Smoked To Perfection

Chef Rick Mace, whose West Palm Beach barbecue hotspot, Tropical Smokehouse, and its grab-and-go spinoff, Tropical BBQ Market, have garnered a loyal following, notes that growing up on a farm in rural Ohio helped set the stage for his lifelong passion in the kitchen.

“Having that experience of being surrounded by food was definitely helpful,” the 44-year-old says. “I think it’s truly difficult to be a chef without having an intimate knowledge of the process of growing up around fields, barns, gardens and hunting and fishing. That has definitely shaped my cooking philosophy — understanding that the chef plays a very small role in that process.”

Living that “field to fork” experience firsthand offered valuable insight into food preparation and the chef’s role. Mace emphasizes, “The chef may transform ingredients, but ultimately, they have done little work in the process of creating the ingredients and bringing them to the table. Rather, it is their duty to be reverent of the ingredient and the journey that it is made to their kitchen and present it in a way that honors the ingredient and its source.”

Mace’s culinary journey took him to the prestigious New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, followed by positions in award-winning eateries like Butler’s Restaurant at The Inn at Essex. In 2007, he fulfilled a career dream by working for legendary Chef Daniel Boulud as the executive sous chef at Daniel Boulud Brasserie at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas, Nev., eventually leading him to South Florida as the executive chef at Café Boulud Palm Beach.

The idea of making barbecue took root while working at Boulud’s fine French cuisine restaurant. “During the time I was at Café Boulud Palm Beach I had an interesting conversation with someone about the legacy of a chef and the current state of cuisine in our country. While I was lamenting the disparities between European heritage and regional specificity, he pointed out to me that I should make it my work to expand on that area in my home,” Mace says.

The observation resonated strongly with Mace. “If I am spending time expressing the food of our surroundings, the techniques of the people that live here and the ingredients that we have access to, then I’ve done my job,” he says.

While they may not seem similar at first blush, Mace explains that French cuisine and barbecue both place a great emphasis on technique, slow cooking, sauces, meat butchery and charcuterie. “My approach to barbecue is just an extension of my experience in these areas. Telling the story through the lens of Florida barbecue has been my great joy.”

Adhering to the same strict guidelines of a fine French restaurant, Tropical Smokehouse, which opened in 2021, serves the same high-grade prime brisket and heritage pork found in a white tablecloth establishment. Recipes shine in their authenticity, another takeaway from his time with Chef Boulud.

“I learned from Daniel that dishes should have an authentic pedigree. In other words, being creative isn’t as important as being authentic. For example, our mojo and black beans are family recipes of Chef Luis Polanco, one of my closest friends, who helped me open Tropical. These recipes have roots all the way back to the Dominican Republic, where his family is from,” Mace says.

Dishes at Tropical Smokehouse include brisket and pulled pork, along with less expected options like smoked Scottish salmon (one of Mace’s favorites) and the ever-popular burger.

“We like to say that we’re a barbecue restaurant with a burger problem. I had lived here in the neighborhood for six years before opening Tropical and I knew that when we opened, even if we were a barbecue restaurant, I wanted to have a good old-fashioned cheeseburger. Now we have as many as 200 cheeseburgers a day leaving the kitchen,” he says.

Following the restaurant’s resounding success (including a James Beard Foundation semifinals nod for the coveted “Best Chef” in the South award), he opened Tropical BBQ Market in 2023. The idea is to provide a convenient option for those wanting to enjoy barbecue at home. Whether enjoying a casual sit-down meal or grabbing the legendary Smoked Curry Chicken to go, diners can expect to find ample servings of Mace’s Aunt P’s pickles, a dish he holds dear to his heart.

“My favorite thing is sentimental and simple. We named our pickles after my Aunt Phyllis, who lived outside of Orlando until her passing. These family favorites were made simply by jazzing up, store-bought dill pickles with hot sauce and sugar. We make them here at Tropical, and what started with a few quarts of pickles a day is now going out by the bucket full. We use them on every burger, they go out with every tray of barbecue and we even cook with the pickle juice,” he adds.

That his talent, vision and work ethic has generated buzz is a full-circle moment for Mace when recalling that initial conversation he had that set him on the barbecue path.

“I’m proudest of the idea that people are talking about Florida barbecue, and we are here cooking and telling the story and expressing what Florida barbecue is.” 

Aunt P’s Pickles

MAKES 1 JAR

Ingredients:

1 (32 oz.) jar dill pickle chips, preferably crinkle cut

1½ cup sugar

2 oz. hot sauce, preferably Tabasco

½ sweet onion, thinly sliced

Process:

Drain the jar of pickles and discard pickle juice.

Place pickles and remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine well.

Return pickles to the jar and fill with the sugar mixture.

Place pickles into refrigerator for several days before serving.