Punning on his name, longtime barbecue pit master and caterer Mike Schacht just opened a place of his own, and calls it The BBQ Schacht, 19231 Des Moines Memorial Drive at South 192nd in Sea Tac. Schacht is assisted by friend and pit master colleague, Jimmy Carter. Customers have fun with his name, too.

Until now, Schacht, 46, took his barbecue business to you, for weddings, festivals, and privates parties. He will continue catering events on weekends, when his restaurant is closed. That is why the BBQ Schacht's hours are Mondays through Fridays, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

He opened April 12, and said that last Friday, May 11, he went through 30 racks of ribs.

"It was ridiculously busy," he said. "We had 50 customers here, many sitting out on the curb eating. Not everyone was from around here, either. Barbecue is a destination."

Schacht is a blues buff, and customers will hear blues and cajun music on the speakers including Robert Johnson and other old masters. He saw Chicago blues man Buddy Guy perform at his club Legends in the Windy City, and said he lucked out when he arrived to a standing room only concert.

"I was in Chicago for a Bears, Seahawks game and was wearing my Seahawks jersey," he recalled. "They saw I was from out of town and gave my friend and me front row seats. Richard Dent from the '85 Bears was sitting on the stage wearing his Super Bowl ring."

Schacht was born in Woodstock, Illinois, about 50 miles northwest of Chicago. Its historic opera house and quaint gazebo were made famous in the Bill Murray movie, "Groundhog Day".

"Cooking has always been a hobby," said Schacht. "Then I started messing around with recipes, going to different barbecue meccas, tasting the flavors. I said, 'Hey. I'm going to put together some of my own set of flavors.' I like a little bit of the Kansas City style, the (spiced) dry rub of Memphis, and all the guys from Texas have to have the brisket.

"The nice thing about being up here (in the Northwest) is that I can take a little bit of everybody and no one can get mad at me," he said, referring to regional biases.

Schacht's mother Karen helps him work the festivals on weekends with his temporary kitchen set-up. This weekend they are working a four-night blues fest at the Sunbanks Lake Resort at Grand Coulee. They are also scheduled to work the International Festival at Angle Lake Park June 23 and 24.

"She's a retired RN loves to sit out there and have a good time," he said of his mom. "When you're talking about rubbing, pulling, and smoking meat you can't help but have a good time. Keeps a smile on your face."

The BBQ Schacht
19231 Des Moines Memorial Drive
Seatac, WA 98148

11AM to 7PM
Monday - Friday

(206) 903-6453, or email mike@TheBbqSchacht.com for your special event.