It all began with earning a Purple Heart. And inheriting a meat smoker.

Southern Goods sous chef Patrick Feges (photo below) has overcome many battles – both inside the kitchen and outside in the field – on his rise to becoming one of Houston’s hottest barbecue chefs. His inventive take on classic Southern dishes stems from a variety of elite experiences smoking meat with Underbelly, Killen’s Barbecue and, originally, a smoker he received in the U.S. Army.

Feges joined the Army after graduating high school and trained as a cook. Within a year, he was deployed to Korea and then Iraq. Three months into his service in Iraq, Feges’ life changed forever when he was hit by a piece of shrapnel from a mortar that landed 20 feet away, severing his iliac artery. After technically bleeding to death and being revived twice, Feges was awarded the Purple Heart.

Patrick Feges. Photo courtesy of 44 Farms

While in rehabilitation at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Feges inherited an old, worn-out Brinkman smoker from a comrade who was being discharged. It was during his recovery that Feges discovered his calling to serve – this time, serving meals outside the army. The flame for Feges’ love of barbecue and cooking had been lit.

“I took the smoker home, and since barbecue is my favorite thing to eat, I started playing around with brisket and other types of meat,” Feges said. “I made a lot of bad barbecue for a while. Each time I wanted to figure out what I did wrong and how to make it better and better, perfect it. Compared to how I cook now, I look back and smile at how I was learning.”

Perfect it he did. After being medically discharged 10 months later, Feges enrolled in the Texas Culinary Academy, the Cordon Bleu, in Austin and took his newfound passion for smoking to some of Texas’s best-known barbecue establishments, including Franklin Barbecue in Austin and the openings of Underbelly in Houston and Killen’s Barbecue in Pearland.

In 2015, Feges joined chef Lyle Bento and chef de cuisine J.D. Woodward to open the lively Southern Goods restaurant in the Houston Heights area. The comfortable atmosphere of Southern Goods offers guests classic Southern dishes with a modern twist, a homey indoor restaurant, covered patio, indoor/outdoor bar, dart boards and a rooftop garden that hosts live music.

Southern Goods’ burger. Photo by Becca Wright

Feges takes an inventive approach to classic Southern Goods dishes. Ribs? He smokes them to succulent and effortless pull-off-the-bone perfection. Burgers? He doubles the meat and adds comeback sauce to kick it up a notch. But his real star of the show? Feges’s original recipe for “Beef Belly Burnt Ends,” a unique savory dish with a contemporary twist that has become a Houston classic.

“Beef belly burnt (photo below) ends are a Kansas City dish, usually with brisket,” said Feges. “I wanted to bring the flavor down here and incorporate an unexpected flavor with the 44 Farms beef belly. The burnt end has a good amount of fat in it, which makes it sticky, sweet and perfect when cooked out. Paired with our cheese grits and braised greens, this crunchy, fatty piece of meat hits the whole palate. It’s the best thing we’ve ever done. Phenomenal.”

Patrick Feges’ beef belly burnt ends at Southern Goods. Photo by Becca Wright

Feges’ recipe earned him first place in people’s choice and second place among judges for the 2016 Houston Barbecue Throwdown. Unafraid to experiment with different cuts of meat and the smoking process, he is relied upon as the go-to smoke expert for the Southern Goods culinary team and plays with new flavor combinations to rotate on the menu, from smoked meatballs to smoked chicken wings.

“We just do good food. We have zero restrictions when creating recipes, other than it has to be Southern, so if it’s outlandish or even foolish – we’re game for trying it,” Feges said.

Southern Goods’ New York Strip Etouffée. Photo by Becca Wright

Featuring a variety of Southern classics, Southern Goods offers traditional, yet modern, dishes ranging from Cracklins and Fried Green Tomatoes to New York Strip Etouffée (photo above) and Shrimp & Grits Croquettes. As the chefs develop new recipes, the menu changes frequently with new interpretations for popular cuisine with portions for table-sharing or personal plates. Among customer favorites is the Beef Belly Burnt Ends featuring locally-sourced 44 Farms beef.

“People love to hear that we’re using local beef. 44 Farms obviously has a name and reputation for its incredible flavor,” Feges said. “People know what it is and dine with us to get the best of the best in beef.”

Just as Feges knows the power of teamwork in the battlefield, he also appreciates the teamwork of the Southern Goods culinary team in producing extraordinary dining experiences.

“At end of the day, Lyle Bento and J.D. Woodward are such a good team,” Feges said. “We just like to put out good food. Everyone checks egos at the door and works together to make this place the best it can be.”

*Brought to you by the partnership of My Table magazine and 44 Farms