Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Moore.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In the middle of a 25-year career in the railroad industry working in sales on the supply side, I took up the hobby of making chocolate from the bean. Always inspired by both great food and craftsmanship the American craft chocolate movement captured my attention.
I researched and with an undergraduate degree in interweb training, I purchased about a $1,000 in-home chocolate making equipment which included a hairdryer, bungee cords, bailing wire, and duct tape. I bought some cocoa beans and roasted them in the oven. The chocolate turned out edible in a loose definition.
I realized a Good Texan would roast cocoa beans in a barbecue pit, that’s what I did from then on. Barbecue later became a necessary addition to our business in order to survive. Our railcar products supply business was failing. It was either get a job or take a shot at new adventure in food manufacturing and a restaurant.
My best girl and partner Michelle along with my brother Greg found the oldest house in Tomball and decided it’d make a good location for a barbecue joint and chocolate craftory.
The barbecue caught on fairly quickly like you’d expect good barbecue to do in Texas. We got good enough at that Texas Monthly declared us the #6 barbecue joint in Texas. Long lines and early sell-outs followed immediately.
We now have 18 employees and are trying to open a new Market & Deli in the adjoining building. It’s been a whirlwind 3 years.
Has it been a smooth road?
Delays in construction build-out were much longer than anticipated and over budget. I worried we would go broke before opening. Our checking account fell under $5,000 before opening. We barely had enough money to cover our first ingredient order.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a quirky barbecue joint and a mysterious chocolate craftory. We are known for premium all natural grades of meat smoked in a manual pit the long hard way. We are also known for making large chocolate truffles and bars from ultra-premium cacao produced by small growing operations. We make urban barbecue and rustic chocolate.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We will be opening the Tejas Market & Deli later this year featuring smoked meats, specialty sausages, sweet and savory pies, and Spanish style bocadillo sandwiches. This will keep us plenty busy for the next several years. Great barbecue in Texas is sustainable.
Pricing:
- Brisket $21 per lb
- Chocolate truffles $4 each
Contact Info:
- Address: 200 N. Elm Street
Tomball, TX 77375 - Website: tejaschocolate.com
- Phone: 832-761-0670
- Email: tejaschocolate@gmail.com
- Instagram: Tejaschocolate
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/TejasChocolate/
- Twitter: @tejaschocolate
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
