, whatever burning trash back there. One of the neighbors called Ducker was a fire. By the time the fireman got here, it was gone. But the Fireman's walking to me in the backyard and I'm thinking, oh, I got to explain myself.
He's like, oh my God. Flavor, like flavor trade. I go to flavor town everyday, baby. Like, I follow you. I'm like, oh, damn like, that's crazy. So I go to the fire station and I was like, oh bro, let me drop off some swag, like, get you guys some stuff. He said, we can't take a directly from you here. But if you want to drop it off where this station right up the road.
So I go to drop it off. None of the guys that were there when I was there, but another guy's pulling in he's like bang, bang, flavor, gang. I know you. I'm like, oh, So that's the type of thing where it's just cool to like a little bit of validation. If that makes sense, you know, to go with it, like validation, like everything.
I say, all the things that every time I make a dumb ass joke and my wife's like, babe, you know, I'm totally joking. My life's crazy supportive, but anytime you make a corny joke or anytime your daughter's like, daddy, you're not funny joking. It's like, oh no, people do think I'm apparently kind of funny, I guess, you know?
So it's just nice, you know, it really is the best way to put it. It's nice, man. It's, it's a blessing.
[00:07:37] Jordan: How has, how have you found the transition from like cooking by yourself, posting a few things to now you're recognized in a stadium of 28,000 people or 50,000 people, like, how has that affected you mentally?
Like how you approach things like you're, you're now known in the public eye you're being seen after just crazy. Briskets online, essentially, which
[00:07:57] Chuck: is crazy. Cause I was cooking so much before and I still do other things and it's like, you know, I can cook a 12 hour ramen dish and it's like, oh yeah, that's okay.
Then I cook another brisket and it's like, oh my God. You know? So it's just funny side note, but yeah, no, as far as handling. I was telling my wife, like we were doing something the other day and I'm like, I don't know what these people expect, but they're going to get me like, you know, so it's like, regardless, I don't really know how to turn it off or be something else.
If you see me out in public, I might be drinking, chilling my friends. That's how I live my life. I might be at a barbecue. I might be faded. I might be doing some, whatever it is, but you're going to get me. I don't mind saying hi. I like to engage in an normal. Um, but you're going to get whatever you want and people say, you know, I'm good at turning it on for the camera.
And I will say, I'm not really turning anything on. I grew up a wrestling fan and I would liken it to that. You know, you know, the rock and, you know, a, stone-cold what I would say, my character, the best way to be the best character. It's yourself. Just turn it up, you know, so I'm not ever faking it. You know, it's just, you're getting me amped up to another level.
So. That's the way I try to adapt it. I don't have to be anything else than other than what I am and you're going to get me regardless. So if you like that, cool. If you don't like that and expected something else, sorry, you know what? I didn't get in this to be a role model or a celebrity, you know, I'm a fat guy that likes food.
So that's what I'm striving to be. And I think I'm succeeding. So anything else that comes along with that? You know, it is what it
[00:09:17] Jordan: is. Yeah. And that goes back to the point. Like a lot of my guests have all mentioned, you know, you gotta be authentic, you gotta be yourself. People can smell fake from a mile away and you're not even close to that.
And you've got the, you bring the energy all the time, but you're also so humble in that. You don't know why you're here right now, which you mean you're an entertainer, you're doing incredible stuff, but you're still so humble. And like, what, thank you. You kinda know what's happening, but what's, what's the deal
[00:09:42] Chuck: with that?
I think part of it honestly is probably a self-esteem thing, you know? Most people that know me would say, I've growing up, you weren't this hyper excited, or, you know, we knew you, it was in you, you were always like this, but maybe, uh, the confidence and despite what comes across on camera. And I get this message a lot from people.
It's a lot of false confidence, you know, I, I, wasn't always comfortable in my skin. I still am not necessarily happy. With, you know, um, everything that I am as a person or who I am or everything that I've done. So I think a lot of that is kind of fake it till you make it. And a lot of that's trying to hide whatever insecurities or things that I might have.
So, and I think that's the part that people kind of connect with through DMS or like conversations like this. You know, the video side is one side, but what's helpful is it's like, Hey man, if you want to talk, I get it home. And you had a shitty day, shoot me a DM. We can talk about that. You want to laugh and give a talk about barbecue.
We can do that. But I think it comes back to being. Trying to be myself at all times. You know, you can hold things in to try to hide it, but that doesn't help, you know? Um, so I really just try to embrace who I am, how I'm feeling and wear my emotions on my sleeve. And generally that's all upbeat, happy, but I think that happiness, I said it's a projection of, I think maybe, well, how I want people to see me, you know, try and do a.
