Patrick FegesPatrick Feges

Known in Houston’s culinary community as the “Whole Hog Guy,” Patrick Feges is a self-taught pitmaster and Purple Heart recipient from injuries sustained during a tour in Iraq. It was during his recovery that he was hit with the barbecue bug. Armed with an old, worn-out Brinkmann smoker and plenty of tenacity, Patrick experimented through trial and error before deciding to attend culinary school at The Texas Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, in Austin. There, surrounded by some of the best barbecue spots in Texas and learning classical basics in class, he began honing his approach to barbecue.

In 2012, Patrick purchased a large smoking rig and launched Feges BBQ, catering events and executing pop-ups with non-traditional smoked cuts. In the ensuing years, he continued to train in some of the city’s most acclaimed kitchens including Underbelly, Brennan’s, Killen’s Barbecue and, most recently, Southern Goods, while building his business on the side. He opened Feges BBQ with his wife Erin Smith in March 2018.

Feges BBQ was named one of Texas Monthly’s 50 Best BBQ Joints in Texas in 2021, one of the 33  Best BBQ Joints in America by Thrillist in 2018, 2019 and 2021, one of Texas Monthly’s 25 Best New BBQ Joints in Texas in 2019 and one of the Best New Southern Barbecue Joints by Garden & Gun in 2019.