Marlton is getting a new barbecue joint.
Big Dean’s BBQ & Chicken will open at 103 N.J. 70, Unit A, in the former Gaetano’s of Marlton space.
The new barbecue spot will be a namesake concept from Chef Dean Dupuis.
“I’ve been in kitchens forever, over 30 years. I’ve worked in very high-end restaurants and I’ve also done every day Americana food,” Chef Dupuis told Whatnow Philadelphia.
Chef Dupuis, the self-proclaimed “kitchen dude,” has appeared on Food Network’s “Chopped” and “Cutthroat Kitchen.”
The chef said he had been out of the kitchen for a couple of years and was ready to hang up his hat and apron when LaScala Restaurant Group approached him about a potential collaboration.
LaScala Restaurant Group operates a collection of restaurant concepts across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including LaScala’s Fire, LaScala’s Birra, LaScala’s Pronto, LaScala’s Beach House, Lorenzo Pizza & Steaks and The Chicken or the Egg.
“They said, ‘Hey! What do you think about coming out of retirement?’ We had some phone conversations,” he said. “I’ve opened barbecue places, I’ve opened hot chicken places, so we’re going to bring them both together.”
The menu will feature barbecue and chicken staples, hence the name, but with an elevated approach guided by the chef’s “wisdom.”
Highlights will include a barbecue club with smoked turkey, smoked beef and bacon, Baltimore pit beef sandwiches, smoked cheesesteaks, burgers, and a cornmeal and Cooper sharp cheddar corn fritter with barbecue aioli.
“We’re going to take the bottom round of beef, certified Angus beef, and we’re going to smoke it until it’s rare, like roast beef. We’re going to hold it warm and shave it out to order. Then, all the leftover meat, I’m going to shave it and make that into my cheesesteaks,” Chef Dupuis said.
Everything will be sourced locally, including pork and chicken from Lancaster and Pennsylvania, cornmeal and flour from Castle Valley Mill, and ground meat from Allen Brothers. He said he also spent two months searching for the ideal bread, which will come from a Philadelphia bakery.
Chef Dupuis looks forward to firing up the grill again.
“I’m excited to get back into it. I love cooking. It’s a passion of mine. It’s my world,” he said.
For those looking for a sneak preview of Big Dean’s BBQ & Chicken, the chef will set up a tent at the Evesham Farmers Market on Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m., starting Sept. 4.
An official opening date has not yet been announced, but the team is targeting a mid-fall opening. Stay tuned!
[Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with an official interview with Chef Dean Dupuis]
