Kreuz Market | Southern Foodways Alliance arrow left envelope headphones search facebook instagram twitter flickr menu rss play circle itunes calendar
October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶
Donate Join/Renew
Donate Join/
Renew
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

Rick Schmidt

Born in 1945, Rick Schmidt grew up with his brother and sister in Kreuz’s, their father’s meat market. Well over 100 years old, Kreuz Market fits firmly in the tradition of central Texas German meat markets that evolved into barbecue restaurants over time. Today, Kreuz has evolved even further, with Rick at the helm. Situated in Lockhart, the town designated the Barbecue Capital of Texas, Kreuz now occupies a new and roomy building, while Smitty’s, owned by Rick’s sister Nina, runs from the original location. Rick connects past and present, tracing the history of knives chained to the tables, hot sauce being brought in by Hispanic customers, and why his menu got a little larger when he moved locations.

Date of interview:
2007-09-30 00:00

Interviewer:
Eric Covey

Photographer:
Gavin Benke

Download Transcript

“

"People say, ‘Well, I have to have sauce with my barbecue.’ And we say, ‘Well, have you tasted it yet?’ And they say, ‘No, but I always use sauce.’ And our suggestion is, ‘You taste it and see if you need it.’ And ninety-nine percent of them will come back and say, ‘You’re right; I don’t need it.’ And that’s unique in the state; there’s not many of them that don’t serve sauce." - Rick Schmidt

Other Project Interviews

Interview

Sloan Rinaldi

Sloan Rinaldi is the owner of Texas Q, a craft BBQ joint located in Kingwood, Texas.

Interview

The Salt Lick

Christine LeClair is a waitress at the Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas.

Interview

Taylor Café

Vencil Mares owns the Taylor Cafe in Taylor, Texas.

Interview

Southside Market

For three generations of the Bracewell family, working at “The Market” in Elgin, Texas has just come naturally.

Interview

Smokey Denmark Sausage Co.

Jim McMurtry and his family have owned Smokey Denmark Sausages since 1972.

Interview

Sam’s Barbecue

Waunda Mays has been working at Sam’s Barbecue in East Austin since her father purchased the restaurant in 1978.

Interview

Ruby’s BBQ

Pat Mares is the owner of Ruby’s BBQ in Austin, Texas.

Interview

Pok-E-Jo’s Smokehouse

Danny Haberman is co-owner of Pok-e-Jo's in Austin, Texas.

Interview

Mi Madre’s

Aurelio Torres owns Mi Madre's in Austin, Texas.

Interview

Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse

Gary and Becky Meyer are the third generation owners of Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse in Elgin, Texas.

Interview

Meyer’s Sausage Company

Gregg and Betty Meyer are the second generation owners of Meyer's Sausage Company in Elgin, Texas.

Interview

Louie Mueller Barbecue

Bobby Mueller Louie Mueller's Barbecue in Taylor, Texas.

Interview

Inman’s Ranch House Bar-B-Q

Billy Inman owns Inman's Ranch House Barbecue in Marble Falls, Texas.

Interview

House Park BAR-B-QUE

Joe Sullivan owns House Park Bar-B-Que in Austin, Texas.

Interview

Graham Land and Cattle Co.

Tyler Graham works at Graham Land and Cattle Company in Gonzales, Texas.

Interview

Gonzales Food Market

Richard Lopez is the third-generation proprietor of the Gonzales Food Market in Gonzales, Texas.

Interview

Forestry Management Service

Ronnie Vinikoff owns Forestry Management Service and supplies post oak and other types of wood to numerous restaurants…

Interview

Dziuk’s Meat Market

Marvin Dziuk owns Dziuk’s Meat Market in Castroville, Texas.

Interview

D. Wiley, Inc.

Don Wiley owns D. Wiley, Inc. a custom-made barbecue pits business.

Interview

Cooper’s Old Time Pit BAR-B-QUE

Terry Wootan has owned Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-Be-Que since 1986 in Llano, TX.

Interview

City Market

Joe Capello has managed City Market in Luling, Texas since 1969.

Interview

Church of Holy Smoke

When May Archie married her husband, Horace Archie, in 2002, she joined his church, the New Zion Missionary Baptist…

Interview

Burton Sausage

Jerry Schultz owns and runs Burton Sausage, a company that is part slaughterhouse, part sausage producer.

Interview

Ben’s Long Branch Bar-B-Q

Ben Wash owns Long Branch Restaurant in Austin, Texas.

Interview

Barbecuties

Nikki Dugas owns Barbecuties in Austin, Texas.

Interview

Artz Rib House

Art Blondin owned Artz Rib House.

WORKING TOGETHER

WE CAN CULTIVATE PROGRESS.

The Southern Foodways Alliance drives a more progressive future by leading conversations that challenge existing constructs, shape perspectives, and foster meaningful discussions. We reconsider the past with research, scrutiny, and documentation.

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

Alex Raij Txikito

Let’s Stay in Touch

Sign up for the SFA newsletter to have the latest content
delivered directly to your inbox.