"While most kids spent their waking weekend hours parked in front of the TV, a young Anthony Valois was already up and in line with his father-ready and waiting to be one of the first customers to be let inside their favorite Italian deli. Even now, the smell alone is enough to bring him back to the good times. "Opening up that door and the smell of cured meats [and] the chaos of what's going on behind the counter-everything was intoxicating," said Valois."
"As a young adult, he briefly attended college, but left after receiving an opportunity to intern on Wall Street. There he stayed for 22 years in the private equity and fund management sectors. Over the years, the little interest he had in the profession faded, and Valois leaned on food to excite him again. But it wasn't the food of the old country that drew him in. Instead, it was all American barbecue."
Anthony Valois grew up in Brooklyn as a first-generation Italian-American with vivid memories of delis, grandparents canning tomatoes, and lunchboxes filled with cheeses and mortadella. He developed an appreciation for Italian ingredients, regional cheeses, and cured meats. Valois briefly attended college, then left to intern on Wall Street and spent 22 years in private equity and fund management. His interest in finance faded and he returned to food, embracing American barbecue. He launched a catering business called the Smoke Exchange and spent weekdays prepping, smoking, serving, and selling barbecue.
Read at Time Out New York
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