Paint the picture that I want out there, if that
[00:10:58] Jordan: makes sense. Yeah, absolutely makes sense. And like imposter syndrome is such a big thing for so many people, because especially we're on Instagram all day, and we're looking at people who have done things that we've like never thought of, or never been able to try.
So we spend the day looking at stuff going, oh, I could never do that. I could never do that. And you just, you just kind of. Fake it till you make it, like you said, like I'm not an outgoing person and here I am hosting a podcast talking to you when he's just like, you just reach out to people and do something until you're comfortable doing it
[00:11:27] Chuck: again.
Totally. And that's the one thing, you know, I'm actually enjoying this conversation by the way. I was worried when you said talking about the influencer side, just because that term influencer and some of that side, I'm like, eh, but this side of this stuff is what I like to talk about, but you're right.
And I think some of that imposter syndrome is also a. It kind of lends into how w how I even kind of started blowing up or growing in a sense, you know, I'd been posting pictures forever, and I had a fun time doing that. Pictures are much easier to produce. Anyone knows that you take a photo, you got to, you know, maybe do a couple of edits.
If you edit your pictures, whatever you post it video. Sometimes it's an hour's worth of footage. You got to edit down. But what helped me grow was I had done videos before, but I personally wasn't really comfortable on camera at the time. I've kind of grown to be, but I wasn't necessarily. But I realized, oh, should I can record a video and then do a voiceover without anyone seeing me.
And it's like, that's where my personality came through. And so, but that whole personality only shine in that aspect because I was actually afraid to do it any other way. I didn't want to go on camera, so I'll give you this, but it's going to be off camera. So I think there's just ways and people need to think about make it work for you.
You know, there's a lot of pages out there. Uh, black t-shirt staring in the camera up close to the same thing. Every time, quick cuts and Bubba. That might've worked for person a, B and C, because that was their genuine style. But John Smith, if you, that's not, you, you're a slob that likes to drink and you live in a messy shack and you'd like to throw shit around when you cook post that if you're a nerd, embrace being a nerd and, you know, live that lifestyle, whatever it is that is you.
That's what people need to focus on. Just focus on yourself. And what's crazy nowadays is you said, you know, I'm known or this or that. It's still crazy getting recognized, but at the same time, it's like, you don't have to be on a television show now to be quote, unquote, famous or known. Like you can have a kick ass Instagram page with 50,000 followers even, and be a superstar in your hometown.
You know, it's like people gotta stop looking at it. Like I'm trying to be the next Gordon Ramsey through Instagram and look at like, I grew up in the bay area out here. We got a big underground rap scene. Those guys are superstars out here. They might not be known anywhere else, but they're superstars here and they're doing big albums out here.
You can be a superstar in your own town. You can look at that same model of just kill my hometown. Be local, be myself, stay true to my roots and whatever happens happens, and you can be a superstar in your town. They have that same model transfer to online. So you got 50,000 people in your town and then a hundred thousand people across America that liked you too.
That's 150,000 people that like you for you. That's what you need. You know what I'm saying? It's like, I don't want a million fake friends. I'd rather have, you know, 10,000. Uh, real friends than a million fake friends. That's what I'm looking for. You know, it's, it's about the quality of the engagement, the quality of the relationships.
And I think people take that for granted. You know, it's like, I don't need everything. I'm just trying to get my little Nisha to buy and Johnny can have his and Susie can have hers. And this is a big ass pizza. We could all eat together.
[00:14:25] Jordan: Yeah, absolutely. And it goes to, it goes down to, you know, everyone's trying to go like, oh, I need a million followers.
I need everyone in the world to know what I'm doing. But the more people you exclude, the more people you attract, because you're going to attract every single person that loves what you're doing. And in turn, you're going to get so much less hate mail at the same time, because there's people that have no business following.
They're not going to follow you anymore because you're not trying to get them, all these people trying to do everything, just end up with mediocre content for all of their followers. Instead of someone like you, who's like, this is me, I've got the booze, I'm slapping this brisket and I'm going to yell at you, but it's going to be delicious.
And they're like, yeah, I'm following this guy for this. Exactly.
[00:15:06] Chuck: Like, it's funny, I just laugh. Or you said. Best friends. I got to give them a shout out my boy, Bryce, but he's always like, he'll send you a video. It'll send me a video. He's a white dude, but he'll send me a bill and be like, oh yeah, cool. I woke up and saw this big black guy yelling at me again.
And I'll look at the bit. I was like, oh, it's me. I'm like, oh, you son of a bitch. Like, you know what? It's like, he's like, I'm sick of this black guy yelling at me. I'm like, Hey, homie. But it's, and it's like, that's what I'm saying. Not everyone has to yell. I've seen you definitely notice trends in the way. I don't, I'm trying to figure how to say this without sounding like an asshole.
