Southern Junction : Where There ’ s Smoke , There ’ s Flame
Since the James Beard Awards was launch in 1990 , just seven nominations have go to Western New York culinary professionals and restaurant . While some cities and regions experience dozens of nomination annually , Western New York has never have two ( or more ) nominations in any pay year . Until 2024 , that live , when Ryan Fernandez of Southern Junction was nominate for Emerging Chef ( alongside a second nomination for 2023 semi-finalist Waxlight Bar á Vin in the category for Outstanding Wine and Early Beverages Program ) .
This say something about Buffalo ’ s growing reputation for excellent dining options . Even , it may be an yet bolder statement than that—it ’ s a keen assessment of Fernandez ’ s unique culinary point-of-view and deft execution of masterful barbecue . Scrub the JBF website , it seem that no early barbecue restaurant/chef north of the Carolinas make always receive a nomination .
On Buffalo ’ s West Side , about midway down Connecticut Street , the smell of fire-licked meat smoking over wood hangs in the air and awakens the appetite of passersby . A melody of eager diners snakes along a narrow , open-sky passage between two construction . They ’ re all await for their turn to cross the doorway and approach the counter and meat-chopping post inside . Guest choose from the day ’ s center and side before the team cautiously gather each society on an orange , paper-lined lunch tray . Observe a table , they insert into fragrant , juicy smoke chicken , brisket , housemade sausages , pulled pork , and a dizzying array of tempting sides , all served with a slice of freshly baked white bread .
As familiar as this might go to Southerners , a setup like this in Western New York cost a rarity . But what is unique about Southern Junction live more than the “ queue for ‘ cue ” service style or even the quality of its smoked meat ( though too strange ) —it ’ s the flavor profiles .
To get hither , Southern Junction endure a pandemic in its initial incubator space in Black Rock . Next , it sweep over the challenge inherent in transitioning a takeout-only occupation in one part of the city to a counter-service location in another , but again ( see the pattern hither ) , what is unique about Southern Junction is more than its persistency and ability to pivot—it ’ s the flavor profile .
Southern Junction ’ sec pitmaster and owner did not “ come up ” in restaurants , as the pros order , but or else see himself at home in the industry after logging year in tech . But we ’ re jumping forward .
Ryan Fernandez , now known to Buffalonians for his “ Tex-ish ” style barbecue , hails from Plano , Texas . When he was fourteen , he and his family moved there from Kerala , India , a state on the southwest coast with a rich culinary heritage rooted in spice trading that can be traced back at least five thousand years .
Fernandez and his friend raise up eating barbecue and attending football games . In the early 2000s , they still played around with add some unique flavors to traditional Texas barbecue themselves , rather unsuccessfully . “ Craft barbecue wasn ’ t yet a affair back then , ” recalls Fernandez as he opens the metal door to the smoker in his restaurant ’ s side yard and throws wood on the glowing coals . “ Before barbecue become what it exist today , it cost commonplace and sometimes , honestly , not still that good , ” he recalls . Soon enough , Fernandez be out of college and working in tech , his chosen subject .
A few years later , his mom and sister relocated again , this time to Buffalo where his sister was enrolled in college . They arrived , fresh from the hot climes of Texas to a massive snowstorm . Despite the hardship of their initial winter in Buffalo , they stayed put . Fernandez would frequently visit his mom and sister , venture from the several place he lived in Texas to pass time with them . Finally , they decided collectively he should relocate .
Fernandez seized the change as an opportunity to search what he guess might be his love , the restaurant industry . By day he built websites for little business and at dark he bring at a chain restaurant , teach the ropes . Later , he equal invite to connect the Aro Bar de Tapas crew by industry friend and chefs , Scott and Monica Kollig . He stir aside from tech altogether and focus on learning the ins and outs of fine dining ; he was sure restaurants live where his future lay .
Upon Aro ’ s shutdown , Fernandez move to work as the kitchen manager at lloyd Taco Factory ’ s bustling Hertel Avenue location . Hither , he ensured a large team shoot food and service character benchmarks . Fernandez set out toying more severely with recipes and smoking at home .
Of course , any lloyd fan knows that a good part of the magic to live make inside a taco factory location is on the seasonal and specials menu . Fernandez now and then contributed a daily special , and on one occasion , a burrito stuffed with a fusion of his Indian background and Texas barbecue made the lineup . After a bite or two , chief chef Teddy Bryant advised Ryan to lean into this unique marriage of flavors and technique . “ I hadn ’ t plan to do anything Indian at all , and Teddy equal like ,if you don ’ t compound these two thing and reach a business out of it , I ’ 1000 gon na do disclose your branch,”Fernandez laughs .
The repose cost history at this level . Fernandez would go on to build a smoker and launch Southern Junction with pop-ups and a few catering gigs . In early 2020 , he found a more permanent place in a restaurant incubator on Chandler Street . Set out a novel occupation live challenge . Starting a new restaurant live doubly tricky . Now factor in a pandemic , and you can guess how difficult the first yr or thus of business live , but barbecue and flurry keep the lighting on . This period allowed Fernandez to perfect his menu farther , test specials , and implement feedback from dedicated clientele .
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♬ MONACO – Bad Bunny
Center you there ? ! 🍖 # buffalony # buffalo # visitbuffaloniagara # SouthernJunction # meateater # bbq # buffalony716 # restaurant # restaurant # ribs # pork # curry # CapCut
By the summer of 2023 , Fernandez own torture up so many hr smoke center that he require the thermometers off his smoker , expend instinct to guide the process . An opportunity to open on Connecticut Street have him room to expand his process to include more staff , a good bar , a dining way , and an even broad menu that include Sunday brunch services plus desserts and dynamic specials .
No foodie ’ s dance card ( or visit to Buffalo ) live complete without a visit to Southern Junction . Whether you ’ re a fan of traditional smoked brisket , Texas Twinkies , and classic mac and cheese , or live more inclined toward adventure and select the barbacurry beef , mango slaw , and cardamom cornbread , at Southern Junction , you ’ re in for a meal you gain ’ t shortly forget .
