The concept of vegan food isn’t new, but what is new is the concept of vegan barbecue. It’s the one area that Pure Grit BBQ founder Kerry Fitzmaurice felt she was excluded from as a “mostly vegan.”
“The beans are mixed with pork, the fries are cooked with animal fat,” she said. It just wasn’t suitable for a vegan to dine in a barbecue restaurant before Pure Grit came along.
The New York City restaurant, which opened in May, serves smoked Impossible meat. Yes, smoked Impossible meat using a real smoker, causing the “meat” to break apart like real smoked meat.
“It’s not for everyone,; there are some people who come in here and say, ‘You don’t have meat, I’m out,’ and those people will never be my audience,” she said.
But for those who her audience — vegans and meat-eaters alike — Fitzmaurice has treats, alongside former Hell’s Kitchen contestant chef Emily Hersh, that will delight anyone, including chicken and waffles using Daring plant-based chicken and a gluten-free waffle. In fact, everything is served on a waffle at Pure Grit BBQ.
Learn more about this concept from Fitzmaurice in this video.
