World famous chef José Andrés stopped for BBQ in NC. Here’s where he ate.
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A hurricane brought José Andrés to North Carolina the last time he was here.
The world famous chef and humanitarian responded to Hurricane Florence in 2018 with his disaster aid group World Central Kitchen, preparing thousands of meals for people displaced by the destruction and flooding from the storm.
This week, Andrés blew through again, landing at RDU on his way to Greensboro for a lecture at the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts.
Between here and there, Andrés apparently made time to sample some of North Carolina’s favorite delicacy: barbecue.
Tuesday night Andrés tweeted a spread of barbecue from Durham’s Original Q Shack.
“No trip to North Carolina is complete without a visit to The Original Q Shack in Durham,” Andrés wrote. “Open 20 years since 2003…and even has been visited by Julia Child! My order… ribs, brisket, jalapeño cheddar pork sausage, hush puppies, collard greens, brunswick stew.”
Original Q Shack owner Dan Ferguson happened to be on the cutting line Tuesday when Andrés dropped in, though he admits he didn’t recognize the chef at first.
“He asked what my three favorite meats were and I told him and said, ‘And if I was going to get a fourth it would be chicken,’” Ferguson said. “So he ordered the four, went down the line and got collard greens and Brunswick stew.”
Ferguson, a Culinary Institute of America grad, did have to correct the record on Julia Child, though. The famous chef and pioneering television cook didn’t eat at The Original Q Shack. In his fine dining days, Ferguson had cooked for Child in Denver. There’s a photo hanging on the wall at Q Shack of a young, bright-eyed Ferguson posing with Child.
“Cooking for her was probably the highlight of my career, but no, she never got the chance to eat at Q Shack,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson said he appreciated Andrés’ ordering style, asking for what Q Shack does best. Once Andrés and his group cleared through their tray, Ferguson said Andrés ordered another quarter pound of brisket.
“He was just really down to earth and we treated him like any other customer,” Ferguson said. “He ate outside on the picnic table and we left him alone. I think he appreciated that.”
This year marks 20 years for Durham’s Original Q Shack, a popular neighborhood joint that has always offered a less traditional take on North Carolina barbecue. In The News & Observer’s ultimate barbecue bracket last year, voters put The Original Q Shack in the Elite 8 out of 64 of the state’s best barbecue restaurants.
READ MORE: Brisket and beyond: These 12 NC spots offer some of the state’s best new barbecue
This story was originally published March 1, 2023 at 12:38 PM.
