Brandon Hurtado

From serving barbecue at pop-up events across north Texas to opening four brick and mortar locations in four years, Hurtado Barbecue is an explosive success story that began with a simple passion for the pit. Brandon Hurtado and his wife Hannah started serving barbecue in 2018 to hungry brewery-goers in Arlington, Denton and Fort Worth, and after about a year of grueling experience in the pop-up BBQ scene, they graduated to a food truck in 2019 at Division Brewing in Arlington. Open only on Saturdays for lunch, the food truck was an instant hit in Downtown Arlington, which forced the Hurtado family to expand their hours quickly. A short time later, the Hurtados agreed to open their first brick-and-mortar location in Downtown Arlington, which is located inside of a tiny, 120-year-old building and former railroad station on Front Street. The Arlington location opened in February 2020, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing them to utilize only online ordering. Brandon Hurtado’s experience in digital marketing as the CEO of ANKR Agency helped the company focus specifically on growing its online business with pre-orders, deliveries, and curbside pickup. Fast forward to 2023, Hurtado Barbecue was named the Official Barbecue Restaurant of the Texas Rangers during their first World Series championship in franchise history. Additionally, they were honored with the MLB Diverse Business Partner of the Year award in 2024 after opening their second location inside of Globe Life Field. Hurtado is also partnered with Taylor Sheridan's 6666 Ranch Beef, and is the only barbecue restaurant in Texas providing 6666 Ranch beef to consumers. Hurtado is also the food operator at Taylor Sheridan's Bosque Ranch near Weatherford, Texas. This growth has made Hurtado Barbecue one of the fastest growing independently-owned barbecue brands in the country, with additional locations and exciting new concepts in the works.