MEET OUR BESTIES
Paradise is sitting down to a meal of slow-smoked BBQ, fresh and flavorful sides all homemade from scratch, and your choice from an extensive list of whiskey and beer. Paradise is sitting down to a meal with great friends at Salt + Smoke. Get a plate filled with your favorite cut of our world-famous brisket, smoked over post oak for 16 hours, or explore our other dishes—smoked salmon, St. Louis cut ribs, and our pulled pork will all keep your mouth watering and your appetite satisfied. Come on in, put in your order and take a seat at our place, where meat is always treated right.
The absolute dreamboats that make Salt + Smoke the place where BBQ besties form lifelong BBQ friendships.
ULTIMATE BESTIES DUO
THE TOM SCHMIDT
OWNER
ABOUT TOM
Browning is integral to the flavor.
Tom was a really shy kid that found his voice and passion in the restaurant worlds he immersed himself in. Tom was thinking about BBQ and eating about BBQ for a long time. Then he started talking about BBQ to Haley and together they made great BBQ. Tom realizes now that thinking about stuff is bad for him. Now he just talks about stuff and then he and Haley make good stuff happen.
HALEY FREAKING RILEY
CHEF + PITMASTER
ABOUT HALEY
Risk it for the brisket.
Raised in the wild by wolves, Haley Riley has a deep and meaningful connection to meat. After graduating top of his class at Meat Doctor University, he has gone on to be one of the world’s preeminent meat minds with his philosophy “You Can’t BBQ on Your Heels.”
BESTIE squad
Mike P.
CFO
ABOUT MIKE
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
My Sweet Bestie, with a splash of Hotangy
What whiskey/bourbon do you always recommend?
WhistlePig Rye is my go-to, but I also always recommend anything from Hillrock Distillery in upstate NY.
If you had a dish named after yourself, what would your dish be?
The 2-Combo plate with Pulled Pork and Fried Jalapeño and Cheddar Bologna.
Mike H.
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
ABOUT MIKE
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
My Sweet Bestie … it’s a classic, like me
Favorite daily side you wish was a permanent side?
Anything pickled.
What whiskey/bourbon do you always recommend?
Buffalo Trace…It pretty much as everything you want without overdoing it
MACKENZIE
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
ABOUT Mackenzie
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
Probably Alabama Ranch. Mainly because no one else claimed it in their answer and I have to be different.
Favorite daily side you wish was a permanent side?
Mashed potatoes forever and always. I’d bathe in those potatoes.
If you had a dish named after yourself, what would your dish be?
Either a super decadent chocolate dessert (think gooey middle that you can’t stop eating even if it makes you sick) or a chicken pot pie.
EMILY
HR DIRECTOR
ABOUT EMILY
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
Definitely My Sweet Bestie
What whiskey/bourbon do you always recommend?
Whatever my fiancé suggests… he is the pro in that arena!
If you had a dish named after yourself, what would your dish be?
I can live without a lot of things but TACOS are not on the list. So my dish would have to be something taco related. Maybe I’ll convince Tom and Haley to add a Salt and Smoke Taco to the menu one day!
JORDAN
BEVERAGE DIRECTOR
ABOUT JORDAN
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
Alabama ranch. I may not be exactly what you were looking for when you asked for ranch, but I’m fun and a little spicy and hopefully you like me too.
Favorite daily side you wish was a permanent side?
Not exactly a daily side, but get me sloppy-no’s on the menu year-round. I guess you could say I’m a sloppy-ho.
What whiskey/bourbon do you always recommend?
I personally love Knob Creek 9yr and always recommend it for someone getting started in whiskey. It’s sweet, nutty, and complex, but doesn’t break the bank. If you’re looking to level up your whiskey experience try the Knob Creek 12yr if you can find it.
Collie Collie
Hospitality Director
ABOUT Collie
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
“I Can’t Even”—a tad sweet, yet spicy throughout.
Favorite daily side you wish was a permanent side?
Braised kale – healthy, flavorful and cleans the system.
What whiskey/bourbon do you always recommend?
Bourbon/whiskey recommendations are like dating sites where you must get to know the drinker to link them with the correct “water with a soul.”
If you had a dish named after yourself, what would your dish be?
Meatloaf is the only dish that would plant a smile on me by carrying my name because it has never met a stranger.
Amy
Catering DIRECTOR
ABOUT AMY
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
Bestie, I’m friendly to everyone
Favorite daily side you wish was a permanent side?
Mashed potatoes!!! It doesn’t get any better than that.
If you had a dish named after yourself, what would your dish be?
Jalapeno and Cheddar Bologna plate. I’m a little spicy and cheese goes great with everything including mashed potatoes and Bologna
John
Corporate Chef
ABOUT JOHN
Shaina
Exec. Chef: Commissary
ABOUT SHAINA
bbq besties
ZACH
BPV MANAGER
ABOUT ZACH
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
Easily the Mustarolina sauce. (Pro tip: if you mix equal parts Mustarolina and My Sweet Bestie you end up with this incredibly complex smokey/honey mustard style sauce that is absolutely amazing on our pork sandwich).
If you had a dish named after yourself, what would your dish be?
Well … do you remember that crazy mustarolina/bestie sauce I told you about earlier? If you toss some trashed ribs in that sauce with a side of pickles, forget about it. End of story. Good night.
Jake
DELMAR MANAGER
ABOUT JAKE
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
Chicken gumbo
What whiskey/bourbon do you always recommend?
Blanton’s
If you had a dish named after yourself, what would your dish be?
B.L.T. with smoked chicken and avocado
CASS
HAMPTON MANAGER
ABOUT CASS
If you were a S+S sauce, which one would you be?
If I were a sauce, I would be “I Can’t Even”, sweet with a little kick 🔥
What is your go-to bourbon recommendation?
My favorite bourbon to recommend is Penelope Valencia. A super aromatic bourbon with a very clean finish.
If you had a dish named after yourself, what would your dish be?
I would call it The Side Bestie. An assortment of our delicious sides!
JESSICA
STC MANAGER