In Valrico, a longtime friendship has turned into a sizzling business collaboration. Chris Ciulla, owner of Voodoo Brewing Co. Valrico, and Roger Earnheart, owner of RBQ Catering, have teamed up to serve up slow-smoked meats and bold sauces to hungry locals.
“Roger and I lived on the same street in FishHawk 20 years ago, so we’ve known each other for a long time,” said Ciulla. “When I moved back to Florida and opened Voodoo, that gave Roger and me the opportunity to work together.”
That connection has grown into a partnership bringing customers in from all over the area.
Earnheart’s love of barbecue started years ago when he worked as a national accounts manager at Hormel Foods. During his frequent business trips, he would seek out local BBQ joints to sample different regional styles of barbecue and sauces. “Traveling all the time, my passion would be to eat BBQ in all the different regions, and I fell in love with Texas BBQ,” said Earnheart.
The spark that became RBQ Catering ignited in 2020 during the pandemic.
“I did some charity fundraisers, marketed to friends and neighbors and donated the proceeds to local charities. When I couldn’t travel during the pandemic, it gave me ample time to hone my smoking skills, develop sauce recipes, and develop a business plan. I retired during COVID, 2021; purchased a small offset smoker trailer; and started RBQ (Roger’s BBQ) and started selling at artisan markets in the area,” said Earnheart.
The first sauce Earnheart created was a raspberry chipotle, which quickly gained fans.
“My kids were in high school and college, and I always had to send BBQ sauce back with them to school. They loved it and all their friends loved it,” he said.
RBQ Catering operates out of Voodoo Brewing’s kitchen, with its meats featured daily on Voodoo’s menu. From beef brisket and pulled pork to smoked turkey breast and ribs, RBQ’s offerings are cooked low and slow with real wood on a traditional offset smoker. Wings tossed in one of six signature sauces add an extra kick to the menu.
With a permanent on-site smoker at Voodoo, the location also serves as a prep hub for RBQ’s off-site catering events.
RBQ appears regularly at the Lakeland Farmers Market and artisan markets throughout the Tampa Bay area. Events are listed months in advance at https://rbqcatering.com/ so fans know where to find them. Teresa Stevenson, Earnheart’s right-hand woman of four years and ringleader of the ‘Roger and Teresa Show,’ has become a crowd favorite. She invites everyone to come on down to ‘Sauce Town’ and see what all the fuss is about. RBQ currently offers nine original sauces, all available online or at the events.
Voodoo Brewing Co. is located at 3432 S.R. 60 in Valrico. For more info on RBQ Catering, visit https://rbqcatering.com/ or call 813-731-2123. Ciulla, Earnheart and Stevenson invite you to stop by for a taste of this collaboration that’s smoking the competition.
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