A Hometown Story
Meeting at just 15 years old, chefs and business partners Brad Costa and Fred Fantacci both went to John I Leonard High School in Greenacres, Florida. After realizing they lived only a block away from each other, it was easy to become fast friends. Brad first started working in restaurant as a fry cook and soon after got Fred a job in the kitchen as well. After working together in that first kitchen, they figured out quickly that cooking food was fun. They worked together off and on for a few years at different places, and always remained close friends.
Both Brad and Fred shared a couple of dreams, one of which was to go to culinary school to take their trade to the next level. Most importantly, they planned to open their own kitchen to share their passion of food with the community. They both applied to the Culinary Institute of America and ventured off to school together yet again. But this experience wasn’t at all like high school, finally they were learning their craft with every resource at their fingertips. After graduating, Fred and Brad went in different directions with their careers, working as chefs in New York, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Birmingham, and Vermont.
After years of learning in great food cities, both chefs ended back in their hometown in South Florida. One night they spent all day and night preparing BBQ for themselves and some close friends. As they watched everyone eat and enjoy themselves, they kicked around the idea of taking their passion for food and BBQ specifically, to create their own kitchen together. Eventually Brad and Fred decided to start their business as a food truck, Twisted Smoke BBQ. They contacted another high school friend, a talented fabricator to custom build their smoker. Dedicated to hospitality and quality, Fred and Brad are doing Texas style BBQ cooking techniques with their own twist.
