The Gentleman Smoker
Jamaican beaches, Georgia barbecues and London beef ribs, Rasheed Philips is always hungry for knowledge. After listening to the pitmaster’s passion for his craft, RUPERT BATES is just plain hungry.
Clearly, he was cordially and formally invited by Meatopia. But it would be fun to think that Rasheed Philips was simply a backpacker from the USA, passing through Tobacco Dock in East London to discover BBQ fires smoking amid the brick vaults of the Grade I listed warehouse and asking: ‘Mind if I have a go?’
Well, the self-taught pitmaster from Georgia certainly did ‘have a go’ over the Meatopia festival weekend last summer, nailing his classic low-and-slow beef ribs, seasoned with a spicy, aromatic jerk rub, and kissed with the deep smokiness of oakwood, served with chimichurri. He also had an hour in the Cutting Room with a spiced, curried rack of lamb. Note to Meatopia: book him for 2026.
The beef ribs needed signature notes of vanilla, toasted oak, caramel and spice to accompany them, so we headed to the Jameson whiskey bar for an Old Fashioned to talk BBQ’s new world.
“It’s been about 12 years since I was in London, and it is fantastic to see how the barbecue scene has grown in the UK. I love how international the love of our craft is. Food and music are the ultimate unifiers – no matter where you’re from, no matter where you gather,” says Philips.
….to read the full feature in our Winter 2025 issue purchase a digital or print subscription here:
