By Maryn Small | Broadcast Reporter
Victorian’s Barbecue is located 15 minutes outside of Waco in Mart, Texas. Founder Joey Victorian shares that his passion for cooking began in Louisiana, where he cooked daily with his mother. Her love for cooking greatly influenced his passion in owning his own restaurant.
“I’ve always wanted my own restaurant since I started doing barbecue. That was the whole reason for starting barbecue,” Victorian said. “It’s just been a passion of mine. I love cooking and I love serving people and I love the smell of barbecue cooking.”
Victorian has taken his barbecue beyond Mart and participated in festivals across Texas. He decided to take his passion and make it his profession. His talent landed him an appearance in Season 2 of the Netflix series Barbecue Showdown.
“There was a lot of trials. You had to cook on camera, you had to do a bunch of different interviews on camera on Zoom at the time,” Victorian said. “But it was a journey, and I do it again and I love every moment about being on Netflix barbecue show down season two.”
Victorian’s Barbecue is not just about the meat; it’s also about the people and building a community. He aims to inspire the next generation to pursue their passion and build a successful business.
“Expect to fail, be okay with failing, and just the great thing about failing is it shows you what not to do,” Victorian said. “Ask questions from people that are already doing it and put your own spin on things.”
Victorian’s Barbecue emphasizes family, Texas tradition, and the community. From a Houston Trailer to a Netflix-featured restaurant, Joey Victorian’s journey embodies entrepreneurial spirit and deep love for barbecue culture.
