After graduating from his grandma’s kitchen, Chef Carter went on to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. Next he spent 15 years in fine dining where he perfected his skills, techniques and flavor profiles. Soul & Smoke has been in business as a caterer for 10 years, and opened as a to-go restaurant during the pandemic in 2020.
Since then, Soul & Smoke has grown rapidly, with two take-out exclusive restaurants, two food trucks, a kiosk in Soldier Field and a rapidly-growing grocery line now carried in all 44 Mariano’s, along with many other local purveyors.
Soul & Smoke is invested in their community, and has donated over 250,000 meals to first responders and struggling communities with the help of World Central Kitchen and the Trotter Project. They now have a community fridge at their Evanston, IL location where they offer free meals to struggling families in the neighborhood everyday. Chef Carter is on the board of the Trotter Project as well as on the Illinois Restaurant Association Advisory Board.
ABOUT
COMFORT FOOD FROM THE HEART
WHAT SETS US APART?
We strive to serve the very best BBQ in Chicago — and that starts with a commitment to excellence and to our community.
INGREDIENTS
We only use high quality meats and fresh ingredients from trusted partners
COMMMUNITY
During the pandemic, Soul & Smoke began working with World Central Kitchen and local community foundations, and has provided over 250,000 meals to Chicagoans in need. We host a 24/7 community fridge at our Evanston location.
SUSTAINABILITY
We source our meat from regional farms, manage a compost program for food waste, and use biodegradable and recyclable packaging.
CULTURE
We pay fair wages and pool tips among all employees, ensuring that all staff make $20+ per hour regardless of their role. We also provide health benefits, paid sick time, and make work a place our team wants to be.
GRATUITY + SERVICE FEES
Our goal is to fairly compensate our team for their work while separating ourselves from the negative historical practices surrounding tipping.
At Soul & Smoke, we pride ourselves on using high-quality ingredients, paying our staff well, composting, using eco-friendly disposables, and giving back to our community - we've provided almost 350,000 community meals since 2020!
We recognize the importance of value, and feel that further price adjustments to our menu could risk our competitive standing within the market. Moving forward, we’re instituting an 8% service charge at our counter service restaurants and for catering orders, and 18% on food truck events and full service catering. There will not be an option to add an additional gratuity to any checks.
This service fee will be distributed to all of our employees. From delivery drivers, to dishwashers, to the kitchen team and cashiers - based on the number of hours worked each week. We will also continue to pay our employees a living wage, provide paid time off, health and dental insurance, retirement savings, and other ancillary benefits.
We appreciate your support as we continue striving to establish an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and considerate of all individuals.
If you would like the service charge removed from your bill, please let us know.
Chef D’Andre Carter has earned a national reputation as an elite fine-dining chef, but his true passion, obsession, even! -is barbecue.
It all started at his grandma’s house on the South Side of Chicago. There, helping her cook Sunday dinners for family and friends, Chef Carter learned that it’s not just the flavors that make a meal memorable: it’s the people you share it with, too. Good food tastes good and makes you feel good.
After graduating from his grandma’s kitchen, Chef Carter went on to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and worked his way up in Chicago’s fine-dining scene. Today, Chef Carter is legendary for his gourmet approach to humble barbecue. His signature sauce mixes St. Louis flavors with his proprietary spice blend. Ever the student of the craft, he’s continually refining his menu and experimenting with smoking techniques.
One thing that never changes: Chef Carter’s commitment to creating restaurant-quality dishes that pay respect to barbecue’s joyful, nostalgic, and timeless flavors.
D’ANDRE CARTER
Executive Chef
After earning a degree in non-fiction and creative writing, Heather attended culinary school at Kendall College with aspirations of becoming a food writer. During school, she did an internship at the restaurant Moto, where she discovered a deep fulfillment in creating positive dining experiences for guests – and met D’Andre. Upon finishing school, she continued her culinary career on the wine team at Michelin-starred restaurant Tru. Heather and D’Andre went into business together in 2012, which evolved into what Soul & Smoke is today.
Heather embodies many roles while overseeing Soul & Smoke’s daily operations, coordinating across the restaurant teams to provide exceptional service and the best barbecue in Chicago. Heather focuses on operations, business development and partnerships, business planning and problem-solving, always with a focus on the guest experience.
HEATHER BUBLICK
CEO
OUR TEAM
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Angelica
EVANSTON KITCHEN MANAGER
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Devante
PIT LEAD
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![Sarah]()
Sarah
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
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Rebecca
RESOURCE DIRECTOR
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Marco
EVANSTON LEAD
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Rosalyn
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
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Gregg
OFFICE MANAGER
