AUSTIN, Texas — Barbecue is an Austin staple and now the man behind a popular restaurant in town is getting the spotlight he deserves.
C.B. Stubblefield, the founder of Stubb's Bar-B-Q in Downtown Austin, is being inducted in the Barbecue Hall of Fame. A ceremony is taking place at Stubb’s Tuesday night to honor the late BBQ pitmaster. His grandson, Rocky Stubblefield, accepted the award on his behalf.
Stubblefield is the first Central Texan to be inducted. The American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame made this decision because he demonstrated barbecue excellence.
C.B. Stubblefield, nicknamed Stubb, has a long history in Texas. He started Stubb's Bar-B-Q in Lubbock in 1968 and moved it to Austin in 1986. Today, the restaurant is located on Red River in Downtown Austin.
Stubb is known around the country for one thing in particular: his sauce. It's sold in grocery stores nationwide. His grandson, Rocky, told KVUE that business alone generates $30-40 million a year.
We asked Rocky what his late grandfather would think about all this success today.
“Oh, it would be an honor for him, but he was a real humble person,” said Rocky. “He didn't really do it for any awards or anything. He would always say, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I’m just a cook.’ He didn't want people to think he was something special. He just wanted to say, ‘I'm just a cook,’ that's what he loved to do. I mean, he'd be honored, but he wouldn't be bragging about it or anything like that.”
Rocky said the Hall of Fame award came as a surprise to the family and he's just grateful his late grandfather is being recognized.
“It's an honor,” said Rocky. “Stubbs, my granddad, kind of made Texas barbecue famous, you know, going around, being on David Letterman in the early 90s just talking about his restaurant and his sauce. So to come from there to where we are now, it's just great.”
The Barbecue Hall of Fame ceremony starts at 5 p.m. and a concert featuring Marcus King Trio starts at 7 p.m.
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