Local BBQ Pit fires up

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

I

n 2019, when Tilak Patel landed in southern Alberta from his native India, he came in on a study permit. Five years later, he’s a local businessman, the owner and operator of the brand new Dickey’s Barbeque Pit in Taber.

 After arriving in Canada, he enrolled in the built environmental engineering technology program at Medicine Hat College. In April of 2021, he moved to Taber and in 2022 began working at VHL Construction as a draftsperson and project coordinator, and he’s still there, juggling what must be a very busy work life. Patel’s wife and sister both live here, too, and his brother-in-law is helping him manage the new restaurant.

 The leap from draftsman to restaurateur may be an unlikely one, but it makes sense once he explains it. 

“I worked for one year in Dairy Queen and I had a good experience working there. The owners are kind of like family to me. My goal is to do business, because where I come from in India most of the people do business. I have seen people here as well, and I think Canada is a good country to do business in. There are lots of opportunities.”

 He got his permanent residency in January and credits Dickey’s co-owners and Dairy Queen owners Gary and Urvi Patel (no relation) as being instrumental in his progress. However, “I didn’t want to go with a franchise already here in Taber. I have seen there are other places here that sell brisket and ribs, but maybe just sell one that is cooked in an oven. These ones are cooked in a smoker in a pit, so it has a smoky flavour and the taste and smell is totally different.”

 Patel looked around town and saw a lot of burgers and pizza and became “100 per cent sure” that a Dickey’s was the way to go. He said the seasoned smokiness is uniquely aromatic, and it differs from the waft of flame-broiled meats. In addition, it contrasts a fine-dining experience in that it cooks slowly but is served fast.

 Dickey’s is a chain with 18 Canadian locations, 10 in Alberta; 7 in Ontario; and one in Quebec. In Patel’s Taber franchise, the smoker will be running around the clock to ensure the meat is always fresh for the day. The brisket and pork butt take eight to 11 hours on an overnight cook and seven to eight on a day cook.

 When the staff arrives in the morning, “We check the temperature, wrap it up, and put it into the pit,” he said. The steak and other meats run on a day cook for three to four hours.

 Dickey’s just opened its doors on Oct. 11, and it’s a welcoming little joint with space for a sit down meal or pop-in for takeout. The restaurant offers catered meals for a variety of events. Visit the location at 5115 48 Ave – Unit 2 in Taber.