Patrick Hicks

The Path

Florida Culinary Institute gave Patrick Hicks the baseline that shows up in the work: discipline, attention to detail, and a technical framework sturdy enough to carry a distinct point of view. That training is part of why Smoke'N Ash BBQ reads less like a side project than a place where formal kitchen habits have been put to direct use. As owner and chef of Smoke'N Ash BBQ, Hicks is working from a position of control, with the restaurant’s identity shaped from inside the kitchen rather than applied after the fact.

The Work Today

At Smoke'N Ash BBQ, the cooking is defined by Tex-Ethiopian barbecue, a style that gives the restaurant its point of view and keeps the menu anchored to something specific. Hicks serves as chef, and that role means the food is not just executed under his name but formed by it. The work is grounded in barbecue’s core demands—fire, smoke, and consistency—while the Tex-Ethiopian frame gives the kitchen a clear edge and a recognizable profile. The line between training and expression is visible in the way the restaurant presents itself. Hicks’s background provides the structure; the menu’s hybrid identity provides the character. Together, they make Smoke'N Ash BBQ legible as craft-led barbecue with a defined voice.

Career - owner — Smoke'N Ash BBQ, Arlington, Texas, US - chef — Smoke'N Ash BBQ, Arlington, Texas, US Education: Florida Culinary Institute

Signature

Patrick Hicks is known for Tex-Ethiopian barbecue. The phrase is concise, but it captures the core of the work: barbecue shaped through a hybrid lens, with Smoke'N Ash BBQ built around that combination.

FAQ Where did Patrick Hicks train or study? Patrick Hicks trained at Florida Culinary Institute. What is Patrick Hicks known for? Tex-Ethiopian barbecue.