And if I do let me know, but there are some times you see something and it's like, oh, I know they did that because of something I did, or I know they did that because of something this person did, there are some things with the timing, the way they do it, I'll see people yelling. It's like, bro, I could tell that's not you slap the meat.
And it's like, bro, that's so half-assed, if you're going to slap it, slap your meat, you know what I'm saying? Like, but I was. Again, just going back to what I said, just be yourself. That's the main thing that comes across, you know, try not to take influence from someone. And I think there's a lot of corny sayings and traditional things about being yourself, inspiring others.
It's the amount of people that say, oh dude, I didn't even, I didn't know. I could drink on camera. It's like, yeah, bro, what are they going to do? Kick you off the internet. Budweiser's got commercials that they play during kids' network television, but I can't come on, give me a break. You know? So just little things like that, you know?
Like, you know, I've seen guys that'll incorporate like a magic card that's going to do, like, he plays magic, the gathering, he did a couple of Tik TOK videos of like, oh, this person is making this, like, this is what he would eat tonight. So we're going to that's dope. I don't even like magic, but that's some cool shit.
That's like some nerdy, like, you know, artsy thing I would never have thought to do and introduced me that world. Through food. I'm like, okay, well let me check out magic. You know that, but whatever it is, you do just be yourself and be authentic and be unique. You know, I think being unique without trying to be corny or anything like that is the best way you can get out there and be
[00:16:56] Jordan: yourself.
Absolutely. And like Tik TOK is the biggest culprit of this right now, because as soon as one video takes off, all of a sudden the, the for you page is just everyone. The exact same thing, and it's not even with their own audio. They're just lip-syncing it now, too. And it's like, it's even easier to rip things off on Tik TOK.
And it's just, it's crazy
[00:17:15] Chuck: how much I get a lot. So tick talk. I'm sure you're aware they have this feature. You can cut the audio from someone's video, put it on your own video. And initially that would happen. And it was like, people realize like, oh, especially like when I do like the deeper leg of this thing, cuts, whatever people be like, oh, that's flavor trend.
I know that's audio now. It's to the point where my video has been diluted so many times in the credit, cause one guy he doesn't mind, it gives me credit and that someone else reposts that video and someone else repost it. Eventually my tag is. So at that point and it got to the point where people were like, oh my God, look at this.
And Chuck's labor train made. And it's like, too, aren't you? Like, you've been falling. They're like, his hands are white or like, that's an Asian guy, bro. It's like, you don't realize like, that's not me. Like Chuck's flavor. Train is not a food page that posts a bunch of different people. Like it's me. It's my big fat black ass.
That's Chuck's labor. Anybody else is using the audio. And it's like, but the problem is nowadays because of that copy and paste world, people don't even think that's my voice. You know what I'm saying? Like, I've met people in real life and they'll be like, oh, you sound just ghetto. Pretend I'm not fake.
This is how I talk. You know, it's like, if I sound like a deep voice, the deep voice thing, didn't start because I was trying to sound. Cool or sexy. It started because when Tik talking, I was posting two years ago, getting on that my daughter was two years older, a year and a half at the time she'd take naps.
I would record my audio while she's napping. So instead of yelling, but I couldn't. So instead of yelling. Hey today, we're cooking a steak. We're going to do it nice and low and slow. And that's where the deep voice came. It wasn't trying to it's I didn't want to wake my kid up and then people liked it. If I go shit, that's cool.
It's like, so I can do this whispering, but again, it wasn't thinking what's another way to deliver this. It was more of, oh, I have to get this content out and I got a bunch of shit to dub over, so I'll have to do it. You know,
[00:18:59] Jordan: I love that. I'm not waking my daughter up because we're all having a bad day. So I'm going to whisper.
[00:19:05] Chuck: Yeah. It's like even the other day, it's like I posted a video. And then tick talk to her more, you know, the comments, whatever, but you engage. So you talk with someone posted. It's like, man, I missed like the old energy shock. It was like, my daughter was napping. I'm going to come and say, dude, it's the first quiet video I've done it forever.
I see my daughter's napping, bro. It's like, I'll have another video for like three hours yelling at you again. But it's like, but yeah, people like have this expectation. It's like, I'm not going to yell all the time. Just cause that's what you want, dude. I'm whispering because my kid's napping wait for the next video.
If you don't like this one, you know, it's like, yeah. And
[00:19:35] Jordan: it goes back to like, For them specifically, you're doing it because for the experience of what you're showing them, what they're cooking, it doesn't matter what the voiceover
[00:19:43] Chuck: totally. And it's like, I feel like kind of, I don't mean it like disrespectfully when I'm like this isn't for you, but it's like anyone that's watching, sorry.
That's at least the way I view my channel. Do I know some people that different today I'm making this so that I can appease this person? Totally. I'm not hating on that. That's just not my goal or what my channel is. I don't consider myself to be an educational channel. It's me doing things and having fun.
