Credit: Daniel Lane, Garden Island Newspaper
We are always excited to not only spread the good word about Santa Maria Style Barbecue, but to also see it take root in places near and far…
The latest such example to cross our desk is Recessions Original Santa Maria Style BBQ on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, operated by Santa Maria Valley natives Art and Joanne Diaz.
So what, exactly, is Recessions Original Santa Maria Style BBQ? As Marta Lane of the Garden Island newspaper reports, “There is no restaurant. It’s not even a food truck. It’s a $10,000 custom made grill with wheels.”
Now that’s Santa Maria Style Barbecue right there!
The Garden Island tells the story behind Recessions Original Santa Maria Style BBQ: “Art Diaz, his wife, Joanne, and their three children lived in Santa Maria, California. Art Jr. and Jared helped their father with his construction business. On Friday nights, the family went to Central City Farmers Market in the town center and danced to music, looked at art and ate legendary barbecue….Art and Joanne moved to Kauai in the early 1990s. Jared moved here in 2002, where he met and married Lenney. When the economy tanked in 2008, Art Jr. joined his family on Kauai. Missing the food of their home, the Diazes were inspired to open Recessions Original Santa Maria Style BBQ. The name is a nod toward the economic downturn and the family keeps prices low so people can enjoy filling meals.”
In the words of Art Jr.: “It’s our own style and something you can’t find anywhere else on Kauai. We’re not Texas barbecue. We’re not Memphis barbecue. We have our own sweet style.”
Kudos and aloha to the Diaz family for bringing a taste of home to Hawaii!
