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ABOUT SMOKIN HOT 'n SAUCY BBQ?

WHO IS SMOKIN HOT 'N SAUCY BBQ? 

Smokin Hot 'n Saucy BBQ was created by 2 crazy ass go getters that have a passion for creating great things and enjoying great food.

We're Rob and Randi Thraves and we live, breathe, and have eaten a helluva a lot of BBQ from Texas to Australia and anywhere in between.  

We are doing our best to juggle the BBQ business that includes restaurants, the BBQ school, events, and a rub/sauce line along with our family life of 3 gorgeous kiddos, 2 dogs, and our team of Smokin Hot BBQ family. 

Stay tuned and connected to see what's cooking next!

Cheers - Rob and Randi

ROB & RANDI'S SMOKIN HOT STORY

2007

Rob and Randi met in Canada, yep... you read that right. An Australian boy and a Texan gal met in Canada and would start a BBQ business in Australia!  We never would have imagined this ourselves!  We were young, adventurous and the world was our playground. 

Fun Fact - When we met, Rob wasn't a fan of good ol USA and wasn't impressed with BBQ he had tried in his travels. Randi convinced him he had to try Texas BBQ, as it was different than what he considered BBQ and what he had experienced in Canada. 

2008

Randi finally gets Rob to Texas!

Randi's family is very TEXAN, and one thing we do is southern hospitality. Which in my family means... it's time for a BBQ! If there's an excuse to light up the BBQ, we will take it and over feed you. Rob fell in love with this process and the art of creating the perfect meat experience. From Ribs, Brisket, Chicken, and more...everyone has their style and Rob was keen to develop and perfect the craft of BBQ.

2009 - 2010

Only fair after time in Texas, It was time for Randi to experience Australia, and next thing you know. We were back down under and starting our family and living on Rob's family cattle farm.

The couple has always had a zest for life. During this time, they renovated 2 homes, built a brick BBQ, and eventually added an adorable little Australian American girl to their growing world. During our first pregnancy, Rob eagerly cooked up chicken, pork, and steaks, as we started testing Texas style BBQ in Australia for ourselves.

2010-2012

Randi was homesick, so we moved back to Texas!!

Yes, we moved across the world and went back to live in Texas. We spent the year doing all things Texan. Rob honed his BBQ skills as he challenged Randi's family around everything from ribs, chicken, and Texas Brisket.

During our time in Texas we also renovated another house, ate lots of BBQ, went to sporting events, visited family, and Rob played a whole lot of golf and rugby. 😆


2012

The couple was ready for more babies, and they decided to move back to Australia...

Texas was fun and will always be a home to us. We are grateful we got that year to live there.

In 2012, it was time for our family to grow and Rob's career in the mines was calling... so we headed back to Australia.

We always hope there may be a move back to Texas again. 🤞🏻

2013 -2016

When we moved back down under, we settled in Mudgee, NSW. Rob was working in the mines and Randi spent her time enjoying her time as a mom.

As with any international move, there is always culture shock and things to miss. Both Rob and Randi were missing great tasting BBQ. This desire for Texas BBQ sparked a flame in Rob and he began building his own Texas offset in their shed.

Randi was again homesick and pregnant and Rob was to the rescue.  He started cooking more Texas BBQ and perfected his craft to a level that Randi approved.

This led to backyard BBQs, to markets, BBQ competitions, and we eventually bought a F**ing Food Truck!

2017

The F**ing Food Truck was suppose to be the gateway into a new lifestyle of traveling Australia with young kids. 

Unfortunately, it sent us broke, the old Mercedes Bus took every last dime we had and crushed our dreams. We were lost, scared, and had young kiddos. We began searching for answers. We looked at leasing a cafe, but in the end we new the bus was still an asset with a commercial kitchen.

So, we leased an old vacant car lot in Newcastle area. We became a solo food truck park, and prayed customers would find us. We had no money for advertising, no money to do much of anything.

2018

Things started to grow, we were hitting the BBQ comp scene as much as we could.  Smokin Hot 'n Saucy won several notable wins. Our Newy location grew to have picnic tables and sales were finding consistency. Rob was a trailblazer in the Australian BBQ scene. His attention to detail and Randi's taste testing skills were paying off.

Smokin Hot 'n Saucy BBQ had clear set goals to keep sharing Damn Good BBQ with anyone and everyone keen to give it a go and we launched Smoke in Broke BBQ Festival that year to celebrate all things BBQ.

2019

One step at a time, we were sharing BBQ and doing our best to overcome some of the business challenges we had with our Newy location.

The most notable issue with having an outdoor restaurant, is that it is an outdoor restaurant.  Mother nature doesn't always agree and in 2019, it was a very hot year.  We would experience a Bush Fire season like no other. We lost catering jobs during the holiday period of 2019, due to the ongoing threat of Bush Fires in our area.

So, we tested taking over a small space in a shopping centre to combat losing sales and inconsistency. We did not know what 2020 had in store for us.

2020

This year was not fun as a business owner. We had sales fall over 80%, we lost a full event schedule, and we signed a lease in a shopping centre that was now empty.

All we could do was spend time with our family, and pray/mediate/perform rituals that COVID would go away. Like many families, we felt scared and lost.  We did what we could to survive, and in this mix we created our BBQ School in our very own backyard. 

It started on a whim of desperation to get cash flow, and we held a few of these classes. We also had Backyard BBQs to keep surviving. These Backyard BBQs would host anyone that wanted to come out and get some Damn Good BBQ. They kept our hopes alive and our business moving. 

2021

Climbing out of the 2020 hole was hard, but we were approached by a brewery during that time to open a store in Penrith. This was a big move for our business. We would have a longevity, population, and cover for people to eat. Our Penrith location would be a pivotal asset to the business growth. At the end of 2021, we began building our new kitchen in Penrith located in a warehouse shared with Rusty Penny Brewing Co.

We were also able to pull of Smoke in Broke BBQ Festival in 2021, and the event grew and would be a must visit event for anyone and everyone that loves BBQ.

2022

In 2022, Rob would spend time building the kitchen and training staff, we also took over a kitchen in Broke, NSW to test the market after our success with Covid Backyard BBQs.

Unfortunately, mother nature hit our family and brand again and again. Our hometown and our business was affected by 2 floods and we would lose out again against Mother Nature.


2023

This year has been one of growth. Knowing the struggles for our Newcastle location, Rob and Randi have been searching for a venue to grow into. A venue they could make their little slice of Texas. In May this year, Rob and Randi found a warehouse in Rutherford, NSW.

After a successful Smoke in Broke BBQ Festival. The fire was lit and the couple are ready to take on their biggest adventure yet. Stay tuned and visit often to see what we create at 102 Racecourse Rd Rutherford, NSW 2320! 

At Smokin Hot 'n Saucy BBQ, BBQ is Family....

No matter where our journey takes us and what obstacles it throws at us. One thing that is consistent in this business, is that BBQ for us is family. From our own kids to the customers that share their time with us, from our family to yours... we look forward to sharing BBQ with you!
Creating memories with our kids, providing food for other families, and creating events that bring communities together is at the heart of all things BBQ. makes it that much more fun! 

  • We believe BBQ is a great way for familes and friends to connect.
  • We hopes to share BBQ so that each and everyone of you create memories with your friends and families. 
  • ​We aim to provide great products, knowlege, and events that keep you visiting again and again. 

GRAB A BOTTLE OF OUR AWARD WINNING SAUCES!

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