"We really had no idea," Hernandez said. "The only contact we had had with anybody regarding Michelin was a direct message three months prior asking us to send a couple pictures. It was super exciting, not just for me, but for the crew, because that's what it's really all about."
What began as just Grilling Provisions, a store selling grills and outdoor cooking equipment, has grown into one of Tampa's most talked-about barbecue destinations. Today, The Brisket Shoppe serves Texas-style barbecue with Cuban influences, offering house-smoked meats and scratch-made sides.
The restaurant also represents a full-circle moment for Hernandez. After moving from Chicago, his family opened a cuban restaurant in West Tampa, just down the street from the Brisket Shoppe, where Hernandez grew up in the restaurant business. As a child, he walked to the very building that now houses The Brisket Shoppe to buy guava pastries when it operated as a neighborhood bakery.
"We were able to create this spot and do it right here in our backyard," Hernandez said. "It's very humbling."
Hernandez's path to The Brisket Shoppe was anything but straightforward. After operating several Holy Hog Barbecue locations throughout the Tampa Bay area, he survived a food truck explosion in 2018 that left him with severe burns and skin grafts. Unsure whether he could return to cooking or even walk, thats when he opened Grilling Provisions where he could continue sharing his love of grilling.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to adapt once again, Hernandez began smoking barbecue behind the store one day a week. One day turned into two, then three and before long customers were lining up for barbecue. What started as a side offering eventually became The Brisket Shoppe.
At The Brisket Shoppe, Hernandez said every menu item is made from scratch, from the house-made sausages crafted by catering manager Priscilla Miller to the sauces and even the ketchup.
"If we can't make it from scratch, it wont be on the menu," Hernandez said. "One weekend we ran out of ketchup so we had to put generic store bought on the table and we had customers asking where their favorite ketchup was."
Hernandez believes barbecue demands a level of patience that can't be rushed.
"You cannot cheat barbecue," Hernandez said. "That brisket needs all 12 hours. If it doesn't get 12 hours, it's not going to be right and that is not okay."
While the barbecue has earned national recognition, Hernandez said the experience extends beyond the food. He said the Michelin Recommendation belongs to the entire team that helps create the restaurant's welcoming atmosphere every day.
"Restaurants are amazing gathering places," Hernandez said. "We're here to nourish you, but I think we as restaurateurs and chefs have an opportunity to do so much more than that. We feed your soul and we feed an experience."
He said the most rewarding part of the job comes after long hours tending the smokers.
"There's nothing more gratifying than after 12 hours on a pit to see large families breaking bread together and celebrating birthdays, soccer games and life's milestones," Hernandez said. "You can get stuck in the day-to-day grind, but it's important to remember that there's more than just a restaurant here. There's a family here that serves your family to create a community with barbecue."
Miller said popular items such as the ribs and smoked turkey often sell out early, with brisket usually following close behind. She recommends customers arrive early or reserve their order online. The restaurant also offers a rotating Saturday special, giving regular customers something new to try each week.
For Hernandez, the Michelin recommendation is an honor, but it also serves as recognition of the people who helped make it possible.
"It's not about the chef. It's not about me," Hernandez said. "It's about us collectively and the experience we've been able to create at The Brisket Shoppe."
The Brisket Shoppe is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
