“You only make good barbecue after doing a lot of bad barbecue”

For Leo Nakamura, pit boss and owner of Brookvale’s Smokey Mary BBQ, the secret to great grilling is simple. “You only make good barbecue after doing a lot of bad barbecue,” he laughs, “so don’t give up.”

Leo is living proof that hard work pays off in the taste stakes. Working as a chef since 1998, he moved from his native Brazil to Japan to learn from true masters in the art of cooking meat. In 2009, he relocated to Australia, working in top Brazilian barbecue restaurants and steak houses all over Sydney.

But it wasn’t until a few years later that he started to pursue his new-found passion. “Once I realised that American barbecue is more than just flipping burgers and hot dogs, I fell in love,” he explains.

When it came to naming his new business, Leo took inspiration from his childhood. “Smokey Mary is an old steam train in New Orleans, but when I was growing up in Brazil it was synonymous with all steam trains,” he remembers. “When I ordered my first offset smoker, it reminded me of an old steam train.”

Leo says that Costco has been a part of the business from day one. “Costco products are not just cheaper, they are better quality and very consistent, which is extremely important to me – to maintain the quality of everything I serve.”

Want to try American barbecue yourself? Leo has tried-and-tested advice. “First, buy a good quality barbecue. Costco has an amazing selection,” he says. “Next, buy Costco beef shorties, which have incredible marbling. Season with salt and pepper and give it a go… your friends will think you are a meat wizard!”