Mooresville barbecue restaurant isn’t even a year old, but it’s among ‘America’s Best’
A relatively new Mooresville barbecue restaurant known for its black eyed pea hush puppies, grandma’s coleslaw and Texas black pepper brisket will soon be featured as one of “America’s Best.”
On Thursday, Chefry’s Blue Smoke will host a visit from America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants. The outlet will interview owner James Hettinger and spotlight popular dishes such as the Backwoods BBQ Popover, layered with pulled pork, in-house chorizo, brisket, BBQ sauce and a special cheese blend.
“Nobody has a dish like this anywhere on the street,” Hettinger told CharlotteFive, noting another popular item is the Smoked Sweet Tea Chicken, brined in tea, smoked and then pulled.
Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are typically found through customer nominations or by a restaurant applying, such as in Hettinger’s case. Chefry’s episode will air on America’s Best Restaurant’s social media channels in the coming weeks.
Open since May, Chefry’s name is derived from a play on the words ‘Chef’ and ‘Geoffrey,’ the Toys ‘R’ Us giraffe mascot, as Hettinger stands nearly 7 feet tall. The restaurant serves traditional barbecue — with meats smoked over hickory and cherry wood — along with a variety of sandwiches, salads, plates and starters. Almost everything is made in house, from pickles to ice cream to the peanut butter that goes into the peanut butter-banana shake.
This is Hettinger’s first venture as a restaurant owner, although he has an extensive background as a chef, having worked in the hotel industry for nearly 30 years. His family lives in Mooresville, and he wanted to bring his passion closer to home.
Hettinger created most of Chefry’s sauces and recipes during the early stages of the pandemic, perfecting his grandmother’s coleslaw made with mayonnaise-based dressing, peanuts, Granny Smith apples and fresh, hand-cut cabbage.
In the months since opening, the restaurant has picked up several regular customers.
“But Mooresville is small, and we’re outside of the main area in a spot that’s not as well-known,” Hettinger said. “Hopefully, once people know we’re here and get a taste of our food, things will catch on quickly.”
Afterall, he says, “People tell me my brisket blows Texas out of the water.”
Chefry’s Blue Smoke
Location: 134 Mooresville Commons Way, Mooresville NC 28117
Cuisine: Barbecue
Instagram: @chefrysbluesmokebbq
This story was originally published December 12, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
