After studying at West Point and the University of Texas, Don Nguyen's life took a turn after an impulse buy at a grocery store made him the proud owner of a smoker. From there, he and his brother Theo dedicated themselves to the craft of smoking meat. But Don’s love of Texas barbecue was more than a hobby. Later he would incorporate those smoking techniques with his mom’s traditional Vietnamese recipes and form the Houston-based barbecue project, Khói Barbecue, where he pairs smoked ribs or brisket with fish sauce — a flavor combination he knew would be crave-worthy. Don’s creativity, his respect for his roots, and his get-it-done attitude have us anxiously checking our phones for the next Khói Barbecue pop-up.