LEGENDS: Santa Maria Style BBQ at Far Western Tavern and Susie Q Brand with Susie Righetti

If you don’t recognize the name Susie Righetti, you might recognize her two iconic businesses: she is the founder of Susie Q Brand, a purveyor of Santa Maria Style barbecue seasonings, pinquito beans, salsas and jerky; and along with her family members, she is co-owner of the Far Western Tavern in Santa Maria. I chose Susie as one of this season’s legends because she grew up hanging out in the Far Western’s dining room and kitchens, and she knows both Santa Maria and barbecue. Also, family lore says that her family line dates back to the De Anza Expedition along the California coastline and predates the Declaration of Independence—if that doesn’t make her a legend, I don’t know what does. We talked about what makes Santa Maria Style Barbecue different, important, and delicious, and we discussed the evolution of the Far Western Tavern, too, which moved from its original building in Guadalupe to its new location in Orcutt just a few years ago.

Websites: farwesterntavern.com / susieqbrand.com

Instagram: @susieqbrand / @farwesterntavern