Tampa may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of quality barbeque, but The Brisket Shoppe is here to help put Tampa on the map. A creation of Grill & Provisions Co. (opened in 2019), which sells barbeque supplies like grills, rubs, and sauces, The Brisket Shoppe opened in 2021 in the same space and provides high-quality barbeque like certified Angus beef PRIME briskets, moist turkey breast, meaty pork ribs, hand-crafted sausages, and more. They also serve beer and have a bottle shop with many wine options. We sat down with Pitmaster/Founder Danny Hernandez to discuss the business and its passionate approach to the craft of barbecue.
Drinking Buddies Interview
Can you tell us more about your culinary background?
It’s been one hell of a journey, let me just say that. I couldn’t have scripted it, so it’s definitely been God’s hand that has guided the entire journey. My parents opened the original Pipo’s in 1979, serving up authentic Cuban food. I was essentially born in the back of the house, in the kitchen, right? Cooking Cuban food with my parents and learning from them.
After graduating high school, I got a scholarship to the Navy and thought, ‘I’m never going to cook again.’ Before you know it, I was graduating from USF and was scheduled to take the LSAT to pursue law. In a weird twist of fate, I met someone selling a restaurant – a Cuban joint at Countryside Mall’s food court. This was in 1993, and I took a week off to celebrate my graduation and came back to finish this deal literally ten days after graduating from college.
So, I hate to say it, but I think that’s part of the calling, which I didn’t realize at the time because I had been fighting it. Next thing I knew, I had five units. My brother had another two or three at the time, so we had seven or eight restaurants across Tampa, Orlando, and Countryside—all Pipo’s cafes. This unit here [Tampa Brisket Shoppe] was originally Pipo’s.
How did you navigate into the barbeque side of things?
I was doing a lot of hunting at the time, and I have an affinity for being in the woods, up in a tree stand. That led to a lot of barbeque events and competitions. At that time, I was dating my wife and remember telling her how I was sort of over the whole Cuban restaurant thing, especially with how saturated Tampa had become. I wanted to elevate the whole dining experience and had a hankering for barbeque, so I decided to convert this unit from a Pipo’s to Holy Hog Barbeque. My wife supported the decision 100% when she found out I was planning on taking all the deer mounds and taxidermy out of the house to decorate the new shop.
Fast forward 15 or so years, and Holy Hog Barbeque had become a great success. It was a great stepping stone to where we’d land. At its height, we had several brick-and-mortar locations, a food truck, and a spot inside Amalie Arena. But I’d say at that time, just because you think you know what you will be doing for the rest of your life, it’s far from the truth unless it’s your passion. For me, I can honestly say I have never been happier. I’m doing what I was called to do. I care less whether it’s Cuban or barbeque – it’s hospitality. We’re here to serve our community, and we enjoy the hell out of it.
What is it about the culture of barbeque that makes it so unique?
I think there’s this misconception that barbeque people are cagey, but it really is the opposite. People are so crazy passionate about barbeque that they’re willing to share and workshop their recipes. I think it goes back to how we as humans are tribal in the sense that we want to be around people that are similar, and that goes back to the dark ages of fire, sticks, and stones. I mean, at some point, we have all cooked over a live fire. And I don’t care whether it was on a Weber or on a $20,000 grill, the reality is it sort of brings out the most basic human functions of actually cooking something over a fire. It brings out an inner feeling of, ‘I’ve done this before,’ it’s comforting, it’s therapeutic, it’s relaxing.
I think we’ve expanded on that here in the store because we’ve created a lot of community around that comforting inner feeling.
What is your approach to The Brisket Shoppe’s limited hours?
We’re committed to serving the highest quality barbeque. From the beginning, we decided to stick with one pit, one pitmaster, very limited hours, and the freshest product possible with no microwave, freezer, or even can openers. We cook and stay open until it sells out. Then, we close for the day and do it all over again.
How do you source your products?
That all goes back to the barbeque community. We have a family of trusted vendors and suppliers that have been in the restaurant business for decades. I’ve never been able to say that I am more vested and couldn’t be prouder of our vendors and purveyors. We know them all personally.
We get our hog from Heidi Adams at HertaBerkSchwein Farms out of Groveland, FL, and I mean, that hog is the best-tasting pork I’ve ever had. I got to meet her husband and her kid running around this farm raising pigs, knowing that they’re not shot up with antibiotics, hormones, and all sorts of nonsense that we shouldn’t be ingesting. It speaks to the sense of community and dedication to care and quality.
Our brisket is wagyu brisket. Our sausage is hand-made by a family in Austin that’s been making sausage for over 100 years.
We strive to bring the best, highest quality product that Tampa has ever seen.
How did you put your menu together?
