A Michelin-trained California chef is caught up in the Super Bowl frenzy on several fronts.
While he’s busy serving up Kansas City-inspired Super Bowl fare, his cousin is a 49er.
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Chef Darryl Bell of Stateline Road Smokehouse has been swamped filling hundreds of orders of ribs, brisket, wings and other barbecue favorites for Super Bowl weekend.
“We came in running today and it’s not stopping and it won’t slow down,” said Darryl.
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But while the chef’s been going gangbusters in his Napa kitchen, his cousin is gearing up to go gangbusters on the field. Wide receiver Ronnie Bell is the chef’s cousin.
“Ronnie Bell he’s a beast, special teams wide receiver. It’s his rookie year, coming straight out of Michigan and he’s just been crushing it,” said Darryl.
The chef says he couldn’t be more proud of his cousin, but the Kansas City native says the Chiefs and Niners matchup is a bit difficult for his family who are lifelong Chiefs fans.
“It’s a little tear there, a little split, but I think ultimately I just want Ronnie to do great as I know he will … and for the Chiefs to do great as well,” he said. “I am rooting for a great game, I would say. The Chiefs are always there, but I would say ultimately Ronnie is blood so you gotta go with family.”
The Michelin-trained chef says his culinary creations are Kansas City-inspired. In fact, his signature barbecue sauce is named after his hometown.
“For us what we do here it’s all Kansas City style so that’s obviously where I’m from,” he said. “Mixing that but kind of with the culinary Michelin world background to kind of create a slightly more elevated in terms of flavor for barbecue.”
Darryl says he’ll be happy no matter what the outcome of Sunday’s game. And hopes his barbecue dishes make his customers feel like winners no matter what too.
“This becomes the highlight of the game that this for them is something where all their guests that they have to their house say 'wow the game was great but this food, those burnt ends, those ribs were amazing,'” he said.
Darryl and his partner plan to open this new 5,000-square-foot location this spring.
There will be plenty of room there for both Chiefs and Niners fans.
