Pitmaster Pitmaster
There's a certain out-of-body
experience that happens when you
taste perfectly cooked barbecue.
The tender meat, with just the right
amount of char and balanced flavors of
smoke, salt, and earth, doesn't come
by accident or luck. It's skill—lots and
lots of training, trial and error, and
challenges revisited. We sat down with
Michael Lane, chef and owner of Lane's
OAK'D BBQ, to understand the culinary
precision that barbecue demands.
1. How did you get your start?
It's a long story, so I'll share the short version:
I'm a professionally trained chef and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of
America in New York. I chose to focus my efforts on barbecue because it's
the toughest. Smokehouses aren't affordable or easy to build; it's tricky to
find a space that's big enough, obtain the correct permits, and install all the
specialized smoking and ventilation equipment. I opened Lane's OAK'D BBQ
in 2020 with the goal of making it the best barbecue restaurant in Dallas—and
I really think we achieved that! As my wife and I grow our restaurant portfolio,
we'll continue to centralize smoking to one or two locations, while still
featuring smoked meats on other menus.
7 Questions with a...
INSIDE THE FLAVOR, FIRE, AND EXPERTISE OF A TRUE GRILL MASTER.
6 COMING HOME MAGAZINE
