The Barbecue Spot That's Giving Back

Eater

2 days ago

People flock to BJ's Nevada Barbecue for the award-winning ribs: sauce-slicked, smoky, and slow-cooked to perfection. Regulars will also direct you to the menu's other hits, like the pastrami sandwich — pork, not beef — and shrimp and grits smothered in a Louisiana cream sauce. There's barbecue chicken that's been caressed and crisped by smoke and, of course, owner Jay Rathmann's signature chili.
But it isn't just the barbecue that has kept this Northern Nevada restaurant open for almost 40 years. Rathmann and his family have focused not just on feeding guests, but fueling their community. They've made such a tangible impact on their community, they were one of this year's winners of the Intuit QuickBooks and Mailchimp Small Business Hero Day, which has been recognizing small businesses across the U.S. doing good in their communities, and awarding them $20,000 each.
Every summer Friday, BJ's packs up the smoker and hauls it to Reno's Food Truck Friday event, where they sling a small menu of classics out of their mobile kitchen.
But the kitchen isn't run by their usual staff. BJ's Barbecue works with students enrolled in culinary programs across the Washoe County School District to provide them with real-time experience and training.
The event takes culinary students out of the classroom and into the kitchen, under Rathmann's mentorship. Proceeds from BJ's Food Truck Friday sales are funneled back into the community, supporting culinary education programs at local high schools and the Truckee Meadows Community College, as well as the ACF High Sierra Chefs Association.
'We initially bought the mobile kitchen for the Reno Rodeo cattle drive,' says Rathmann. 'We realized we have this piece of equipment that we're only utilizing a week out of the year.'
One of the Food Truck Friday runners said to bring it on over. 'Then we had an epiphany—why don't we use it as a fundraiser?'
BJ's supplies the truck and all the food for the event, and the budding chefs run it. 'It actually lets them interact with customers and make the food,' says Rathmann. 'If the health department comes in, they go through the inspection. It's real-world experience.'
'I don't ask for anything in return — I'm not there to get something out of it,' Rathmann continues. 'I'm more there to work with students, other chefs, and community members, and just get kids involved in the process.'
In addition to leading the chefs of the future, Rathmann and the BJ's team have spent the last few years feeding frontline workers and first responders. When fires raced through Nevada in 2021, BJ's Barbecue stepped up, providing hundreds of meals to firefighters battling the flames.
They worked around the clock, staying up into the wee hours and sleeping on the floor, prepping and packing thousands of meals of gravy and biscuits, pork loin, and mashed potatoes.
'I don't do these things because we have to,' says Rathmann. 'We don't do it for the glory of it. We do it because it's the right thing to do.'
While Rathmann may not have had recognition in mind, he's received it: This May, BJ's Nevada Barbecue was one of three businesses given a $20,000 grant that will help Rathmann and team continue to support and feed their community. The awards in May marked the beginning of a new quarterly grant program from Intuit, the Intuit QuickBooks and Mailchimp Small Business Hero Program. Through the program, the public can nominate small businesses who go above and beyond in their communities to win a $20,000 grant and other business resources.
'I am extremely appreciative,' says Rathmann. 'There's times I've gone into tears over [this award] because it gets emotional — I'm used to giving awards, not receiving them.'
BJ's Nevada Barbecue is busy. They serve some of the state's best barbecue from 6:30 a.m. on, five days a week. They grind their burgers by hand and carefully watch over their meats as they cook low and slow.
Still, they show up for their community every summer Friday and feed Nevada's frontline workers when needed.
Almost forty years after opening, how does Rathmann keep all the motors running? He won't take any credit. 'I have a fantastic team,' says Rathmann. 'I have fantastic employees.'
BJ's Nevada Barbecue has cultivated a community — a team of employees who can keep quality high on the day-to-day, so Rathmann can run with his charitable outreach.
'They allow me to be able to leave when I need to go take care of things,' says Rathmann. 'Initiatives like this don't happen if you have to be cooking on the line every night. My employees are my support system.'
With the funds from the Small Business Hero Day grant, BJ's Barbecue can turn up the heat on Food Truck Fridays. While Rathmann provides the food and truck for culinary students to work these events, keeping up with supplies has been a challenge. 'The biggest hurdle is red tape — the processes schools have to go through to get supplies, like pots and pans,' he says. 'Requests may take six months to go through, and it may only get partially approved.'
With his newly-appointed funds, Rathmann can purchase everything needed for his students to learn and shine. 'With these funds, it's easier to say, 'What do we need? Let's make a list, and we can get that by Friday.' When the kids need equipment or travelling expenses, the money is there. All they need to do is ask.'
The funds and support from Intuit QuickBooks and Mailchimp will give Rathmann a chance to make even more of an impact.
'This would really support what we're doing with the community and the kids,' says Rathmann. 'It will allow us to contribute even more than we ever have.'
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sponsored by Intuit. Legal residents of the 50 US (D.C.), 18+ can nominate Businesses that are located and operate in the 50 US (D.C.). Void where prohibited. Enter Contest by 5/15/26. Terms and Conditions Apply. See Official Rules for all business eligibility requirements, phase dates, and entry details, at https://quickbooks.intuit.com/offers/small-business-hero-program .