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Detroit BBQ Company's owner Tim Idzikowski is in serious need of a social media intervention. The proprietor of the controversial mobile barbecue business is once again making headlines for posting a message on his personal Facebook account describing how he cooked and served veggie burgers in rendered pork fat at a City of Royal Oak employee appreciation picnic. Here's the posting according to WXYZ:
I had to cook 10 Boca burgers at a lunch I did for 200 people. (Yes, when someone is paying me $3G for lunch, I will cook veggie burgers and do it with a smile.) I got a lot of compliments on how I got the outside so crispy and the inside still moist. I neglected to tell them I ran otu (sic) of cooking oil and used rendered pork fat to fry them in . . . I take allergies very seriously. Vegans? Not so much. I also told them I had a special set of tongs just for them as well. (I didn't).
While one would expect the owner of a barbecue business to favor meat eaters, some people were no doubt shocked by the post. Idzikowski tells WXYZ that he was simply joking and would never intentionally tamper with someone's food. He adds that the veggie burgers were microwaved. A city worker also corroborates Idzikowski's story, saying she helped prepare the burgers.
The most recent incident isn't likely to help Idzikowski's reputation and may hurt his chances of finding investors for a brick-and-mortar restaurant. The owner's Facebook posts and comments have lead to problems in the past. In July 2014, he publicly feuded with fellow Ferndale mobile restaurant RE BBQ, accusing the company of stealing a photo of his food. Last December, he was once again caught in a major social media debacle after an argument between Idzikowski and a cop on Facebook made the internet rounds. The Detroit BBQ Company took a major hit as a result of his statements. However, Idzikowski may be moving in a positive direction; the owner tells WXYZ that he plans to delete his Facebook page. As of 9 p.m. on Monday, his account was still up. Watch the full story below:
