Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Blatchford.
Hi Christopher, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always loved making things. For example, when I was a young kid, I made up my own recipe for Apple Crisps and then went to my Mom and asked her to take me to the store. I purchased all the ingredients and combined them with the apples I harvested from our family’s tree. I even gave her $5 for my utilities and rent. I branded them as Apple “Chris-es” and sold them door to door.
As I grew up you’d always see me near my Dad while he was grilling. By age 7, you could find me working the grill on a step stool. Unfortunately, my dad passed and as a way to remember him, I continued our BBQ tradition and continually tried to step up my game.
So, Vegan BBQ? How’d I end up here? As I was attending BBQs, I realized they sucked for those avoiding eating meat. So, I set out to change this. I started showing up to BBQs with my hand-crafted veggie proteins, not just tofu or mushrooms as you’d expect. My Vegan Brisket, for example, went through over 50 iterations until I was satisfied (and it got better each time).
Once I started showing up with my VBQ, it would disappear before the traditional options. My friends started calling me “selfish” for making this VBQ and only sharing it with them. Early on due to COVID, Utah passed a regulation that allows home chefs to sell their offerings assuming they get all the proper licenses and certifications. I thought this would be a small side hustle. I never imagined I’d be converting my 1800s home into a VBQ take-out restaurant.
I’m a flavor snob and love to create things that historically have not been done or haven’t been done well. Each Wednesday I do chef specials and introduce limited items that sound fun. Like Coconut Crusted Seitan, Nashville Hot ChickenLESS Sandos, General Tso’s, and my top seller, the Vegan Rueben. I also house-make and bottle 12 different fermented hot sauces, pickles, purple kraut, 40-day smoked salt, cocktail citrus, and an assortment of spice blends, I have a little problem and can’t stay still.
It’s 2023, and eating a meat-centric diet isn’t sustainable. With the conditions of the mass meat farms and the health benefits of eating more plant-based, it was a no-brainer to start a Vegan BBQ. BBQ is an American tradition and if I can make it more sustainable, healthy, flavorful, and change the culture of the genre, I’m here for it. My goal is for people to not care if it’s vegan or classic, all I want is for it to taste good and for people to enjoy it. If I can do it without harming the animals and still honor the classic BBQ process and flavor, why not?
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Greeting all the proper certifications was a challenge. Spreading the word is also hard since I don’t do traditional advertisement, it’s all word of mouth. Juggling my day job and working 40-50 hours a week on BBQ has also been difficult, but since it’s all self-funded and I don’t want to take out loans to build the business I’ve been able to reinvest the proceeds into the business.
Mastering each new vegan protein takes months, a lot of testing, a lot of failing, and a lot of time commitment. My Vegan Brisket recipe went through 50 iterations before I was happy with it and my Vegan Cheese took 1 full year of trials and adjusting before it was final.
The major hurdle, as we are operating out of a converted 1800s home, is the storage of restaurant equipment. Definitely a big pain point (as more and more rooms are being converted into pantries and storage). I am lucky that my wife is on board with this since she basically lives in a restaurant now.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are Utah’s first Vegan BBQ. I’ve been branded as the Vegan Pitmaster of SLC and specialize in plant smokery. At Blatch’s, we specialize in handcrafting our veggie-based proteins from scratch. They are packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins; and are not soy-based like most options out there.
As I mentioned, we are a unique business operating out of a converted 1800s home. The only business like this in SLC. When you come through the door, it’s a true backyard BBQ experience. Customers love it because they feel like they are more like friends walking into our home, chatting with me as the pitmaster/chef and my wife who’s the branding manager.
It’s something you don’t normally get. That level of personal interaction with businesses is special. I love doing this more than anything and it’s my way of trying to make the world a slightly better place. I know it’s just a drop in the bucket but together we are making a better more sustainable future.
We are known for our Vegan Brisket, Korean BBQ Strips, house-crafted V.Pastrami, Smoked and Chrispy V.Wings, and creative ChickenLESS sandwiches. As far as sides, our most popular item is the Smoked Poblano Potato Salad, but it’s hard to just name a few.
Each Wednesday we do a chef’s special which is the only offering that day to optimize customer flow and be as efficient as possible. Each Friday we have the full VBQ set up with 7 different options for smoked Vegan BBQ proteins, all the sides, and woodfired rolls.
We also have a small gift shop of items we handcraft ourselves. We offer 12 different styles of house grown & fermented Hot Sauces, Vegan Hot Honey, 40-day Smoked Salt, Seasoning blends, Cocktail Citrus, etc.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Salt Lake is an underrated city. I joke with everyone I meet, “Utah sucks don’t move here”. I love the amazing access to nature/recreation, the beautiful mountains that frame our city, the snow, seasons, all of it. I love the people here too and everyone I get to meet in doing the BBQ has allowed me to expand the people I interact with.
While we have a strong population of lgbtqai2s+ with relative support and acceptance, I’d like to see more positive strides towards ensuring a brighter future for these individuals. I’d also like to see more protection for our wildlife, climate, and nature; which unfortunately isn’t always a priority of the current state’s government.
Pricing:
- Prices vary – you can try a meal for as low as $15 or a small family for around $50
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blatchsbackyardbbq.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blatchsbackyardbbq/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blatchsbackyard
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/blatchs-backyard-bbq-salt-lake-city
