Today we’d like to introduce you to Levi Goode.
Hi Levi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a fifth-generation Texan with roots in both Texas and Mexico. My love and appreciation of food and all things Southern, Gulf Coast and Tex-Mex runs deep, whether it’s music, décor, leisure activities or food. Even before my professional career centered around food, my personal life did.
Generations of family members have been amazing home cooks, and we always enjoyed the community that food creates with family, neighbors and friends, old and new. Some of my strongest friendships have been created over a meal shared. Growing up with boots on both sides of the border quickly taught me that cooking is about sharing a way of life – and a way of doing things – much more than it is just combining ingredients.
As a kid, I enjoyed hunting and fishing and cooking with my father, family and friends. When I was about 3 years old, my father Jim Goode, an amazing graphic designer, became an accidental restaurateur when he bought a barbeque restaurant sort of spontaneously. As my mother and father worked hard getting started in the business, we kids spent a lot of time at the original location – it was sort of the after-school daycare program. After that first location, my father opened other successful concepts, and through the years I have worked at them all, learning every aspect and enjoying the camaraderie and team spirit of being in this industry. I enjoy cooking and working with my hands, and after so many years of being around the business, I naturally gravitated to it as my career. I knew I didn’t want a conventional desk job, but rather to work alongside my father to build the family business. And that’s just what I did.
After working my way through all areas of Goode Company, I attended Texas A&M University for Agricultural Economics and then attended Chef school. I got involved in the management aspect of our business and had the honor of opening several places side-by-side with my father, and I am charged with the responsibility of smoothly carrying on our businesses into the next generation for the enjoyment and satisfaction of our community, our Goode Company family and to continue our family legacy. It is my honor to not only keep the family business going, but to continue to expand it.
Growing the business is rewarding, and it’s an honor to be in a position to do so and to provide opportunities for so many hardworking folks who have been with Goode Company for a long time. We are 44 years old, but we are in arguably the most innovative time for our brand and company and I feel grateful to work with such a wonderful team and to add value where I can and create more places for people to have a good – or shall I say goode – time.
I’ve been around our brand since its inception, from kid to career, and our brand has always been based on creativity and personal expression of family heritage, experiences and influences. When you look at our restaurants from the ’70s forward, ever since we’ve been in the business, creativity and evolution have been part of the brand DNA. Sometimes that moves a little faster or slower, but it has been and will continue to be an ongoing evolution of our brand and the things we think people will enjoy.
I have to laugh when people say I am the Texas Master of Mesquite, but it is an honor as well. I am committed to sharing and preserving the rich cooking traditions and true hospitality of the Lone Star State by serving up authentic varieties of Gulf Coast seafood, tried-and-true Tex-Mex and mesquite-smoked barbeque. I am proud to be a founding member of Foodways Texas, a non-profit organization which preserves, promotes and celebrates the vibrant and diverse food cultures of Texas.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
As with any business, there are stresses and struggles, but thanks to the strong foundation that my father started and our dedicated, hardworking teams across our brands, these things don’t outweigh the positives. We have weathered downturns in the economy, changing dining habits and, most recently, a pandemic, but the one thing that transcends all of that is our teams, our customers and passion for the craft and the rewarding nature of providing genuine hospitality. These have given us sails to ride the waves, and we hope that they continue to do so. We have so many loyal customers who have helped see us through the tough times and celebrate with us in the good times. You really can’t ask for more than that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Goode Company has five concepts (and 10 restaurant locations) in our family of Restaurants: Goode Company Barbeque, Goode Company Seafood, Goode Company Taqueria, Goode Company Armadillo Palace, Goode Company Kitchen & Cantina. We also have a large catering and events operation, an e-commerce business (with our famous Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie) and live music venue. Stay tuned – we have some possible new things in the works!
I oversee every aspect of the company, from recipe development to marketing to business operations to community support, with the support of our strong team. I have a knack for “picking,” and all of the fun Texana and one-of-a-kind vintage items you see in the restaurants are items either found by myself or my late father, Jim Goode. It’s something we enjoyed doing and one of my favorite things to still do.
I also love cooking with live fire, not just at the restaurants but at home and wherever the road takes me.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We are always open to working with local groups and organizations and like-minded businesses. Just ask, and if it is a good(e) fit, we will make it work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.goodecompany.com/
- Instagram: @goodetexan | @goodecobbq | @goodecotaqueria | @goodecoseafood | @goodecokitchenandcantina | @goodecoyonderlust
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodeCoBBQ
Image Credits
Goode Co.