Hopefully you're able to learn something again. Everything's demonstrated so you can see it. So I hope you picked something up, but I'm trying to have fun. So when someone says like, oh, like, you know, um, what do you mean? Not for us? It's like all I'm saying. I'm making it on eating it. My family's eating it.
Like if I'm cooking for a client, when a document catering that's way different. That is definitely for you. You're paying me to come cook for you. I'm you're whipping boil, cook up whatever you want. If you don't like a certain product, we're not using that product. Cause I'm here for you. But when I'm in my house, That's what I'm documenting and I'm not going to cook something stupid or something that I don't want to eat.
And my family doesn't want to eat just to a piece, someone out there it's a waste of money and my daughter's not going to be happy. My wife, ain't going to be happy. And I'm a fat kid, my belly, ain't going to be happy. So it just doesn't make sense.
[00:20:53] Jordan: It's, it's important to draw a line to you, right? You got to have.
Paying you all this money to cook for them. You're not going to walk in and start just yelling and slapping their food around and then trying to serve it to them. You know, of
[00:21:04] Chuck: course, unless they want that, which is something like lately. You can usually tell by the emails and what they want. And I always, I'm always going to be myself, but it's like, I've definitely had gigs where it's like, oh, you didn't slap in and meet tonight.
It's like, oh, you wanted that? It's like, yeah, we wanted this and that. It's like, well, you guys should have loosened up a little bit. It's like you it's like, I try to go off the vibe of the crowd again. I'm always me, but. Yeah. It's, you know, sometimes you go into this nice house that someone rented into Airbnb and it's like, okay, well, I don't want to come in and start pouring shots and pop your pinky and causing a mess.
So it's like, you'll get the classy version. All right. Let's, you know, take a drinky, we'll keep it, you know, fancy like Nancy and whatever. But, so yeah, it's always me, but you do play off the crowd and you catering. It is it's a business of making people happy, you know, the service industry in general. And that goes to the business side, you know, which is Instagram to me can be a business.
But I look at that as one where the actual. Labor train catering business. That's where it's like, oh, we've got to actually, you know, be professional about things and cross your T's and dot your I's. And if you want to try to grow the business and make money and have a reputable reputation and respectable reputation, you better do things the right way.
So, and that's something that, you know, you learn the hard way. My first year I thought, well, people like my food online. Cool. Let's go, Katie. Oh, I don't know shit about anything. Like, I shouldn't be doing this. I had gigs where if my wife wasn't there and you know, I probably would've just heard it out.
There's gigs I was doing where I'm like, oh, but shit, if I can't do this, like, I can't serve this food. Like, this is bad. We got to go. So, you know, you're here. They paid for the food sack up, get the food on the table, you know, so, yeah. But it's a learning experience in a process and I love it. You know, I was telling her like my heart every day before I catering stuff beating faster, I'm nervous.
I'm scared. I'm anxious. And then it's like, once you're serving the food and everyone's happy, it's like, oh, that's why I do this. It's like, it's like a rush. It's like a rollercoaster of emotions, the good, the bad, the anxiety, the rewarding, everything. So that's the fun side to that. And that's why, you know, you've got to bend and flex to people to make them happy because in the end, that feeling of, you know, satisfaction is everything.
Yeah. And
[00:23:08] Jordan: there's, you know, there's a time and a place. She got to read the room and it's all part of the thing. And it's, you know, it means a lot when you're. When you say that you get nervous and anxious before doing a catering thing like that. Because I think a lot of people see all these guys and girls online and just think, oh, these people are just stone, cold killers.
They do everything perfectly. They nothing phases them, but it's like, this just shows like we're all human and we just get incredibly nervous before we do something
[00:23:35] Chuck: big. Absolutely. And I mean, I've had the opportunity to meet, you know, I am not famous. I've met famous chefs. I've met people that are, you know, actually culinarily trained and much more skilled than I am.
Everybody gets nervous, whether or not they're going to say that on camera, whether or not it fits their brand or image, whether or not they want to acknowledge it. Remember maybe they don't even realize it, but everyone I've been around gets nervous in their own way. You know, when some people use that to, um, maybe they don't feel nervous the day of an event because you prepped and trained for two weeks before made sure you had all your.
That's anxiety and nerves are just channeling it into preparation. You know what I'm saying? Maybe the day of the event, you're an asshole that can be nerves. Maybe you're normally uptight the day of the event. You're loosey goosey, drinking. Maybe that's how you cope with the nerves, but it doesn't matter how it is.
I think anyone has it. And part of it is, and I said this on record. When you're giving someone food, you're sharing a part of yourself. You're sharing your love, your time, your energy, your efforts. And you're giving them life. Cause they need food to live. Everyone needs food to live. So for someone to not like it, it's kind of like, cool, next time I'll just come over here.
