b'BY SARA PEREZ WEBBER Box Lunches and Call-In TakeoutT heres no doubtLockhart about itAmericans love to grill. NearlySmokehousetwo-thirds of U.S. adults own a grill or smoker, according to lockhartsmokehouse.coma 2020 survey by the Hearth,T en years ago, Lockhartstarted offering call-in takeout.Patio & Barbecue Association.Smokehouse opened its firstThe company has also shipped location south of downtownmeats nationally through Goldbelly since And the lockdowns of lastDallas in the Bishop Arts District, quicklymid-2018. That was a great revenue summer gave them plentygarnering a devoted following for itssource during COVID, says Bergus. meats smoked over Texas post oak. NowWith people on lockdown that had of time to practice their craftthere are three Lockhart locations in thetraveled and dined with us before, it was during backyard cookouts. Dallas area, known for their signaturea way to send a bit of Texas to them!menu itemsslow-smoked brisket,Bergus believes some of barbecues Not only were more peopleKreuz Market Sausage (a 100-plus-year- popularity can be attributed to its firing up their barbecues inold family recipe) and rotating specialsversatility. When you think of everything including beef ribs, smoked prime rib,that can be made from brisket! she says.the last year, they continuedlamb chops, jalapeo mac and cheese,And, of course, Texans have a to order in their favoriteand blue cheese cole slaw. particular love for barbecue. We were Jill Grobowsky Bergus, a formerlucky to be at the early point of the Texas barbecue specialties. As thetelevision producer who owns thebarbecue renaissance, she says. Just caterers and restaurateurscompany with husband Jeff, named itthink, Texas barbecue places have sprung after her hometown of Lockhartknownup in Paris and Sweden; I dont know that interviewed here attest,as the Barbecue Capital of Texas. Herit will slow down. Everyone loves the sight demand for barbecue isfamily helped establish that reputation,and smells of Texas barbecue.strongeven if how it getsrunning the towns Kreuz Market.Before the COVID-19 pandemic, into the hands of theircatering made up about 15% of our customers is changing. business, says Bergus. It was about an equal mix between full-service and drop-off. Fortunately, the calendar is starting to fill up again.As a result of business changes due to the pandemic, Lockhart started offering box lunchessomething we talked about before but never quite figured out, says Bergus. We have been pleasantly surprised at how well they have been received. Also, we CATERING, FOODSERVICE & EVENTS cfe-news.com31'