Long before Code 1 BBQ existed (before the smokers, the sauces, the customers, the chaos) it was just two newlyweds in a beat-up car chasing the promise of good BBQ across New England.
Back then, real BBQ spots were rare up here. When we found one, it felt like discovering treasure. Until we tasted it. Some places were okay. Some were bland. Some were all smoke and no soul. And some loaded their food with so much junk — preservatives, additives, cheap oils — that I’d feel sick before I even got home.
And with my allergies and intolerances? Eating BBQ became a gamble. One wrong ingredient and my entire day was wrecked.
That’s when Sean and I looked at each other and said the most dangerous words two stubborn people can say:
“We can do better than this.”
So, we started smoking at home. One brisket at a time. One failed rib at a time. One late-night “try this again” at a time. Over the years we learned why good BBQ matters — and why the ingredients behind it matter even more. We believe, real BBQ shouldn’t make you feel sick. It shouldn’t weigh you down. It shouldn’t leave you bloated, swollen, or exhausted.
It should feel like comfort. Like nourishment. Like something you want to come back to.
That belief became the backbone of Code 1 BBQ.
Because What We Serve Matters
It’s no secret that the average American diet has shifted dramatically in recent decades. Today, more than half of America’s daily calories
OVER 55%
come from ultra-processed foods. Think fast food, packaged snacks, sugary drinks, frozen meals. Products filled with cheap fats, preservatives, and additives. CDC Blogs The Associated Press.
Among children and teens (ages 1–18), that number jumps to around 62% of daily calories. CBS News
At the same time, fewer than 1 in 10 adults meet recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Harvard Health
That gap creates a country full of people who are eating but not nourishing themselves. Full plates, empty nutrition. And it’s taking a toll on energy, digestion, mood, inflammation, immunity. Everything.
And honestly? Most places aren’t helping. Cheap ingredients are everywhere. Seed oils, MSG, hidden gluten, fillers. Because they're cheaper, faster, easier.
We wanted no part of that.
How We Do Things Differently at Code 1
From the day we opened, the standard was simple:
If it makes Erica sick, it doesn’t go on the menu.
That meant building a BBQ kitchen that respects the body and the craft:
- No MSG.
- No seed or industrial vegetable oils.
- No gluten in our rubs or sauces.
- Scratch-made sides.
- Slow-smoked meats.
- Honest rubs with simple ingredients.
- Sauces that don’t sabotage you.
Yes, BBQ is rich. It’s hearty. It’s meant to feel indulgent.
But it should leave you satisfied, not wrecked.
We cook from scratch using as many whole ingredients as possible. No shortcuts.
We’re always refining, always improving, always asking:
Does this make people feel good?
Not “does it last longer on a shelf?”
Not “is it cheaper?”
Not “will they notice?”
Because your body notices — every time.
Yes, we’re a BBQ place. Our food is rich and satisfying. But it doesn’t have to leave you feeling heavy. It can sit right, feel right, and leave you wanting more. Not wondering why your stomach hurts.
We’re not chasing fads. We’re embracing the basics: real ingredients, real respect for your body, real flavor.
Why This Matters — For You, For Us, For the Community
When we opened Code 1, it wasn’t just to serve food.
It was to serve people.
People who work hard.
People who want something they can trust.
People who want flavor without the consequences.
People who want real food — not industrial food disguised as a meal.
In a world where so much of the American diet is quietly harming us, we wanted to be the exception. The place where you can enjoy comfort food without feeling like you made a deal with the devil.
We believe good food should do more than fill a belly. It should build strength, joy, and connection. When you choose Code 1, you’re choosing:
- Food that’s crafted with intention, not mass-produced.
- A meal that respects your body — leaves you satisfied but not bogged down.
- A kitchen that cares about the long game: your health, your experience, your return.
In a world where 55% (or more) of what people eat is ultra-processed, we’re opting for a different standard. One rooted in authenticity, flavor, and real nourishment.
Come Eat With Intention
When I think back to that young couple...two kids driving around New England hoping to find BBQ that tasted like tradition and didn’t send me home sick...I smile. Because that frustration, that disappointment, that long search… it became the spark that built everything.
And now?
We get to be the place you don’t have to gamble on.
You walk in, and you know exactly what you’re getting:
Real ingredients. Real BBQ. Real care.
The same values we started with.
The same reasoning that made us fire up our first smoker.
The same promise we stand behind today.
So when you come to Code 1 BBQ, you’re not just eating.
You’re tasting years of trial, patience, standards, stubbornness, heart — and a refusal to settle for “good enough.”
You’re eating the food we wished someone made for us.
And the food we’re proud to make for you.
Here’s to food that lifts you up — not weighs you down.
— Erica & Sean