I'll rip my heart out, put it on the table and you could shit on it, you know? Cause that's basically what it is. I've given you my heart and soul, you know, food is love food. So for you not to like something that I thought was good or put my heart into and put effort into not hurts. And I think that's one of the things that why maybe sometimes comments get snippy on IgE and people get butt hurt, rightfully so they should.
And I've definitely had those moments. You get caught up in your feelings and all that. But part of it is like, dude, like I tried, like, I thought it was good and I, you know, Last time. We did a brisket, even when I was on the brisket on the air for the 49 or gig, it's like right before. And I don't even know if it was on camera.
Maybe I didn't even care, but I said a prayer and I'm like, oh, I'm like I say, a prayer to the brisk. Every time. I don't give a shit. If I'm cooking for my daughter and her friends, I don't give a shit if I'm not recording it and I'm tasting it. I'm real. I'm praying every time. Why? Because you never know what's going to happen, even though you think you do.
That's the mad science that we all love. That's what we're addicted to this barbecue game. Cause it's not perfect. Even if you think it is, it's never a perfect every time. So that's what we're striving and know chasing. But, uh, yeah, so those nerves to me are what make it all exciting. That's why I do it.
If it was perfect and boring. I put something in the microwave. If you can migrate a brisket, no one wants to do that. There's no fun in that. That's why pellet grills get the bad rap. I don't really give a damn either way, but that's why pellet grills are hated on because it's easier. You're making that margin of error that much smaller, you know what, I'm sorry, you're making the margin of error that much wider.
So it's a lot easier to do it. And I personally, that's why it gets Hayden off because the craft of barbecue is not knowing. It's trying, it's taking those chances, you know? So just my.
[00:26:21] Jordan: I mean, I got to say, I love pellet grills. Cause he, as a Canadian, I'm not stoking gunfire out in minus 16 degrees Celsius.
So I'm a term.
[00:26:29] Chuck: I got three in my backyard. I had it and it's like, they really are great. They have a ton in place. I'm just looking as what I think some of the scheme in the barbecue world is that was what. I tell people, even if you don't want it for traditional barbecue, what about sides? What about fish?
What about chicken? What about once? You know, you smoked a brisket til, you know, one 20 nothing it's not taking on any more smoke. The bark may change color, but as far as labor after one 20, it's not taking on any more actual smoke. You can put it in the oven or you can put it on a pellet grill. So a lot of times when I cater, if I'm doing a lot of.
I'll start on my briskets on one of my, um, you know, a pit or a drum or whatever, once it's, you know, at a certain temp, it's getting wrapped up, it's going onto the Frager or the camshaft where there's the one of my pellet grills to finish up. That's just how I do things. Bake beans. I can put them on the grill, set them, or the Pella grill, set them up to 20.
No, they're going to get the proper smoke. They're not going to get too hot. They're not going to dry out. And I can let them sit there for three hours while focusing on other things. So I would say, make it work for you, you know? My favorite bar barbecue spot in the state of California that I've tried at least in the bay area, in Northern color.
They run Yoder, Pella grills, you know, and I like their brisket to me. I don't give a shit. You can't tell. It's amazing. It's delicious. The best brisket I've tried here. Perfect. So, I mean, it's all about the pet master, not to
[00:27:50] Jordan: pit, it's just different tools for different things, right. And you don't, you don't have to be.
You don't need to be a purist all the time. Like sure. There's, there's something to be said about, you know, stoking a fire with post oh, live fire, letting it smoke, holding the temp for an entire day to cook a brisket. And that's gotta be such a rewarding thing to do at the end of the day, but not everybody's got that time and they still want a pretty damn good brisket.
So just use the tool that
[00:28:16] Chuck: you need to use. I also sat on top of that. It's like it, I mean, it comes to like steaks, normally be salt and pepper or brisket should only be salt and pepper, post Oak, Texas style or whatever. If I've said it before, I'll say it again. And everyone does the same thing everywhere.
Where's the variety then Texas barbecue. Isn't Texas barbecue. If everyone does post Oak salt and pepper, that's just how everyone eats. Everyone used a Tenny Carolina sauce. It's not a tangy Carolina sauce. That's just how barbecue sauce is. You know? So whenever. Person, individual switches something up.
That's how you push the craft board. That's how you put barbecue forward. That's how you challenge and learn and grow for yourself. That's how new recipes are created. You know, it's like you take your grandma's recipe, you add a little twist, suddenly you got something new and Johnny's going to try your food one day and say, Hey, I liked that, but you know what?
I'm going to add this. And someone's going to say, where did that recipe come from? Actually, you know what? I had a good friend, Johnny, his mom was a great. She would actually do this. I gave a little twist. That's where it comes from, but my recipes honoring her, you're honoring the culture. You're pushing things forward.
