In the four years since it debuted in East Downtown, J-Bar-M has made a proper name for itself in a town abundant with stellar barbecue restaurants. A recent announcement that veteran local chef, Arash Kharat has joined the J-Bar-M team as pitmaster, gives Houstonians reason to venture in now more than ever.
Kharat brings loads of experience to the table after most recently acting as the culinary director for Blood Bros. BBQ, and before that, serving as the executive chef at Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company and (now shuttered) Beaver’s. Some may also recognize the Alief native from the chef pop-ups he hosted early in his career and being a longtime fixture on social media, using the handle @spacecitycowboy to document his behind the scenes food prep. Those who have followed Kharat’s career know that his talent, open-mindedness, and spunky personality is the recipe for J-Bar-M to reach great heights.
Beyond maintaining a consistent presence at local barbecue festivals, Kharat trained with pitmasters Ara Malekian of Harlem Road BBQ and Quy Hoang of Blood Bros. BBQ, and is ready to showcase the tricks he has up his sleeves at J-Bar-M.
“Hospitality is in my blood – my dad was a chef for 30 years, so I got pulled into it from a young age,” Kharat says. “I’ve learned from some of the best in BBQ that it’s not just about flavors and technique, but about consistency and being nice to people. I’m excited to bring that attitude to J-Bar-M and have some fun with the incredible equipment we have here.”
He has already implemented new programming to complement the existing barbecue menu. Guests can look forward to dedicated weekend specials like steak night on Fridays, featuring a cowboy cut bone-in ribeye served with a rotating side and a salad; crawfish boils on the patio on Saturdays, with Cajun-style crawfish and housemade garlic butter sauce; and barbacoa on Sundays, with meat smoked overnight in maguey leaves and presented with tortillas, rice, and beans.
While barbecue is the main attraction at J-Bar-M, Kharat will ensure guests have options, adding weekly pizza specials to the rotation. Pies crafted from 72-hour cold fermented dough and baked in an Ooni oven feature barbecue-ccentric toppings like brisket, jalapeno cheddar sausage, and picked onions.
“His creativity is going to take our BBQ offerings through the roof,” says Hoffie Ferreira, General Manager of J-Bar-M. “Arash is a culinary professional, and he also loves to be out in the dining area and greeting people. That is the kind of culture and sense of community that we love to promote here at J-Bar-M.”
J-Bar-M BBQ, 2201 Leeland St, Houston, jbarmbbq.com
