Game Changer: Ann Arbor Chef Launches Pacific Island-Style Barbecue Trailer

Chef Frank Fejeran may have left the kitchen at Ann Arbor's Ravens Club, but he hasn't left the dining scene. Fejeran tells Eater he's aiming to open a Pacific Island-style barbecue trailer, ricewood, next to wine and cheese shop Morgan & York.

The flavors at ricewood are inspired by Fejeran's heritage (He's part Chomorro). The barbecue will be served over rice and topped with a sauce called "finadene" (a spicy, salty condiment used in Chomorro cuisine), and a side of cucumber salad. Fejeran says he and his brother, Gabe Golub, use a mixture of ash and 9 to 12 month aged post oak in their smoker. "Our barbecue will be entirely done over wood," he adds. "No bullshit overnight smokers with wood pellets or alto shaams." The trailer will have Faygo Rock n Rye, Mandarin Jarritos, Diet Coke, and Kool-Aid on hand to wash everything down.

When it launches ricewood will open every day at noon with supplies for approximately 100 guests. Fejeran says they're aiming to open by the third week of April and in the process of planning pop-ups around Ann Arbor.

Fejeran is no stranger to small-scale cooking projects. Last fall he was featured in an episode of The Grill Iron where he prepared a non-traditional, locally-sourced Coney at a University of Michigan tailgate. For updates on ricewood visit their Facebook page.