You're creating new recipes. So that's my look at things across the board, whether it's methods of cooking, what you're cooking, how you cook, try new things, push the arm a little break rules. Don't fall into boxes or listen to any of that bullshit because in the. Anybody that does, that is not going to be breaking new ground and that's facts.
[00:29:38] Jordan: Exactly. And that falls straight back to socials too, if you're just doing every single thing that everyone else is doing, if you only did what you saw other people doing, you wouldn't be where you are today, doing what you're doing. Absolutely. Just copying people and regurgitating it. Like it doesn't work that way.
If it does, it only works for a brief amount
[00:29:55] Chuck: of time. Yeah. I mean, copying, it only works if it's me and my, uh, high school chemistry class, you know, in that case I passed the class. But outside of that, and I'm not a cop. So I mean,
[00:30:06] Jordan: all of this stuff has happened. You've started smoking. You run a catering business now, and then like, you've been on fire masters.
You had to do it from Gordon Ramsey. And you were cooking with the 49ers. Like how, how did all this stuff come up? How has, how does that all feel? Is it exciting? What
[00:30:24] Chuck: was it all like? Obviously very exciting. Uh, still, uh, unreal. I, I hate to sound cliche or keep saying that, but again, it's like, you don't ever want to, um, I guess get big headed, take it for granted, and then it's gone, you know, I'm just trying to enjoy it and soak it in as far as how everything happened.
All through social media. Um, what's funny about blowing up on Tik TOK is I didn't even post a new tick TOK video over product the first six months on there, everything on there with stuff I'd already posted on Instagram that I just muted put new audio over and posted. And that was what worked from there.
Uh, I just noticed all my videos were doing. And I remember, I was like, oh, this Ramsey reacting. Let's try it out. Everyone else was doing crazy shit. Let me do a Wellington, but put, you know, a peanut butter and jelly and toe jam in this shader. Let me do some dumb, you know, I'm not hating on it, but I'm like, I'm thinking like, if I'm going to do this, I'm not going to sell out.
Like I'm going to cook what I cook. So I cooked the brisket and the pit barrel, like whatever Gordon, this is a brisket. And I remember like I posted it and then like blew up that first day. It was like a million views in like an hour or something crazy. So like, oh, it's doing well. It's doing well. And so I remember like, okay, like, people are like starting to tag me in Gordon Ramsey's page, like Gordon holler at my boy holler, my boy.
And I remember like the next day it was like 5 million views and like a day. And I remember like, commenting, like, Hey, and like Gordon, like, if you're not going to shit on me, you can always say something nice, dude. Like, you know, cause that's his thing on Tik TOK, just dunking on people, which I'm open for a dude.
I mean, me and my home, that's all we do is don't cry. So, but I'm like, if you can't shit on it, if it looks good, you can always be nice. A couple of weeks go by. And I'm like drinking, uh, at a brewery with some friends and family. And like, people just started blowing me up, like, dude, like Gordon, like I'm like, whatever dude.
So I opened my phone and I like, oh shit, like that's super joke. Cause like, it's like growing up, I've watched Gordon Ramsey, like with my dad on the couch, like. That's like my dad and I, we watched movies. We didn't watch too much TV, but like, one of the things we did watch as I was getting older, especially was Gordon Ramsey.
Like, you know, all that stuff. So just like to get that was amazing. And then from there, Obviously exposure creates more opportunities, you know, and that's kind of the goal. You've got to keep building and growing in that sense. And from there, it's just, I'm like, okay, well, tick talks really taken off. Let me try to bring this over to Instagram and up until like last year, I think probably April of last year, I maybe have 13,000 followers.
Maybe on Instagram. So since then, like, you know, in about a year I've added, you know, a hundred and something thousand, and that's not half of, even a portion of my tick talk, but I'm just like, okay, well it's going well. So in videos it starts saying, Hey, follow me on Instagram, follow me on Instagram. And then one of the Niners, I got to give him a shout out.
My boy called him the kibitz. Great dude. Um, one of our younger guys, young lineman, his girlfriend hit me up. It's like my boyfriend's a big fan. But I even told my wife, I mean, I think it's like a robot like this blonde girl hit me up saying her boyfriend plays for the 49ers and it's like some random, you get those requests.
And if think just a blonde girl in a profile pic, usually it's like a Russian box and
whatever.
[00:33:23] Jordan: Yeah. Follow me on WhatsApp for
[00:33:24] Chuck: sex. Exactly. Right. So I know who he is. So I messaged back and she had meetings like, let's do it. Cook for him last year. And, you know, we've stayed in touch through social media, him, Justin school, trolley Warner, a bunch of trolley Warner, excuse me, a bunch of the guys.
