‘A special touch.’ How Columbus man’s love for BBQ made his food truck a city favorite
Earlier this month, the Ledger-Enquirer asked our readers what they believe is the best barbecue restaurant around. About 30,000 votes later, the answer was clear.
The Emeralds Touch BBQ ran away with the unscientific poll, garnering 62% of the vote in the final round.
The food truck is led by pitmaster Prathan Powell and his wife, Sandy. Powell has been the pastor at World Changes Tabernacle for 30 years, but he always wanted to run a food truck.
One day in 2019, Powell and Sandy were leaving a community outreach event for the church when they saw the neon orange food trailer for sale. The business selling the trailer was closed, so Powell had to return the next morning to inquire about the trailer and buy it.
He didn’t even have a truck to pull it at first, but he was committed to starting his business. The Emeralds Touch BBQ opened in August 2019, less than a year before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“When we started, the first month was discouraging,” Powell said. “My friends know me. But everyone else didn’t know about my barbecue.”
The food truck got around four customers a day in the beginning, Powell said.
Determined, he stayed the course as the pandemic wreaked havoc on the restaurant industry. Then TSYS asked Powell to cater for their employees. After TSYS, the truck got another big job with FedEx.
Now his truck sometimes serves up to 800 customers a day, Powell said.
A lifelong passion for barbecue
Powell always has loved barbecue, and he learned his craft by watching others. His first teacher was his brother.
“But he used to burn it,” Powell said. “So, I knew that wasn’t the right way.”
Nevertheless, he watched his brother and learned. He also watched pitmasters on television, and he became inspired by the different types of recipes showcased.
Even after becoming a pastor, Powell continued to cook and hone his skills. He would stay awake until 3 a.m. creating recipes while others slept, he said.
Powell has been cooking recreationally for 15 years, but he was certified as a pitmaster three years ago.
“In the beginning, it was challenging because you make a lot of mistakes cooking,” he said. “What may be good to you and your family may not be good to the consumer.”
Sandy was his support system, he said. She was good at giving him constructive criticism on his recipes and challenging him when he needed it.
It was Sandy who ended up naming his business The Emeralds Touch BBQ, Powell said.
“How about Emeralds?” Sandy asked.
Powell was confused about what she was referencing at first, but Sandy explained that she was referring to the gem. Jewelers have a special touch with gems, and Powell has a special touch at the grill.
‘Cooked nice and slow’
Powell stands over the black Green Mountain Pellet grill Friday morning, turning over ribs that began cooking in the early morning hours. The aroma fills the air, as Powell and his team prepare to take the trailer to Fort Benning.
“All of our food is cooked nice and slow,” he said.
The grill is capable of cooking up to 24 slabs of ribs at one time, 30 Boston butts, 32 briskets and 150 pieces of chicken. He likes this grill better than the charcoal grill because it’s more efficient, and he’s concerned about possibly harmful health effects of the charcoal.
Customers can get a rib lunch for $9.25, which comes with one side. A rib dinner is priced at $12.95, and a chicken dinner sells for $9.95. The truck is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
The meat on the plate falls off the bone, and the sauce is full of bold flavors with a spicy kick to it. Sandy is responsible for the mac and cheese. Customers can also enjoy his Jamaican cabbage and coleslaw.
Powell is thankful for winning the poll. He’s not really a competitive person, but he’s very passionate about maintaining consistency in the quality of food.
“It’s about doing what needs to be done and having a love for it,” Powell said. “No matter how big you get, you still got to remember to have a love for what you do.”
