We recently spoke to the leadership team here at City Barbeque about their thoughts about the team, the culture, and the ‘que.

We first asked our founder and chairman, Rick Malir, what makes him proud to work at City Barbeque:

I’m honored to lead a team of amazing, hard-working people, who wake up early every day to smoke the city’s best barbeque. I’m grateful for their passion, proud of their accomplishments, and humbled by their commitment to serving and creating happiness, day in and day out.

Then we talked to our Chief Experience Officer, Mike Muldoon, how he felt about his work here:

At City Barbeque, we realize “the job” we each fulfill here is simply one of the many roles we each play in our lives, and certainly not the most important. We are daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, spouses, and significant others; we are friends, confidants, and mentors. We strive to be a positive force in the lives of our fellow teammates, and are committed to serving and creating happiness for each other, as well as for our guests. For God’s sake, we sell BBQ—let’s have some fun!

When we asked our Chief Administrative Officer, Ronnie Berry, about where he’d be if not for City Barbeque:

It’s hard to think about working anywhere else, to be honest. City Barbeque has provided endless opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. Our “people first” philosophy truly sets the tone for how you just fall in love with our culture. We treat everyone with integrity, fairness, and respect. We ask our folks to be themselves, and trust them to make good decisions for people. And we want our teammates to grow through serving and creating happiness for others, making each day better than the day before. Plus, I work in BBQ! How fun is that?

Our Chief Brand Officer Annica Conrad has an eye on the future:

I’m so excited to work with a brand with both a rich history and an exciting road ahead. We’ve got amazing food and big plans to share it with more guests across the country—now we’re building a best-in-class marketing program to help get us there.

Our Chief Financial Officer, Diane Reed, shared her thoughts on leadership:

As I’ve continued to grow in my life and career, I’ve learned a strong leader is someone who empowers people. Here at City Barbeque, we work to encourage resilience; teach and mentor our teams; really listen and offer advice; help folks break through barriers; affirm teammates’ individual strengths; and stay vulnerable and transparent, both as colleagues and leaders. It’s not without its challenges, but as they say, challenges are what make life interesting—overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

Our Chief Development Officer, Bryan Myers, is looking toward the future of barbeque: 

I am so excited to be a part of the leadership team here at City Barbeque. The culture is amazing and a real testament to the foundation Rick has laid over the years. I love that we’re investing in technology to enable strategic growth, and to get more BBQ to our guests in the way that’s most convenient for them.

And our Chief Development Officer, Keith Willis, was—like so many of us!—a fan first and a teammate second:

I was a City Barbeque fan (and a regular customer) long before I joined the development team here. I’m excited to be part of this team and honored to help grow this great brand.