Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Pizana and Christian Martinez.
Paul/Christian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Christian Martinez. My story for my passion for food and where the journey begins starts at a young age. My dad is the chef in the family. I remember him always having a pot of beans on the stove and cooking all kinds of Mexican dishes. I took notice of his love for the kitchen and it was naturally instilled in me.
At the age of 15 I began working for Wendy’s and many other fast food chains till the age of 19. In this span I learned the hustle and bustle of a kitchen and service. I saw how people worked as a team and made the operation of the machine run smoothly.
I reconnected with Paul, my childhood friend who was also passionate about BBQ and cooking for friends and family. We instantly knew we had had something special going on. We would get together every weekend just to have the excuse to get in front of the smoker.
Every now and then we would get people asking about our BBQ so we started to post sales of what we were making that weekend and the response was great. Being a previous business owner I was a little weary of starting something else but this was different. I had a partner and a lot of people supporting us. Paul sent me a text one day and said why don’t we call ourselves “Pasion BBQ”. Again I was a little hesitant but it was clear that this was the right direction. We never looked back after that day and we have kept the ball rolling.
We now have pop ups all over the DFW area and have plans for a kitchen trailer in the near future. We help out with the Top 50 BBQ joints in Texas, we’re going to different festivals and supporting the community and people who have the same burning passion as us.
We support Brisket Department who is rapidly coming up in the BBQ scene. Collaborating and making amazing merch for the next generation in BBQ. The owners Robby and Joe Joe have welcomed us into their team and have opened many more doors for us.
We also support Zavalas BBQ. The owner Joe has an amazing story and has inspired us to keep moving forward.
Hoodoo Brown BBQ (owners Chris and Cody) in Connecticut have welcomed us to their restaurant and showed us a northern inspired BBQ menu. They were amazing hosts and gave us the 5 star treatment.
Red Bird BBQ (Port Neches) and Goldee’s BBQ (Ft Worth) are huge supporters of Brisket Department and have shown us that even at a young age, owning a BBQ restaurant is possible.
My name is Paul Pizana and my journey in the BBQ world started in 2022. It started off with small backyard cooks until my childhood friend and I reconnected and started getting very busy, very fast. We went from cooking a single brisket to now up to 8, along with multiple other selections that we cook on our brand new El Monstro smoker, a 250 gallon pit. That’s when Pasión BBQ came into existence, now you can catch us all over DFW popping up and slanging que!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Christian:
I ran into some problems with the law as a young adult and it was something difficult for me to overcome. The system had a hold on me and I was in and out of jail more than I can count and eventually led me to 2 years of prison time. For many, this is a make or break point in life. I overcame many obstacles in this span and I came out a changed man. I was humbled and grateful to have the things that a lot of people took for granted in everyday life.
With the past behind me and a bright future waiting to be paved, I decided to go into business for myself. I started a Landscape company and was very successful, making 6 figures the first year, but being the only owner, the stress began to take a toll on me. I was reluctant but decided to sell the business after a few years. I hit the reset button.
Being away for those 2 years fueled my love for food even more. It was truly a passion. I loved having people over and making BBQ, steaks, and carne asadas. I loved the challenge of making my food better and better each time. “Love is the secret ingredient”, my dad would always tell me.
Paul:
A few of the challenges that I have encountered is the fear of the unknown. Not knowing if what we set out to accomplish will work out or not. Being passionate about barbequing helps with the fear of of the unknown. It’s been a challenging road but I feel like the position we are in now and the knowledge we gained puts us in a much more efficient space and operation.
We also had a difficult time with finding the right help, it can be challenging to find people you can depend on. We have since built up a great team and have become more efficient and we continue to improve with each and every pop-up we have.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are Pasion BBQ. We bring Traditional Mexican dishes to Texas style BBQ. We are located in Arlington TX with pop-ups all over the DFW with catering events sprinkled in between.
Our small business includes Paul and Christian as the Pitmasters and Carlos as the social media manager along with a few other team members who help behind the scenes.
We have several options to pick from on our extensive rotating menu which include the following:
Brisket
Spare ribs
Fajita turkey
Salsa Verde pulled pork
Churro pork belly
Boneless rib Tacos with Mango Habanero sauce
Chicken, Beef, and Birria street Tacos
Quesadillas with your choice of protein
Jalapeno Cheddar, Oaxaca and Al Pastor sausages
For sides you have the option to pick from the following:
Texas Twinkies
Churro Pork Belly
Charro beans
Barbacoa Elote (corn with or w/o barbacoa)
Papa Salad (potato)
Ensalada de Sandia (watermelon salad)
For desert:
Bubs Banana Pudding
Bread Pudding
We also serve Brisket Smash Burgers, Wings, and Turkey Legs as part of our rotating menu. We even grilled an Alligator once!
Follow us on Instagram @pasion_bbq to find out where our next pop-up will be for a chance to try our fan favorite food. Make sure you pick up a sticker at our booth, they’re free!
What we are most proud of as a brand are the people that we have met along the way. When we say Pasión, it’s not just 1 or 2 people, it’s the community we surround ourselves with. Brotherhood that can never be replaced. The people we’ve met along the way are truly incredible.
Food has an amazing way of bringing like minded people who all share the love of both cooking and serving one another. People who are in it for the right reasons and who are just trying to have a good time. All there is to say is one thing.
¡POR LA RAZA!
To those who our message resonates with, we invite you to come out to our pop-ups for some great food and a good time. Come see how cool our smoker is, chat with us over some BBQ and enjoy yourself. Be a part of our growing community, share with us your stories of your BBQ endeavors. Come kick it with ya boys. Viva La Pasion!
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Christian;
I have a twin sister and we were in a way, like a mini version of a husband and wife growing up. We took very good care of each other and on days after school and summer break I would go in the kitchen and experiment with anything that we had in the pantry to make for her. I remember how happy it would make her and how much she loved what I cooked. These were simple dishes but seeing her happy gave me all the joy in the world.
Growing up we were introduced to many cuisines, cultures and restaurants thanks to my mom’s love of food. We were big foodies and loved trying different things. We would take trips to Houston consistently where I was introduced to even a bigger melting pot of cultures making things I’ve never seen before. Most importantly Houston is where my Grandma resided. She would make her Guatemalan dishes for all the family. The scents coming from the kitchen were insane. I always remember being at the dinner table with all of my family, and my grandma still in the kitchen making her famous cornbread. We’d beg her to sit with us to eat and she would refuse. I see now that what kept her full was her watching us enjoy what she made for us. That was enough for her and now I can totally relate.
Paul:
I love being creative with food by changing flavors and experimenting with different cuts of meat that people wouldn’t normally cook or smoke. It’s rewarding seeing how I can make something out of nothing.
My wife and daughter are the drive behind all of this and are my biggest supporters for my BBQ passion.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pasion_bbq/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558265436278
Image Credits
Carlos Bretado @carlosbretado
(all other pictures and videos)
AJ @purveyor_of_smoke
(photographer for close up pictures of Paul and Christian)
