They were both furloughed from their jobs. They welcomed their first child, Little Gio. And, they started a home-based cooking business, Los Gio's Smoke and Grill.
Gio has spent the last 15 years cooking in local restaurants. When the pandemic hit, him and his wife decided to build a commercial kitchen in their house. It includes a half dozen smokers on the patio and a full kitchen in the garage. They added a food truck to the operation shortly after launch.
The menu blends Gio's Mexican culture with his love of BBQ. He smokes ribs, pork, brisket, chicken and sausage, among other things. He uses rubs and sauces infused with chili peppers and spices traditionally found in Mexican food. He also creates more traditional BBQ sauces and rubs. The dishes he creates include nachos, tacos, samplers and sandwiches.
They serve takeout from the home kitchen. Guests order Monday through Wednesday for appointment pick up Friday through Saturday. They roll the truck out for local events, catering and private parties.
The family launched the business with hopes to build something they can all do together.
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