Family Style
Eugene Wilson is the spitting image of his dad. The two shared the same demeanor and love for barbecue. Wilson used to look on as his father fired up chicken, ribs, pork, sausages and hamburgers on summer days.
So when the culinary school graduate opened Big Eu’es BBQ in Cuyahoga Falls in 2016, Wilson kept his dad in mind. The barbecue joint’s name is a tribute to his late father’s large stature and boisterous voice.
“It’s mostly the food I grew up eating and watching him make,” says Wilson.
He keeps these memories alive by using family recipes at his restaurant, such as his dad’s sweet and spicy barbecue sauce that enhances Big Eu’es chicken, roasted turkey, wings and marinated pulled pork.
His dad’s baked mac ‘n’ cheese, which is made with two kinds of cheese, is just one side offered. Others include green beans, coleslaw and fries. The fun family tradition of Kool-Aid pie carries on as well. The lime or cherry confection is made by filling a graham cracker crust with a mix of Kool-Aid, whipped cream and condensed milk.
“It’s like a cheesecake consistency,” Wilson says.
Classic fruit-flavored fountatin sodas like Sunkist Orange are also served up at Big Eu’es. Those who look closely at the picture of Big Eu’e on the sign will notice the quote “Gimmy a Soda,” another nod to Wilson’s dad.
“It was something he used to say to my friends when they came to the house,” he says.
With dozens of new barbecue spots popping up in Northeast Ohio, the competition may seem pitted against him, but Wilson’s not worried. He sees Big Eu’e’s old-fashioned family fare as setting the bar for others. And the tradition is staying strong with the restaurant expanding into a dining room and a catering food trailer.
“This is what I dreamed of doing,” Wilson says. “It’s just all-around good food.”