Um, we've stayed in touch through the social media from there. Um, it kind of carried over into this year, you know, just, I started posting more nine or stuff on Tik TOK and Instagram. Just being a fan, liking them. And one of the chief marketing executives like send me email emails. Like, dude, we love your kick talk stuff.
Like, can we send you some swag? I'm like, you kidding? Like, this is like, of course, like I'll pay for it. Like I don't like, yeah, let's do it. And then from there it was like, oh, like, blah, blah. We love like this posts you did, you want to come? And again, it's just been building and growing. Do you want to come out one day on air?
And I'm like, I'm nervous, terrified. Like, do you know what you're going to say? Do you know what? I had no idea. They don't give you a script or nothing. I had like three minutes before the game and I did that and they were like, Did you practice that? Did you write this? Like where like, no, this is what I do every day.
Like, give me a mic. I'm going to say some dumb shit. Eventually I'm going to run out of steam and it's going to get repetitive and you'll get sick of me, but it's like, you know, I'm good and clever for a couple of minutes, but I did that. It went well. If we've got to try your food, your pride, the food, they liked it.
Same time. It just all do the same week. My boy Colton happened to hit me up. Hey dude, we're doing a dinner for some lime and you want to cook for us. I cook for like seven of, you know, the starter or seven Lyman for the 49 or seven at the 10 on the team. So just like. And now it's like, what's next? Like, you know, and I think everyone's like, dude, you've done this.
And like, even in your mind, you are on fire masters. I went to me, I'm like, dude, I recorded that three and a half years ago. So I was cooking food for like two years at that point. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, to me, that's nothing like Gordon Ramsey's shout out. Cool. Didn't change my life, man. My daughter's not going to college was Gordon Ramsey shot at me out.
I don't got money in my bank account from that. It's like, you know, I'm not saying that money is everything, but what I'm saying. None of that. None of these things that I've done, it's like life changing. My goals are, have gone from just to have fun and, uh, you know, do what I want in life to be able to make a little.
Doing what I want. That makes me happy when I want to do it. You know? So I'm the goal hasn't changed in the sense of, I don't want to be famous. That's not the goal. The goal is to be able to do what I like. It makes me happy and hopefully be able to do that and provide a living for my family. And that's the goal.
So it's how do I roll everything I've done until the next thing it was very cool. You know, what's an awesome story to tell about Gordon Ramsey. It's very cool that I cooked for the 49ers. It's something that my dad and family is very proud of. But for me, it's like, I've got more things to do in a year from now.
If I haven't done anything else, that's just all bullshit. You know what I'm saying? Like, so you've got to keep going and that's the world we live in. It's I talked to my wife about music artists. Do you remember what I mean? I'm assuming we're similar age, but know what it was like in the nineties, you go to the CD store.
Uh, artists would put out an actual album of singles. You remember those, right? If you're just a single and have you listened to that one song for a year, then they put out another single nowadays you can have an artist they'll put out their whole album. They released a thing in a day. You streaming.
We're singles going on the radio at the same time. And they got to put out another album three months later. That's the world we live in, sadly, you're hot today, gone tomorrow. So unless you're not doing something new or staying up or continuing to grow and evolve, you get left behind. And I think more outside of, you know, um, being interpreted wrongly or being misunderstood.
Uh, the thing I fear most is probably just being forgotten or left behind, you know, like, I don't want to be like, oh man, do you remember that guy? Chuck's flavor train? What happened to him? It's like, no, Chuck's flavor trends doing it, whether it's food or maybe, you know, I like to rap and make music. Maybe someone's like, Hey dude, let's tap into this.
I don't give a shit what it is, but I just want to keep growing and evolving. You know, being relevant and I'm not talking about relevant in social media sense, I'm talking about relevant and doing things that make me happy and allow me to continue to fulfill myself. If that makes sense.
[00:37:10] Jordan: I, it makes a lot of sense because essentially the social media is just a vehicle for you to gain a bit of exposure so that you can.
Do more cooking for more people, more people know about what you're doing and the social. Like I see a lot of people get into the trap where they're chasing more of those Gordon Ramsey highs or more of those 49 or highs. And then you get stuck in this loop of chasing things that aren't rewarding you either financially or, um, emotionally or any.
And you're no longer working towards the main goal, which would be to do something that you enjoy because when you see Gordon Ramsay quotes, your tweet or stitches your video, that's an immense high. Like that feels incredible. I can only imagine how exciting it is, but you can't chase that the whole time.
That is just an avenue that you have to leverage to get more people to hire you. So you can cook for their family or their football team and just drive.
[00:38:03] Chuck: Oh the percent and that's, you know, it's like, I was, I was actually just thinking about that earlier today. I have one of the clients, I feel I cook for their like highest returning client.