If it were up to me originally, we would just be the brisket shop and that is all that we would serve. But that’s not feasible because you can’t eat brisket three times a week, and I certainly want you to come in three times a week. We’ve expanded our menu here and there, but we are careful with what we add.
For example, we didn’t add a chicken option until we discovered Joyce Farms. With Joyce Farms, we found a place with chickens without additives or hormones that diminish the quality.
When it comes to our other items, we don’t have collards when collards aren’t in season. Our beans don’t come out of a can. We have four different kinds of beans in our baked beans, and we’ll never change that.
That’s all part of our ethos – a limited menu with fresh, high-quality ingredients behind it.
How did the Grill & Provisions and Wine Shop happen?
So, we converted this into Grill & Provisions back in 2019 after we decided to switch things up from Holy Hog. Our philosophy was that we don’t just want to sell you a grill; we want to sell the provisions and passion that go along with it. Everything from a dry-aged steak to the rubs, the sauces, the charcoal, and everything you need. We want you to feel emboldened in front of your grill. No question is a dumb question here. I can promise you I don’t know it all, but I do promise that we’ll find you the right answer with our resources.
With the winery side, it’s just another one of my passions. I absolutely enjoy a nice glass of wine with a great piece of meat. No offense to those who prefer beer, but I prefer to wash down wagyu beef with a great glass of wine. We don’t have any of our own labels yet, but hey, you never know!
What about your team here at The Brisket Shoppe?
I can’t give the team here enough kudos. I used to be that ultimate hands-on guy in the building over 60 hours a week, but I’m over that now. I have a 10 and 12-year-old now, so I’m really proud of spending more time with them than in the shop. Not that I don’t come in early from time to time, but we’re really blessed to have a young man here by the name of Jordan Alvarez who comes in at 4 a.m., and I’m not always trying to race him to the pit if you know what I mean. Remember, we’re cooking all day Wednesday for a Thursday service, all day Thursday for a Friday service, and so on.
It’s really more of whether the product is right versus a timing thing. I don’t care if the brisket’s coming off at five in the afternoon or at eight in the evening. Guess what? If it’s not right, it’s not coming off the pit. It’s more of feel, touch, and love and we’re obviously doing all we can to get that love in there.
I’ve got an amazing team that has really stepped up and we’ve created some procedures and benchmarks. Everyone knows things have to be done right.
What is the catering side of the business like?
Catering is a big part of our business. Whether you need us to cook up a big order for pickup/delivery or you want us to bring out the twin 500-gallon pits to your house or corporate event, we’ll prepare quality barbeque for any occasion.
What would be your perfect plate for a first-time visitor?
My tray is going to be big because I’ve got a lot of things I’d want to put on it. The chicken and pork, for sure. Our smoked turkey is an absolute sleeper on the menu. The brisket is to die for. And while our barbeque is top-notch, the sides are also part of what makes it really shine.
I love that combination of the protein in the center being incredible while the sides compliment it. That’s where I think the passion of the chef and kitchen come through.
Our mac and cheese has four cheeses and is made in small batches. The collard greens are fresh and have been boiling for hours. Our loaded potato salad has cheddar, sour cream, chives, and fresh Yukon gold potatoes. All sauces are homemade, all pickles and onions are pickled here, and the fries are fried in tallow. The attention to detail in the sides is just as strong as with our protein.
And you can’t forget the brisket bon bon, which is like a sweet roll with brisket inside of it. It was sort of a happy accident in the kitchen that is now a mainstay on everyone’s tray.
You are heavily involved with BBQ Love Fest here in Tampa. Can you tell us about that?
Absolutely. It’s an event put together here in Tampa, gathering all barbeque enthusiasts for a great cause. Every net dollar made stays right here in Tampa, supporting three amazing causes – FARA (Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance), Operation BBQ Relief (which provides food in the wake of natural disasters), and the veteran-focused Special Operations Memorial Foundation.
Everyone shows up to Perry Harvey Sr. Park for a great day of barbeque, music, beer, bourbons, and a celebration of barbeque. There is a Pitmaster’s Showcase with famous, award-winning pitmasters as well as multiple cook teams vying for awards.
If you love barbeque, all of Tampa will converge on this day, and we’d love to have you.
How has Fintech helped with the winery and beer side of your business?
Fintech has made our lives so much easier, especially as a smaller operator. We all wear a bunch of different hats here at The Brisket Shoppe, so when a distributor shows up and needs a check written as soon as possible, Fintech is a lifesaver for handling that payment for us. Fintech also helps a bunch when it comes to inventory, reporting, and all of that. It’s great having the alcohol side managed.
We thank Danny for being a Fintech client and for hosting us at The Brisket Shoppe. If you are in Tampa and want to try some exceptional barbeque made with passion, stop in before they sell out!
You can find more information about The Brisket Shoppe here.
For information on BBQ Love Fest, please click here.
