Growing up in Puerto Rico, Hector Garate’s culinary skills were heavily influenced by the culture surrounding him. Familiar in the art of whole animal cookery, Hector started exploring the world of barbecue, first focusing on Texas style before finding his own path. Today, he combines Texas traditions with South Carolina techniques and Puerto Rican flavors to create dishes that create buzz. Some of his championed dishes include smoked beef cheeks, whole hogs, and housemade sausages.Texas Monthly ranked his barbecue restaurant, Palmira Barbecue, as the top pick for barbecue outside of the Lone Star State, while Southern Living Magazine gave it the title of best barbecue joint in the south. In his everlasting quest to create the best dishes possible, Hector spends his spare time creating custom cooking appliances, including an offset smoker and a whole hog smoker. If that’s not a prime example of a man dedicated to his craft, well then we don’t know what is.
