David Sandusky is Ford Hotel Supply's Chef of the Month

Partner Content

Chef of the Month is sponsored by Ford Hotel Supply.

Restaurants: BEAST Craft BBQ Co. and BEAST Butcher & Block 

Position: Owner/Pitmaster

Married? Yes

Kids? 3 kids

Where are you originally from? Lebanon, IL

Where did you go to school? Southwestern Illinois College

How did you get to where you are? The planets aligned, honestly. I owe my success to a mix of long hours, intense work and poor obsessive behavior management, but I wouldn’t have accomplished anything without the full dedication of my wife, family, friends and staff. I’m an overachieving black sheep that wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.

New things going on in your restaurant: Live-Fire Brunch is back every Sunday at BEAST Butcher & Block and BEAST Craft BBQ Co. just launched our first food truck!

Favorite menu item: Snoot

Three cool facts about you:
• I have been featured on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games, BBQ Brawl season 2, and Beat Bobby Flay.
• I’m a wrestling nerd.
• My wife is a better cook than me.

What is your favorite piece of equipment or kitchen item? I think I’m supposed to say my chef’s knife is my favorite piece of equipment, but I really love my direct smoker in The Skullery. Nothing gives more flavor to a piece of meat than direct smoking.

BEAST Craft BBQ Co., 20 S Belt W, Belleville, IL, beastcraftbbq.com

BEAST Butcher & Block, 4156 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, MO, beastbbqstl.com