A Slice of Bar-b-cued Gold

Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue: 2020/08 – August | Photograph By: Marjorie Christiansen Photography

If you’re a confirmed barbecue enthusiast like me, your heart went pitter pat when you learned in the spring that Cashiers Valley Smokehouse was going to be opening soon.

But the timing seemed a little off. A restaurant in the midst of a season shadowed by Covid-19? Does that make sense?

Well, yes, it does!

That’s because the two guys behind this enterprise are the estimable Brien Peterkin Jr. and Jon Caddell. If those names sound familiar, it’s because this duo made names for themselves at Cornucopia, launched by Brien’s father and uncle and which has achieved landmark status in the Cashiers Foodie Landscape; and they’re also the masterminds behind Slabtown Pizza, which has elevated the craft of pizza-making into something resembling an art form.

(Think that’s hyperbole? Trying cadging a table at either place during this strange season.) 

And it turns out that messrs. Caddell and Peterkin have given a lot of thought to this new chapter in their culinary careers.

For evidence, you need look no further than the presence of the venerable wood-fired pit in the parking lot. Big Maude bears her scars from years of service like a badge of honor, and her primacy in the Cashiers Valley Smokehouse business plan demonstrates the restaurants’ commitment to serving authentic barbecue, which has nearly vanished from the Southern landscape.

Inside, the restaurant has undergone a remodeling that reflects the new energy and care that the new owners have brought to the enterprise. It’s bright and airy, which enhances the comfort level when considering a restaurant visit
this summer. 

You can also enjoy your meal outdoors on the patio.

Or, and this is perfect for this unsettled time, you can get a to-go order, phone a gaggle of friends, meet at The Village Green (literally 100 yards away), and enjoy a glorious (and safely distant) picnic, a summer delight from a carefree past.

Tricia and I recently tried this in Highlands and it’s a pure slice of gold. You’ll be amazed at how easily the laughter flows and the conversation shines. Everyone’s a little bit quarantine crazy.

Of course, this wouldn’t work if the food wasn’t right, and, again, this is where the vision of Peterkin and Cadell comes through. They get it. Barbecue, real barbecue, takes time and attention and more than a little hard-earned wisdom.

This is comfort food of the highest order and you can trust it to transport you to wonderful places. What a tonic for this unsettled summer.  

There’s barbecued pork, beef and chicken, and all the traditional sides. And this is important – they offer a full range of homemade sauces. You’d be surprised at how many barbecue places don’t even try anymore. It makes serving barbecue to a crowd of (again, safely-distanced) friends so much more harmonious. 

And though I’m pushing the limits of my word count, let me urge you to take along one or several of Cashiers’ Valley Smokehouse’s desserts, created at Valley Bakery. They’re remarkable and a well-deserved reward for slogging your way through this year.