Let’s get up close and personal with Dominique Leach, a black, lesbian, TV personality, entrepreneur, and go-getter who cooks up some of the best BBQ in the USA at Lexington Betty ย Smokehouse in Chicago.
Whatโs the best thing about running one of the hottest BBQ restaurants in Chicago? Ask Dominique Leach, the lesbian owner of Lexington Betty Smokehouse (lexingtonbetty.com), and she will tell you, โItโs setting an example as a Black, gay, TV personality, entrepreneur and go-getter, turned into a success.โ
(Photos courtesy of Lexington Betty Smokehouse)
She also advises her customers toย โTake a bite of life,โ as she herself did inย 2021 in Pullman, a far South Side suburb. Her place has been filling its 60 seats and putting her in clover, and the news, ever since.
Named for her grandmother, Betty King of Lexington, Mississippi, Dominique fused the memory of the flavors of her southern kitchen, with her own culinary school education in Illinois. Her formula has put her into the foodie mainstream and most recently a winner of Food Networkโs BBQ Brawl. Top favorite dishes at the restaurant are beef brisket and rib tips, and the meat served diners is typically the famed Wagyu. This is the worldโs most expensive beef, known for its marbled texture and exceptional flavor. (Translated: wa is Japan, gyu is cow).
โI came out when I was sixteen and the familyโs reaction was distancing. The standoffishness was awkward and it bothered me. I donโt expect anything less than respect, mutual respect.โ Today at thirty-eight, her familyโs opinions of her have mellowed. Yet, in her profession as a business leader, she has to handle her- self in a meticulous manner to always be above criticism.
Tanisha Griffin and Dominique at Lexington Betty Smokehouse (Photo by @JAMES_GUSTIN)
โI have to be one step ahead of peopleโs bad intentions, those who take advantage or exploit you in some way,โ she says. Unspoken is the reality of her position as a woman and also a lesbian inย a profession historically male, white, andย cisgender. As a pitmaster she is also a member of a tiny minority. As opposed to grill masters, pitmasters are by definition more likely responsible for cooking larger cuts of meat than the usual burgers or steak. Very often, thatโs considered โmanโs workโ.
Partners for fourteen years, married for eight, Dominiqueโs wife, Tanisha Griffin, is thirty-six. They metย at a birthday party at Spoils Bar in Calumet City and married at Astoria, a banquet space; it was Tanisha who chose all the event details like lights, candles, flowers. Their honeymoon, in November, was in Vail, Colorado. Vail? Really? Theyโd already been in many Caribbean spots and decided to choose something totally different .
(Photos courtesy of Lexington Betty Smokehouse)
โWe stayed at the Four Seasons, and because it was off season we got mas- sages, happy-anniversary attention, and special treatment. It was great!โ
The couple are also business partners.ย Tanisha handles the day to day businessย Dominique Leachย of the restaurant, while Dominique says, โAnd I go wherever Iโm needed.โ
Where she is needed these days is in the expansion of her retail line. The Lexington Betty Smokehouse brand is available in many local supermarkets, and each one features the restaurant logo and Dominiqueโs image. Her aspiration is to expand the retail end beyond the brick and mortar dining room and the food truck.
Why situate in Pullman? This venue was the location of one of Dominiqueโs initial three restaurants, two of which were among the many victims of Covid 19. The three became the one, which was located in a larger retail venue. When the other tenants left, Lexington Betty consolidated and took over the entire space.
Today, Dominique has little time for leisure. She is too busy enjoying โwatching peopleโs expressions when theyโre eating my food!โ She may be referring to the chopped brisket, pulled pork, Cajun Andouille Sausage, or any of the many other items on the Lexington Betty menu. Her aspiration is that youโll find some of them in supermarkets everywhere from coast to coast.
But what are the worst things about owning a popular restaurant? โ[Those] who come in here and give advice to a world- renowned pitmaster!โ Spoken like the confident, top-tier chef she has become.
Brisket Lexington Betty Smokehouse
RECIPE:
To give you a taste of what you can expect at Lexington Betty Smokehouse, Dominique has provide us with her recipe for Cajun Andouille Sausage Macaroni & Cheese.
Cajun Andouille Sausage Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni Pasta
- 3 Andouille sausage
- 2 quarts pasta water
- 2 oz salt for paste water
- 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
- 1oz Louisiana Hot Sauce
- 3oz Tete Seasoning
- 8oz shredded Gouda cheese
- 5 slices American cheese
- 8oz shredded mozzarella
- 10oz shredded cheddar/jack cheese
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 pound butter
- 1 quart milk
- 4 oz heavy cream
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Bring pasta water to a rumbling boil before adding pasta. Cook pasta 6-12 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Strain pasta into a Colander. Toss pasta in vegetable oil to prevent it from sticking. Put the pasta to the side to allow it to cool off a bit.
Cut the sausage into 1/4 inch slices. Sautรฉ them in a sautรฉ pan until hot. Put the sausage to the side to cool down so you can make the sauce.
To make the cheese sauce, first start with a roux. Melt the butter in a medium size pot. When the butter is melted, slow- ly whisk in the flour to establish a roux. When the flour is completely incorporated into the butter allow the roux to cook for a few minutes. Move the roux consisttently so it doesnโt burn or get too dark.
After a few minutes, pour the milk into theย roux stirring constantly. Allow the milk to warm up. Keep stirring. When the milk is hot, start to incorporate the Cajun seasoning, Tete Seasoning, black pepper, & hot sauce. After the spices are incorporated, gradually add the gouda, Ameri- can, and mozzarella cheese. When all the cheese is melted combine the cheese sauce, andouille, and pasta. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking if necessary. Transfer the pasta to a half hotel pan. Top it with the cheddar/jack cheese mix. Bread crumbs are optional. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve while hot!
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