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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶
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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶

Oral Histories

The SFA oral history program documents life stories from the American South. Collecting these stories, we honor the people whose labor defines the region. If you would like to contribute to SFA’s oral history collections, please send your ideas for oral history along with your CV or Resume and a portfolio of prior oral history work to info@southernfoodways.org.

< Back to Oral History project: Texas BBQ

ORAL HISTORY

Nikki Dugas

Nikki Dugas, a recent college graduate, opened a barbecue stand on Austin’s vibrant Sixth Street in May of 2007. Known as the Barbecuties, the stand employs only women and sells brisket sandwiches to hungry night owls from Thursday to Saturday. Dugas, who learned to cook and barbecue with her parents as a teenager, is proud that the stand is female owned and operated, and thinks that more women should get involved in barbecue. Although operating a cart is difficult at times, Dugas and her employees find it rewarding. She hopes to expand to a full restaurant in the future, but for now insists, tongue-in-cheek, that Barbecuties are “Not Just a Piece of Meat.”

Date of interview:
2007-09-26 00:00

Interviewer:
Melanie Haupt

Photographer:
Carly Kocurek

Download Transcript

“

"I told the girls we’re going to start letting the newbies, the trainees, share the tips because, in most restaurants you’re training, and even though you’re doing most of the work and your trainer is behind you, the trainer gets all the tips. And I just think that’s ridiculous. I mean you’re doing everything. So I just told the girls we’re going to do like a pay it forward, more like a welcoming, and let everyone share the tips." - Nikki Dugas

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