I cook for them more than anyone. Great. People have a lot of fun. Uh, they definitely get the flavor, train vibe, not a gig for them coming up in like three weeks in February. And I'm just, I was thinking about that, like is awesome with everything is, and it's greater than it is. And as much as I love doing all that crazy.
I love to do it again. Like this is what excites me. Like I'm going to cook for someone's house. Like I'm going to their house. I get to cook for them. I know they like it. Cause they've come back like six or seven times, you know? Um, so yeah, I just, you know, stay present, stay in the moment and never forget where you came from or, you know, your roots or whatever, you know, it sounds cliche, but just try to remember where things, how things used to be, where you've come from, you know, all that, enjoy the journey, enjoy the ride, you know, could end at any moment.
Yeah. And
[00:38:54] Jordan: remember where you're going to, because this is all the road to get to where you want to be. So you can't forget your destination or else you're just going to get lost the entire
[00:39:02] Chuck: time. Exactly. You know, and again, that's why I think it's about, you know, I try to keep my kind of goals general and vague.
And like I said, being able to do what I want one-on-one and make a living because if I would have said, man, my goal was just to have Gordon Ramsey, shout me out. That's done. Well, what next? I don't want to be 32 dude. My dream was to have Gordon Ramsey. Shout me out. I guess I'm done. It's like peeking in high school, you know?
Yeah, goalpost is constantly moving. And I, I almost like having an achievable goal. I'm trying to, you know, if I want everything and I don't get it all, but it's like, you look back and it's like, damn dude, you still did a lot. That's pretty, you know, that's kinda where I'm at. That's my mind state. So, you know, shoot, dream big.
And again, as we talked about, anything's possible. You know, I've had this smoker now I've been barbecue and six years, that's not a long time doing the things I've done. If you would've told a young fat kid, all that, that I've done, that I would have done that. I have told you, you were crazy. So, um, and that's, I'm sorry to cuss to drop the F bomb, but that's the only way I can say it.
So I was telling the people out there, you know, chase your dreams, don't ever say anything to possible. It sounds corny as hell, but it's the truth, man. We live in a new world where you can literally be an author of your own destiny. So I'll make that shit up. Man,
[00:40:11] Jordan: I think that's the perfect segue to close this episode off because all that just came from the heart and from the passion.
And I think that's the message everyone needs to hear at least once in a while, they need to remember, you know, you could be gone tomorrow. Anything could end at any moment and you just got to keep chasing after what you think is going to make you happy, then that nothing else matters in that. So Chuck man, thank you so much for chatting with me today.
This has been an amazing conversation. I've really, really enjoyed.
[00:40:37] Chuck: My pleasure. I genuinely mean that, um, like I said, it's humbling to get this opportunity. I consider you a friend of brother. Now, when next time I get up north, we got to link up as well. So that's on my list for this year. So we got to make something happen, but I truly appreciate it.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Keep killing it, man. You're doing good things.
[00:40:55] Jordan: Awesome man. And make sure you come up in the summer. Cause I'm not leaving the house in the winter. That's just not worth it.
[00:40:59] Chuck: I'll keep that in mind. I'll definitely make sure that happens.
[00:41:02] Jordan: All right, man. Awesome. Thank you so much.
Take care.
[00:41:05] Chuck: Cheers brother. Much love Jordan, take care.
[00:41:15] Jordan: and there it is. That's my conversation with Chuck of checks flavored. If that didn't get you fired up. I don't think anything. Well, not a single thing that he said was not straight from his heart. You can tell how deeply he cares about what he does and how much it truly means to him to be able to do it.
And I honestly can't wait to see where he goes next and something to keep in mind for your. As a listener, even confident people like Chuck have imposter syndrome and nerves and anxiety, it's natural to be nervous. Don't let that get in your way. If you're nervous, it means that you're doing something right, and something you care about.
We're all human. We all have emotions and we all get scared or nervous. We just need to find out how to face our fears and learn how to overcome them so that it doesn't become so much of a barrier in the. That's when you start to unlock even more great things. That's going to do it for this week's episode of influential barbecue.
Thank you so much for tuning in this week. You can find links to everything we've talked about today on the show notesPage@influentialbarbecue.com. As always. I'm looking for feedback on this show from you. Any feedback you'd give me could help me improve this show to bring you better episodes in the future.
So please shoot me an email@podcastatinfluentialbarbecue.com or send me a DM to influential barbecue on Instagram. Also if you or your is looking to start a podcast, let me know and reach out. I recently started the pod cabin.com in order to help businesses launch the podcasts that they've been thinking about launching for a long time.
And I can help you get from nothing to a fully functional podcast that you can cultivate more brand loyalty, more brand authority, and attract new customers by launching a podcast in reaching them through a new medium I'm Jordan Moore. You can follow my barbecue adventures on Instagram at the backyard.
Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week and keep on grilling. .