In 2025, elevated comfort culinary options seem to be sought-after dude food, such as bacon egg and cheese egg rolls, deep fried cheesecake and keto jalapeño poppers. Some fusion desserts and unique chip flavors have surfaced, and pork and chicken are popular main entrees. But just ask Carl "Chef Chip" Huckaby II about foods most enjoyed by men, and he'll immediately say steaks, barbecue and ribs.
His housemade barbecue sauces span a red sweet/spice, Alabama white and yellow Carolina mustard.
Healthy variations of "dude food" include creamy pasta with chicken, turkey burgers and taco salads.
"My objective is to provide unique, memorable eating-enhanced events from start to finish, for all budgets, venues and occasions. Everybody deserves good, fresh food," says the catering chef, who enjoys topping steaks with mushrooms, blue cheese and onions.
While Chip closed the Huckaby’s Smokehouse location in Greenwood at 1140 North SR-135, Ste. K, during April, he plans to continue the catering portion of his business, still making great memories with organizations, social groups and school communities.
"This recent business transition is like a homecoming to me, because catering and concessions is where I started, and we've always handled it, too. But now we can completely focus on catering, including expanding our holiday pickup menus," he explains.
Chef Chip began his career standing on five-gallon buckets alongside his father, Chef Carl L. Huckaby CEC, CCE, CEPC, AAC, FMP. He says it was his greatest advantage to learn beside his father, his mentor, in their family bakeries and restaurants.
He’s worked at beloved restaurants: the Hillview Country Club in Franklin, the famed Chez Jean Restaurant Francais in Camby, as well as the world-renowned Indianapolis Motor Speedway as executive chef of the Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort & Inn. From there, he transitioned to helm Barto’s Banquets and Catering at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. In coalition with owner John Barto, they redefined the image of 'State Fair Food.'
He and John launched Food Guys Catering during January of 2014. During 2019, Chef Chip joined his expertise and Food Guys Catering with Keith Johnson at Smokehouse Catering Company to continue growing with each other and provide “Good Food Made Fresh.”
He says he and Keith picked up the storefront during COVID-19, mainly to help local customers with food items in short supply. "We were buying in bulk and preparing food when others were running out of ground beef, for example."
This chef surely enjoys helping others, as evidenced by his development of so many gluten-free menu choices. "We've learned how to work with allergies and diet sensitivities," he assures.
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