Few people can say that the Covid lockdown changed their lives for the better but that's exactly the story for Brian Horsley aka the Smoke Bloke and his family. What began as a leisure, and eventually lockdown hobby, for the former kitchen fitter soon blew up into the phenomenon that is now 'The Smoke Bloke'.
Walking into The Smoking Bull, as it is now known, in Attleborough, a small suburb of Nuneaton, the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere immediately makes you feel comfortable and that you belong, even when it's your first visit. The small surrounding village is seeing a successful rejuvenation with bars, restaurants and small local markets filling the area; The Smoking Bull now adding to that feeling of community. Providing an area where people can come together and socialise over good food and in good company, the friendly staff and the Smoke Bloke himself are always on hand to welcome every single guest.
On a sunny June lunchtime, with guests in the restaurant and the garden, Brian looks like a man thankful, and slightly in awe, of a series of perfectly aligned events that have developed into what life has become. The story from humble family barbecues and getting his mates round for dinner (based on exquisitely smoke meats of course), to where he stands today is nothing short of a fairytale.
From Promising Dream...to Reality
Prior to the pandemic, Brian Horsley alongside his brother David, was successfully fitting kitchens, initially in the domestic field and then in a commercial capacity, all while secretly harbouring his own passion to actually be working in the kitchens he was creating. Practicing and honing his skills at family gatherings and as caterer at his brothers wedding, the fire to follow his passion was lit.
When the Covid pandemic hit in early 2020 and lockdowns forced businesses to shut up shop and families to stay at home, Brian needed something to pass the time. Using this unexpected freedom to concentrate on learning the intricacies of the art of smoking and cooking meats and experimenting with how different cuts, temperatures and resting times all play a part in the quality of the final result, he developed a deep understanding and uncovered a natural gift, a talent for creating barbecued and smoked meat that, unbeknownst to him at the time, people would rave about.
"As kitchen fitters we were meticulous, everything's got to be by the millimetre, by the 1/2 millimetre. Now it's by the degree."
Taking a deep breath and a leap of faith, after gaining the necessary paperwork and certificates, Brian tentatively released a limited menu on a Facebook page - The Smoke Bloke was born. Optimistically hoping for perhaps a 100 or so followers, Brian says "it turned out that within two weeks we had 1000 followers". Now, with a following of over 10k, The Smoke Bloke is a well recognised brand for his 'Low & Slow' cooking techniques, and the name on everyone's lips in Nuneaton and the surrounding areas when looking for somewhere truly exceptional to eat out.
Speaking of the sudden explosion of demand, Brian said "I was getting up at 5am to get the smoker ready. That quickly went from one smoker to two smokers, to three smokers, so I'm smoking all the meat to be served at 2- 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and we're selling out every time." "The menu was put up on Facebook at 12 on a Sunday and we were sold out by 20 past."
The Evolution from Facebook to Bricks and Mortar
Everything was going so well but Brian decided to stop, simply due to the desire to do things more permanently rather than continue in what seemed a temporary and unsustainable set-up.
A chance happening by his wife Nataliya, across the premises that was soon to be theirs was the beginning of the journey. The Bull is an attractive double fronted brick building however was run-down and somewhat dilapidated. Despite not even being on the market, Brian immediately saw the potential and approached the owner and as he walked in had a clear vision of what could be and knew that this was the place. He bought the building with the backing of his family and set to work building his dream.
Visibly emotional, recalling the journey, Brian is still breath-taken by the course of events and the support that he's received.
"I couldn't have done it without my wife, Nat, she's been behind me the whole time. And me and my brother Dave, fitting kitchens so that we could afford this place."
...and what a place it is. The striking green walls of artificial plants, personalised artwork and fluid layout, all combines to create a unique identity that seems made for the building, the menu and the family of staff that work there.
Contrary to some other restaurants, The Smoking Bull isn't about getting bums on seats, serving food and back out the door again ready for the next people, and all as quickly as possible. All guests are invited to come in and make an evening of it, relax, enjoy their meal and meet new friends.
