Former Brandt’s Café and The Stable chef Ben Welch is breaking into the St. Louis barbecue scene. Big Baby Q and Smokehouse, located at 11658 Dorsett Road in Maryland Heights, is set to open in early 2016.
This is Welch’s first restaurant, and he is taking on the venture alongside his father, Bennie Welch. “It’s just a father-and-son barbecue project,” said Welch. He will serve as pitmaster and his father, a native of St. Louis with a background in industrial design, will serve as the barbecue joint’s general manager.
“We want to continue the tradition of great barbecue here in St. Louis, and we want you to really experience the love we put into smoking the meats,” Welch said.
The menu will offer Memphis-style barbecue classics like dry-rubbed smoked brisket, turkey and pulled pork plates and sandwiches alongside more unusual items like pastrami, beer-braised corned beef and pork steak. Sauces will be served on the side.
Six sides will be on offer – three cold and three hot, including meat-laced greens. The dessert menu will include dishes like sweet potato pound cake and banana pudding. Seating will be limited as Big Baby Q’s will focus on carryout and the corporate catering market.
This article appears in November 2015.