When most people think of BBQ, they don’t think of San Francisco. But the saucy, meat-centric cuisine actually encompasses most of the city’s current food trends—communal seating, family-style meals, casual-but-quality dining. It's a cooking method that can easily incorporate a range of cuisines, and utilizes pop-up friendly materials.
This, at least, is how Ben Thorne sees BBQ. He’s the primary force behind Sneaky’s, a South Carolina-style BBQ pop-up and catering service that sets up shop at Vinyl every Tuesday and Wednesday night.
We recently caught up with Thorne to discuss Divisadero pop-ups, “barbacubans,” and his illegitimate beginnings in the food business.
You live in the Bay Area and you’re from Maine. So how did you get into BBQ?
"It was a hobby for a couple of years. My buddy and I got laid off in late 2008 from an antiques dealership. We were both in bands and touring heavily, so we were trying to find something that would work with our schedules.
"We were lucky to tap into what was, at the time, a burgeoning underground food scene. No one was doing BBQ, so we put out an email to all of our friends asking if they were interested, and to spread the word. Some friends of ours opened up a gay bar called Rebel, at Octavia and Market, and offered us the kitchen. We eventually left Rebel to do catering full-time, but I missed doing direct service, so pop-ups became the way to go."
Where does the name come from?
"From when we started in 2008, until late 2012, we were completely illegal, so we had to be sneaky about it. A lot of people were doing stuff like that: low-profile, unsanctioned food services—like Jeff Krupman from PizzaHacker, who was cooking outside of the Uptown. I think that kind of thing appeals to people’s attraction to inclusivity and being 'in the know.'"
How did you make that work? Where did your clientele come from?
"It was really slow in the beginning, because it was all through friends or by word of mouth. We had an email list where we would let people know what we were cooking, and they’d sign up for delivery. Then we started getting press from 7x7 and Eater.
"It worked because it was a self-policing situation: If you’re going to order BBQ from me, you’re trusting that I’m not going to serve you bad food. And I have to trust you to come to me with honest feedback, because if you file a complaint with the government, I'm fucked. It’s not like the quality of food has changed, but the manner in which we were conducting things has changed. I think that insistence on high-quality food has remained, even after we were licensed."
So what exactly is South Carolina BBQ?
"It’s basically a dry rub BBQ with vinegar-based sauces. I keep the meat undressed, because I want the quality to come through. When you get a piece of meat and it’s covered in sauce, it makes you wonder about the quality—like, what are they trying to hide? I want to build a strong foundation, that people can build off if they choose."
What’s up with the tacos on your menu?
"I like taking traditional BBQ and putting it through different filters. The taco was my answer to people asking for sliders. It's basically a BBQ sandwich in a taco—corn tortilla, meat and slaw. When I’m at Vinyl, I use their panini press to make “barbacubans,” a Cuban sandwich that uses smoked pork instead of roast pork, and South Carolina mustard sauce and smoked onions instead of mustard and onions. I love that kind of stuff, because it gives people a chance to try two new things in one."
What does the future of Sneaky’s look like?
"The ultimate goal is to get our own spot. It’s been pushed back a little bit, because of the growth of the pop-ups, but now that I have a reliable team, I’m really thinking about making that a reality. I’d like to continue the pop-ups even if we do open a restaurant, because it’s a great way to bring our food to different parts of the city."
What's the value of a pop-up?
"I think it allows people to have a lot more freedom. There’s a lot of inherent difficulties in it, but in general, if you’re good at organizing, promoting and knowing your audience, it can be highly beneficial. I really like that it fosters community."
Catch Sneaky's at Vinyl (359 Divisadero St.) on Tuesday and Wednesdays from 6pm to 9pm, and follow them on Twitter for other pop-up locals.