The Smoke Bloke and the team are passionate about building their own little community vibe within their 4 walls, wanting people to enjoy the food, cooked using Brian's own rubs, sauces and seasonings, and also the experience as a whole.
As a team, Brian and his wife thought long and hard about the food they wanted to serve, putting together a strong menu that stayed true to the dishes that they love to cook. Alongside a fantastic menu of individual dishes, Brian also wanted to include some delicious sharing platters so that guests can truly come together to enjoy a shared dining experience.
Family is very much at the heart of the whole business, not only via Brian and Nataliya manning the grills behind the scenes but also with brother Dave and his wife, Chloe extending a warm welcome and taking care of guests needs front of house. These strong relationships have played a pivotal role in the venture from it's inception through to expansion and moving forward into the future.
If I could sum up The Smoke Bloke and his food in 3 words it would have to be 'Passion, Family and Mouthwatering'
Getting to Grips With Building a Workable Kitchen From the Ground Up
Without a massive budget to kit out the kitchen, Brian said "we started with nothing, built it up with things we've picked up along the way".
As the business already had an avid customer base from the initial Facebook days, it didn't take long for guests to show their support and come flocking to the doors. The kitchen grew as the business did.
Without a chef background to fall back on, Brian relied on what he knew from his kitchen fitting days and his innate knowledge of how he needed to create his menu to determine the cooking equipment he needed. "I knew what I wanted in the kitchen and through talking to FFD we ended up with exactly what we needed."
"We had a clear vision where we wanted to go and if we hadn't had the help of FFD we wouldn't have been able to do it."
Having worked closely with Brian and the team, FFD Commercial Refrigeration and FFD Catering Equipment recommended a range of equipment including a chargrill, electric griddle, commercial fryer and induction hob along with freezers and blast chiller drawers plus more, all capable of producing the results and meet the output necessary for The Smoking Bull.
"Without the grill I wouldn't have been able to start steak night and that's a major key to our success. We didn't have the consistency I needed to push it forward before then due to substandard equipment."
With steaks being notoriously hard to cook to perfection, Brian considered enlisting help in the kitchen for the debut of his now infamous steak nights, but had a change of heart, taking the (smoking) bull by the horns and taking charge in the kitchen, "I was so nervous, but people loved it." It is this unassuming nature and the feeling that The Smoke Bloke still can't believe his success that adds to the overall charm of the story.
So What's Next for The Smoking Bull?
There are big plans afoot, with signs of extension visible around the building. The massive extension will create new dining areas, a bigger bar area, a larger kitchen with meat smoking room, new dry and cold storage and an inviting garden complete with kids play area. A place for the whole family. Hopefully with live music, the on brand graffiti and the relaxed atmosphere, Brian wants to create "a retreat, a safe environment where people can enjoy themselves."
So when will the new extension be unveiled?
"We're working with FFD to source and supply our additional catering equipment, commercial refrigeration and the new ventilation and extraction for the entirity of the new extension, so we're in capable hands. We want everything to be done right so we're not tying ourselves into the pressure of a deadline." So, watch this space!
Time for one final question for The Smoke Bloke... Are you pleased you did it?
Without hesitation, Brian firmly states "Are you mad! It's hard, it's difficult but it's a passion. I'm with family and wouldn't want to do it with anyone else. If the pandemic hadn't happened I wouldn't be here and there's nowhere else I'd rather be."
The Smoke Bloke is open for breakfast, lunch and diinner;
Wednesdays: 9am - 3pm, 4pm - 10pm
Thursdays: 9am - 3pm, 4pm - 11pm
Fridays: 9am - 11pm
Saturdays: 10am - 11pm
Want to sample the Smoke Bloke for yourself? Book to avoid disappointment.
Fancy enjoying the full 'Low & Slow' Smoking Bull effect in the comfort of your own home? Takeaway and delivery are now available.
