Food & Dining: A Bold Desi Spin on BBQ
[Left] Jay Patel and his wife at their pop-up stall. (Photo: Aaliyah Man, a.man_foodphotographer)
Jay Patel, who grew up vegetarian, found his passion for cooking meats while in college. Now, Southerners around metro Atlanta are lining up at his pop-up food stall at breweries, distilleries, and special events, where he and his wife serve barbecue, a regional classic, reimagined with Indian flavors— think ginger, garlic, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala. In an interview, Patel talks about his journey, and offers tips on summer grilling.
On a Saturday morning, there is a long line at my local Stout Brothers Beer Market in Smyrna. The crowds are not there for a glass of beer at noon but are, in fact, rushing in to relish barbecue sandwiches and wings— served with a spicy twist. Dressed in a black t-shirt and baseball cap, Chef Jay Patel expertly smears Amul butter on brioche slider buns and toasts them on a skillet. He then adds his specialty meats with toppings of sliced red onions and cilantro aioli. The combination of butter, spice, tender chicken, and moist brisket is a hit with his patrons. The food sells out within a couple of hours.
Growing up in a vegetarian family in Chicago, Jay Patel got his first flavor of beef chili during a high school football team dinner, and soon found his passion on the grills at friends’ cookouts.
When Patel and his wife, Niki, moved to Atlanta in 2020, they started their own pop-up Dhaba BBQ because he wanted to change the stereotypical perception of Indian food by translating classic Indian dishes into handheld, barbecue formats, merging the smoky, savory world of American barbecue with the vibrant, aromatic spices of Indian cuisine.
In our fireside chat, Patel, who is a cybersecurity professional by day, discusses his unconventional path to the pit and offers home chefs some tips for summer grilling.
As someone who grew up vegetarian, how did you get interested in cooking meat?
My journey into cooking meat began in a rather unremarkable way. During college, I relied heavily on canned chicken breast, seasoning it with basic ingredients like garlic and jerk spices that I had on hand. At the time, I wasn’t much of a cook, so I did whatever I could to prepare meat in the simplest way possible. Later on, after watching a few Indian cooking shows at home, I became inspired and convinced that I could make food just as flavorful. I decided to try my hand at cooking a variety of meats—drumsticks, salmon, steak, and lamb chops— all at once. Admittedly, I didn’t fully know what I was doing in the kitchen, but the dishes turned out surprisingly well. Everyone raved about them, so perhaps I had a hidden talent that I hadn’t discovered until then.
My first “real” attempt at Indian cooking was grilled chicken tikka masala drumsticks for a friend’s picnic— and to my surprise, they were a hit! Many people at the event came up to me asking for the recipe. I didn't have one! I had simply improvised a mix of spices without measuring or planning. That experience motivated me to start documenting and refining the dishes I created. At the end of the day, great barbequing comes back to mastering the basics—marinating well and cooking with care.
What inspired you to turn your passion into a business?
When I first started doing pop-ups [temporary, often short-term, food service events or establishments that "pop up" in a specific location for a limited time], it was simply out of a love for cooking and a desire to share that passion with others. Working with a pop-up format gives my wife and me the creative freedom to cook what we love and take calculated risks with new ideas and flavors.
I'm a big believer in bold, vibrant flavors—balanced in a way that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their spice tolerance. Over time, I’ve explored and blended different cooking techniques—including smoking, grilling, and sous vide—to elevate our dishes even further.
If you had told me, back when we started doing pop-ups, that one day it would become a business, I wouldn’t have believed it. But with time, consistency, and a lot of heart, we’ve grown—and we’re incredibly humbled by the support. As a pop-up, our capacity is limited by what we can prepare and transport, so our fans know to show up early!
How did you come up with the concept of Dhaba BBQ?
I've always had a passion for cooking, and after moving to Atlanta, I discovered the city’s vibrant pop-up scene. Once my wife and I settled into our new home, we decided—encouraged by our close friends—to launch our own pop-up. In the beginning, it was challenging to book events and get the word
out about our concept.
I knew I wanted to offer a fresh perspective on Indian cuisine—something modern, approachable, and exciting. My goal was to reimagine traditional flavors in a way that would resonate with a wider audience, especially in the kind of casual, social spaces I love—like breweries. You typically won’t find dishes like Lemon Pepper Masala, Indo Jerk, or Chicken 65 Wings on standard menus at such establishments. But I make it a point to think outside the box and create something unexpected.
How do you balance the flavors on the grill?
Whenever you taste my food, you'll notice how strongly my Indian heritage comes through—whether it’s lemon pepper masala wings on the weekend or tandoori steaks on steak night. While I don’t usually cook from traditional recipes, I do take the time to document my own. Creating great food is the easy part; doing it consistently is the real challenge. That’s why I measure all my recipes down to the gram to ensure consistency every single time.
I typically marinate everything I cook for at least 12 hours, often up to 24. This is especially important for wings and chicken, which need time to fully absorb the flavors. Cuts like beef and lamb, which are naturally fattier, offer more flexibility and don’t always require extensive marination in advance.
At most Indian restaurants, the majority of meat dishes are centered around chicken. I wanted to expand on that foundation by applying similar techniques and flavors to beef and lamb—meats that aren’t as commonly used in Indian cuisine. That approach led to the creation of some of our standout dishes:
Indian-style cheesesteaks, oxtail tikka masala, nihari beef with smoked bone marrow, and our signature lamb burgers.
What can you make on the grill for vegetarians?
I think the flavor profiles that are associated with Indian style meats can easily be applied to vegetarian foods. Ginger, garlic, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala can be thrown onto some smoked paneer, vegetables, and plant-based meat.
What are your best tips for using the back- yard grill?
When it comes to grilling, temperature is everything. Unless your grill has a built-in system to monitor and control the heat automatically, you need to stay attentive throughout the process. Take the opportunity to experiment with low-and-slow cooking, rather than always relying on high heat. This approach has helped me develop deeper flavors and achieve a variety of textures when working with different cuts of meat.
Where can diners find you?
Currently, we set up our pop-up at breweries, distilleries, and at special events (such as collaborative dinners) around the Atlanta area. We announce our weekly schedule on Instagram and TikTok @thedhababbq, but we recommend arriving early because we always sell out before the closing time.
Sucheta Rawal is an award-winning food and travel writer who has traveled to over 120 countries across seven continents, experiencing the world through her palate. She inspires people to travel more meaningfully and sustainably through her nonprofit, Go Eat Give, and her books, Beato Goes To. Find her on social @SuchetaRawal.
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