A veteran Houston chef has taken over the kitchen at J-Bar-M BBQ. Chef Arash Kharat began serving as the executive chef and pitmaster at the EaDo restaurant in April, he tells CultureMap.
His path to J-Bar-M came via an unexpected source. After leaving Blood Bros. BBQ last year, Kharat had been bartending at Holler Brewing Co. While there, he ran into Houston Chronicle barbecue columnist J.C. Reid, who suggested he meet with J-Bar-M’s owner and management team. Having worked at both Beaver’s and Buffalo Bayou Brewing, Kharat decided he was ready to get back into barbecue.
“It’s a beautiful space,” the chef says about J-Bar-M. “All the firepower they have in the pit room is awesome. There’s only a couple of spots in Houston that have this much equipment.”
Kharat has plans for all that equipment — including four, 1,000-gallon smokers; two roasters that can be used for whole hog or chicken; and a live fire grill for items such as burgers and steaks. Look for items such as crawfish on Saturday, barbacoa on Sunday, and his award-winning fried chicken. Of course, he knows to keep his focus on the smoked meats.
Kharat has focused on improving the barbecue at J-Bar-M.Courtesy of J-Bar-M BBQ
“Little by little, I’ll start adding more and more,” Kharat says. “My main focus at the moment is getting all the barbecue to 100 percent. It was good, but now it will get even better.”
In addition to his skills in the kitchen, Kharat also brings his outgoing personality. He’s been spending time in the dining room greeting customers.
“You know me, I like to be in front of people talking, shooting the breeze,” he says. “They told me the previous guys would just stay in the pit room. I like touching tables. That’s what this place is all about.”
Opened in 2021 by real estate developer John Toomey and his wife, Michelene Guseman Toomey, J-Bar-M occupies almost an entire city block near the intersection of Leeland and Emancipation. With an 8,000-square-foot dining room and a spacious, covered patio, it offers plenty of room for dining and special events. Texas Monthly included the restaurant on its 2023 list of the Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas.
