About Us

I started Native Catering in 2014. Prior to that I was bartending full-time in downtown San Francisco, interning at the Pacific Union Club SF, and cooking brunch for a short time at 15 Romolo in North Beach. I began taking so many shifts off from the bar (thanks John & Colin!) that I ultimately made the nerve-racking decision to leave the bar and focus entirely on Native Catering. We relied strictly on word of mouth and positive reviews throughout Native’s lifespan, which is incredible. That support and kind words from our customers is what kept us alive and thriving.

I can remember doing an orientation at the old International Culinary Center way back in 2007, and thinking, “This is it for me.” My starry dreams soon faded with the financial crisis of the same year, when it became clear that a young guy with zero credit would never be able to pay for culinary school.

With few options, I headed down the path to the internships mentioned above, then found my way to a family butchery in San Francisco called Pacific Coast Meat Company, where I spent the little spare time I had learning general butchery and knife skills. I began seeking any inexpensive little cooking schools and classes I could get my hands on. Eventually I stumbled upon a small basics course in Berkeley, called Kitchen On Fire. There, one class in particular spoke to me. It was called “BBQ 101.” The teacher, a Kansas City native, ran us through the art of trimming, seasoning, fire maintenance, simple sauces, and other techniques — all in the backyard of his Berkeley home.

I discovered that I loved cooking outside, and the unpretentious but highly rewarding — and sometimes frustrating — results that came from doing a cook in an offset smoker. More than anything it was how Barbecue brought everyone together.

Doing test cooks in our backyard smoker, all while keeping careful notes, became the method that kept me going. I remember the first time I cooked (at the time what I thought was) a successful brisket. Unwrapping that little smoke baby I had been coddling all day and serving it to a bunch of my salty surf buddies felt so damn rewarding. After that evening, I knew my focus would be brisket, along with a variety of Barbecued meats smoked traditionally in an offset cooker.

After five jam-packed years of full-service catering for weddings and some of the biggest tech companies in the Bay Area — and everything in between — we have decided to take the next step in this journey and have leased a small storefront in the coastal town of El Granada, CA, where the Princeton Harbor jetty meets the Coast Highway. Thus the name: Breakwater Barbecue.

This is a special location to me. It’s where I went to elementary school, forged lifelong friendships, and stood up on my first wave. Bringing the craft of traditionally smoked Barbecue to my hometown has always been the goal. It’s time for our new journey in El Granada to begin, and we hope to gain your trust. So again, THANK YOU for all of your support. Now, let’s eat some BBQ!

See you across the butcher block,

Wyatt