Mr. Rivera, a New Yorker and BBQ lover, never planned to sell meat. In 2009, he tasted a spicy sauce at a Mets game and wanted to recreate it. He quit his job as an executive chef and went to culinary school. By 2019, he was selling his own sauces inspired by Puerto Rican flavors, under the name Father & Son’s, with a label showing him and his son.
During the pandemic, Mr. Rivera stayed home due to an injury and did a lot of research online. In 2021, he started selling his sauces on weekends at the Gun Hill Brewery in the Bronx. A friend brought a smoker to cook meat for customers to try the sauces. The food became very popular and sold out in three hours.
Mr. Rivera realized that the food was more popular than the sauce. What started as a weekend activity is now becoming a full-time business. He gets help from his wife, their 17-year-old son, and cousins. He created a menu with Puerto Rican dishes like roast pork and yellow rice with pigeon peas, reminding people that Puerto Rico’s Indigenous people also barbecued meats.
At a recent festival, Chef Miguel Antonio Salamanca praised Mr. Rivera's brisket, calling it the best he ever had. Depending on the amount and quality of the meat, meal prices in New York City can vary, but Mr. Rivera’s most popular sandwich is affordable.
Running the business is challenging due to fluctuating meat prices and rising costs for fuel and supplies. Outdoor events, which increased during the pandemic, are more profitable than street sales. Mr. Rivera sometimes prepares food in a commercial kitchen in Westchester, which costs $100 to $300 per visit. He often sleeps in his truck overnight when cooking for events. He adjusts menus for different events, like adding a $20 meat and three-side combo or offering hot dogs and fries for families.
Mr. Rivera faces difficulties like truck breakdowns and the unavailability of his favorite bread. Despite the challenges, he is motivated to make his business full-time after three years of traveling. He plans to hire his first employee outside the family, an apprentice, to help him.
Mr. Rivera feels close to achieving his goal and looks forward to having a trained staff so he can take a break occasionally.
