Snoqualmie’s Barbecue Restaurant Buckshot Honey Provides New Location in Cashmere

David Storm, the barbecue pitmaster behind Buckshot Honey in Snoqualmie, has remodeled his ardour for feeding folks right into a profitable restaurant enterprise that’s now increasing to Cashmere, Washington.

On Friday, October 18, Buckshot Honey’s new location debuted at 400 Aplets Method in Cashmere, which as soon as housed a widely known barbecue spot known as Nation Boys. The area appears tailored for the restaurant. Constructed round two big rotisserie people who smoke, the country venue options salvaged wooden partitions and outside seating. Search for all the best hits from the unique Buckshot Honey menu such because the Dave’s Method with a ½-pound smoked brisket on rye with roasted onions, pickled peppers, black pepper mayo, and provolone cheese whiz and the burnt-ends chili served with cornbread.

Storm’s story in hospitality is one among perseverance. He acquired his begin at 13, as a busboy and dishwasher in Florida at Saint Petersburg Fish Home. 5 years later, he made the transfer to California, cooking in LA for a couple of years, earlier than heading north to the redwoods in Humboldt County. For six years he immersed himself within the native punk scene, he performed in bands, and partied. At one level he grew to become homeless in Eureka — “a tough, chilly, and wet place,” he says. “I discovered an enormous respect for the neighborhood soup kitchen. I’d go there two to 3 instances a day. Turkey and ham sandwiches on Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Storm recollects.

Buckshot Honey

Storm finally acquired a job at a French spot known as Chemin de Fer the place he was in a position to make sufficient cash to get off the streets.

In 2001 Storm pulled up stakes and road-tripped to Seattle. Arriving within the metropolis along with his spouse and two little ladies, Storm discovered a job inside three days working the grill at Stanford’s in South Middle Mall. Nonetheless, he saved his eyes peeled for brand new alternatives.

That chance occurred to be at Portage Bay Cafe. To at the present time, Storm nonetheless considers the eatery top-of-the-line within the metropolis. It was there the place he discovered “rock the egg station,” which he notes isn’t any simple feat. Homeowners John and Amy Gunnar acknowledged Storm’s abilities within the kitchen and he was rapidly promoted to sous-chef, after which finally head chef of the favored breakfast and lunch spot with a deal with native components.

“I discovered loads from John and Amy,” Storm says. “They taught me a lot concerning the issues with our meals chain and launched me to so many sustainable components within the PNW. A lot respect for them.”

It was additionally round this time that Storm hit a tough patch. His marriage was not figuring out and he was going by way of a divorce. As Storm places it, “I used to be utterly damaged.”

Storm moved over to Tom Douglas’s now-defunct Dahlia Lounge. Though he liked his new job and his cooks and associates, Storm was in a “self-destruct mode” and the gig solely lasted a yr. “My alcoholism was affecting my work,” he recollects. “I feel everybody knew it however me.”

At one level, Storm swallowed a bottle of Xanax and washed them down with a tall can of Pabst, in an try to take his personal life. As an alternative, he awakened in a mattress at Harborview Hospital.

The Tom Douglas restaurant group stepped in and acquired Storm counseling and medicine. “That shit saved my life,” Storm says.

Because the Seattle meals scene advanced, Storm embraced the rising meals truck pattern, becoming a member of Josh Henderson’s Skillet. The work was onerous, however enjoyable, and Storm discovered a ‘household’ amongst the crew cooking on the truck. Whereas at Skillet, Storm entered an outpatient restoration program and began his sobriety, which marked a turning level in each his private life and his culinary profession. He’s at present 11 years sober.

Storm spent the following 8 years with Henderson opening High quality Athletics, Westward, and Nice State Burger. When Renee Erickson’s group, Sea Creatures, took over Nice State Burger, Storm moved on.

Round that point, Storm’s dad handed, and he inherited a small sum; this inheritance grew to become the seed cash for Buckshot Honey.

Buckshot Honey

The timing, nonetheless, couldn’t have been tougher. Storm signed the lease on an outdated Snoqualmie financial institution constructing established in 1923 in February 2020, after the primary U.S. COVID-19 case was recognized in Washington State and weeks earlier than social distancing measures and eating room closures successfully shut down the restaurant business. However for Storm, “failure was not an possibility.”

Buckshot Honey opened its doorways on July 29, 2020 — a date that serendipitously coincided with Storm’s late father’s birthday. A success proper out of the gate, Buckshot Honey had followers from all around the area lining up for brisket and cornbread.

With the growth to Cashmere, Storm has added a fryer and new cooks who will proceed so as to add to the already in depth Buckshot Honey canon.

Buckshot Honey is open at 400 Aplets Method in Cashmere and at 38767 SE River Avenue in Snoqualmie.

In the event you or anybody you understand is contemplating suicide or self-harm or is anxious, depressed, upset, or wants to speak, name the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or textual content the Disaster Textual content Line at 741-741. For worldwide assets, right here is an effective place to start.