Page 12 - January 2022 Barbecue News Magazine
P. 12
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
CHRISTY JONES
bigdsqtn@gmail.com
AR, The Ohio Clubs’ legacy makes it not only the oldest bar in Arkansas but also one of the most interesting.
My dad, Big D’ Danny Montgomery, and I strolled into the Ohio Club dur- ing a road trip to Fire Dancer BBQ in nearby Benton, AR. We did not call ahead to make reservations, but somehow everybody knew our name. When you are friends with the kitchen manager, The Burger Chef Michael Dampier, he makes sure you are treated well.
This place has seen visitors and per- formances from the likes of President Franklin Roosevelt, Tony Bennett, Frank Costello, Al Capone, Babe Ruth, Cab Calloway, May West, Goose Gos- sage, Bo Derek, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rick Springfield, and Lucky Luciano. These days, you are likely to see BBQ royalty walk through the door as they stop in to eat one of The Burger Chefs’ fa- mous burgers.
Many know Michael Dampier (The Burger Chef) from his Master level KCBS and Prime level SCA judg- ing. Few know how his family played a role in helping you to find your love of barbeque, a word he created in the
English language. William Dampier, an early explorer/naturalist/bucca- neer who happens to be Michael’s 8th great grandfather sailed on many fa- mous voyages, the first person to cir- cumnavigate the world three times. The next time you use any of the fol- lowing words, think of William Dampier. They are just a few of the more than 1,000 words Dampier con- tributed to the English Language: Av- ocado, Barbeque, Breadfruit, Cashew, Chopsticks, Posse, and Tortilla. Dampier was also the first to witness a hog being cooked over an open fire pit in the Caribbean. He documented the process for the first time in the English language. I think we might all owe him a big thank you for docu- menting how to get that delicious smoke flavor.
Michael Dampier is equally as impres- sive. A knowledgeable cook, a pres- ence in both judging and competitive
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"Flavor That Wins... Memories That Last!"
Walking through the doors my eyes fell to the intricately carved wood bar, the smell familiar like a distant mem- ory. If I did not know better, I would think we were teleported to an episode of the cult classic Cheers.
Looking down, holes were visible on the vintage tile where a makeshift wall once stood during prohibition. The wall created the illusion of a cigar store front which camouflaged the speakeasy lurking a few inches be- hind. Opened in 1905 in Hot Springs,
12 - BarbecueNews.com
JANUARY 2022