Paper Trails Season 2 Ep. 11: Lewis Donald of Sweet Lew's BBQ
After a wide and varied journey through all sides of the restaurant industry, bbq fan Lewis Donald launched his shop, Sweet Lew's, in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlotte, NC because he felt Charlotte needed a true barbecue shop and "I felt like that was my best avenue to be me, have fun and I could see myself doing it for the rest of my life."
He chose the neighborhood because BBQ is all about community. His restaurant sits amongst residential houses across from a few other local eateries that people can easily walk to for family dinner. He, like most Charlotteans, is not a native. Originally from Cleveland, he's moved all over Hawaii, Tennesse, Georgia, West Virginia, and L.A. where he learned Spanish.
"The Greenbrier is SWANKY" according to Nick. He's not wrong. The Greenbrier Culinary Apprenticeship Program was an invaluable deep dive into the ingredients, prep and everything that goes into cooking. He suggests apprenticeships over culinary school - but they're rare to get into. After the Greenbrier, Lew got a job at Charlotte Country Club. "They would not have called me Sweet Lew at Charlotte Country Club." It was a big, humbling change where he learned to put his ego aside. A positive experience, he grew as a leader and still uses the skills he gained there today.
He moved on to Carmel Country Club which, as he puts it, "It's a blast." He had a great experience but got burnt out. So he decided to give the 9-5 a try. At Inland Seafood, Lew worked as a salesman. This position allowed him to see the other side of the industry, giving him a broader understanding of the customer service and manufacturing side.
But the desk job was a hard adjustment and he missed what he truly loved about the industry. As Nick says, "To be in our industry, you have to have a heart for it." So Lew returned to the kitchen at Reid's Fine Foods. He was in charge of producing the fresh and frozen items for the deli and catering. It was, again, another different view of the food industry where he learned margins, packaging, budgets.
The posh Greenbrier may not seem like a BBQ pit haven, but it was where Lew grew to love the style of cooking. Pitmaster, Ken Hess, would wheel in his trailer smoker and have the apprentices help with barbecue competitions. Lew continued to pepper in barbecue throughout his career and developed a lasting fondness for it.
So in 2018, He left Reid's Fine Foods, returned to Inland Seafood to pay the bills, and set forth opening Sweet Lew's BBQ. His first rude awakening? He was told his shop would be built in 65 days. He didn't account for that being 65 BUSINESS days and while he expected an August/September opening... he didn't open until the end of November. What he learned from the opening: "I think every restauranteur in Charlotte goes through the same thing -- everything new in Charlotte is great." The first 90 days are full of free press and booming sales. "Then there comes that time in Charlotte you constantly have to reinvent yourself." Lew stays in his lane...want boiled peanuts, Brunswick stew, and brisket? He's your guy. But he's not changing up the menu and adding items for publicity. He focuses on simplicity, inspired by the different regional BBQ styles. And while he does have house-made sauces, he doesn't sauce his meat. He wants to be a master of the BBQ biz, not a jack of all trades. 'We want to be here for generations," Lew says, hopefully, he'll feed families for years to come.
Fun Sauce Facts:
The mustard-based sauce is an SC thing because of German settlers
Big Bob Gibson is credited as the originator of white sauce in Alabama
NC is regionally divided - some areas focusing on vinegar-based sauces, others tomato-based
Last thoughts: Are you thinking about starting a business? Lew's advice: "Talk to somebody before you do it - talk to many people. Do your homework, do your research, and really think about what you're getting yourself into. It's hard to translate what you're doing at home or what you've done for your family or friends -- just because you make the best pie at thanksgiving doesn't mean it's going to become a business."
Follow Sweet Lew's BBQ:
Instagram & Facebook: @sweetlewsbbq
www.sweetlewsbbq.com
#BBQ #PitMaster #Barbecue #NCBBQ #Restaurants #FoodShow
Sign in