Simi Valley’s Cork & Batter Roadhouse is an accumulation of Chef Jimmy Weathersbee’s San Gabriel upbringing.
“My dad has nine brothers and two sisters. So all of my uncles, all the time, would be barbecuing,” the executive chef and pitmaster explained. Everyone stole a little bit from this one, little bit from this one. And, you know, of course, my two aunties would pass down the sides that my grandmother used to make. So taking a little bit from everyone is how I landed where I am today.”
Weathersbee was at a stage in his life where he wanted to do something that made him happy.
“I love barbecuing. I love being around the grill. I like being around people. I feel like it’s the most social form of cooking,” he continued. “That’s when I felt like, this is what I want to do for for the rest of my career.”
He started with a small place in Van Nuys where he worked on his barbecuing techniques and later worked with legendary pitmaster Kevin Bludso of L.A.’s Bludso’s BBQ, the Texas-style barbecue restaurant.
“He really showed me what Texas barbecue was all about. (He) took me to Texas. We did a couple of barbecue tours out there, and (he) really showed me the ins and outs of what Texas barbecue is all about,” he said. “So being under his expertise really, really took my pit game to the next level.”
Weathersbee said he prefers Texas-style barbecue because it’s “low and slow.”
“It’s cooked with a mixture of woods,” he explained. “You really want to taste the meat. You let the wood do the work. You let the pit do the work. You get good cuts of meat so that they stand out and you don’t have to drown it in sauce.”
The Cork & Batter name may sound familiar as its sister restaurant, which is a sports bar, is in Inglewood next door to the Intuit Dome.
“We try to bring some cross items over, but here at Roadhouse, we also have an extensive barbecue menu, and that’s what kind of sets the two locations apart,” he said. “When I describe this restaurant, I describe it as a modern Texas Roadhouse. It’s like it’s got that old jukejoint vibe, but with a modern twist, we have something for everyone. There’s definitely something for everyone.”
As for the menu, it’s definitely a family affair.
“Some of the recipes that we have here came from my family: my grandmother, my two aunties. Our mac and cheese, our cornbread, and all of the meats came from just trial and error, doing all this stuff with my uncles. Everything is a part of my family legacy and part of my family history.”
Weathersbee even demonstrated his technique for baby back ribs.
His preparations include a dry rub seasoning along with the use of pecan and red oak wood for smoking.
Check out the recipe below.
This segment aired on the California Cooking on episode 185.
Chef Jimmy Weathersbee’s Baby Back Rib Rub:
1/2 cup seasoning salt
1/4 cup granulated garlic
1/4 cup granulated onion
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons mustard powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
16 oz light brown sugar