Legendary pitmaster shaped KC BBQ scene for 30 years: ‘Impossible to duplicate’
When Taylor Tobin, general manager at Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue, found out his longtime pitmaster, Wayne Garrett, was in hospice, he felt a pit in his stomach. Garrett was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer last April, but remained on the company payroll until January.
“We owe him a lot,” Tobin said. “We did what we could for him to help ease the pain, what he’s going through as much as possible.”
Garrett, who had been Arthur Bryant’s pitmaster for nearly three decades, passed away Feb. 23. His absence has been palpable in the kitchen since.
“He never used a thermometer,” said Ronald Hattley, who works at Arthur Bryant’s. “He knew how to do stuff by just looking at it and feel.”
Each pitmaster has their own style, according to Hattley. Garrett’s was completely unique, adding he’s almost convinced Garrett took some secrets to the grave because his meats always had a special twist.
“It would be impossible to duplicate what Wayne was able to do here over the years, because it just came second nature to him,” Tobin said.
Garrett was known to be precise and relaxed while in the pit. He would always know how long the meat was in the smoker without having to constantly check, and imparted his knowledge on others.
“I think having him as that trainer, vessel of knowledge was a big part in me getting my own passion,” Tobin said.
Garrett taught Tobin to know what was going on in the smokers without having to open it. That releases the smoke, which is where all the flavor comes from, Garrett used to say.
“He’d do his thing, go have a seat, come back,” Hattley said about Garrett. “He had nothing to worry about.”
When a thermometer was used on the brisket, it wasn’t to tell temperature. Instead, Garrett taught Tobin to feel how easily it pierced the meat.
“When you’re making a slab of ribs, you want to look for the banner in the middle. If it seems like it’s about to break but not quite there yet, it’s probably done,” he said. “Or if you want to poke it, poke the bottom of your palm, and I’ve went off that ever since.”
Garrett continued to come in to work during his cancer treatment when he had good days and was adamant that he would get better and return. The pit was his way of life, Tobin said, and he loved nothing more than being there.
Tobin plans to name something off the menu after Garrett, but hasn’t decided what and hopes to get more photos of him on the wall to commemorate his impact.
“There’s no duplicating him in any way, so I want to think of something a little outside the box,” he said.
Wayne cooking outside of Arthur Bryant’s
Growing up, his son Wayne Garrett Jr. remembers his dad working at both Green Duck Grill and Arthur Bryant’s in the early 2000s.
When he was around 13, his dad got home from Green Duck Grill, and asked if he wanted to go to work with him.
“I really wanted to see what my daddy could do. I went down there with him. Man, that kitchen, it’s hot. I was sweating,” Garrett Jr. added, laughing.
Wayne Garrett’s passion to share his knowledge with anyone who wanted to learn. All of his five children learned his tricks, according to Wayne Garrett Jr. His dream was to one day own Arthur Bryant’s, and taught his sons how to work in the pit in hopes they continue his legacy.
“He was really committed,” Wayne Garrett Jr. said. “That’s how much dedication and loyalty that he got within him. His work ethic was so high, that everybody would just be so comfortable, and wanted to work around my dad.”
Wayne Garrett began working at the age of six, delivering milk and newspapers. While he worked at Arthur Bryant’s, he would take the bus to work every day, snow or shine, and get to the kitchen around 4:30 a.m., according to Wayne Garrett Jr.
“He’ll be remembered by everybody that he worked hard, his determination, his confidence and never giving up,” Tobin said.
But Wayne Garrett mastered other dishes besides barbecue. Wayne Garrett Jr. remembers his dad making anything from pizza to cookies and ice cream. He had previously trained at an Italian restaurant and to this day, his son said Wayne Garrett’s Rotel chicken, lasagna and pizza with the stuffed crust were his favorites.
“That grilled chicken,” he said. “ It was so good, so flavorful that you probably want three, four more plates of it.”
There was one time Wayne Garrett Jr. remembers his dad was on vacation and decided to have a cook-off with his wife, Wayne Garrett Jr.’s mom . She was known for making great lasagna. So good, he insisted, that you could fall asleep right after. But his dad wanted to see if he could top it.
“He definitely won, he won this one,” he remembered laughing. “I said, ‘Mom, your lasagna is really good, (but) my dad’s got a lot of kick. He got a lot of kick flavor in this one.’”
As Wayne Garrett Jr. got older, his dad started to pass down recipes and techniques, even inspiring him to work as a sous chef for a few years.
“It’s really hard for me to really accept the fact that my dad is no longer here,” Wayne Garrett Jr. said. “I’m so used to him calling my phone every single day just to check up on me to see how I’m doing, how the grand babies are doing all that. He loves his grandkids, every last one of them.”
Wayne’s last few months and funeral details
Wayne Garrett was in the hospital and transitioned into hospice on Feb. 14. During his last few weeks, Wayne Garrett Jr. spent a lot of time asking his father questions about his life. It was in one of those hospital visits that his dad asked him if he was ready to carry on the family legacy, something he was expecting to some extent, but still surprised to hear.
“I’m just really glad that he actually trusted me to actually carry on his legacy,” he said.
Wayne Garrett Jr. is still trying to figure out what carrying the legacy on will look like. Though he spent time in the pit, he hopes to take his dad’s secrets, get better and even share his knowledge with others. His dad’s pit sits now in his backyard.
“I’m willing just like my dad was willing, to teach,” he said, adding anyone who wants to learn is more than welcome.
Wayne Garrett’s funeral will be open to the public at Serenity Funeral home, 1101 Bannister Road, on Friday, March 20. The ceremony starts at 1 p.m. A GoFundMe was created by the family to help pay for the funeral costs and medical expenses.
