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How this fledgling business becoming a big dog in Gympie foodie scene

It’s a mighty long way from his native Colorado rockies, but chef and now business owner Aaron Sharrock has found the Gympie region to be the perfect place to launch his fledgling foodie venture – out of his own driveway.

Aaron Sharrock is going from strength to strength with his fledgling foodie business Big Dog BBQ, mainly through a pop up restaurant run straight from his McIntosh Creek property. Pictures: Facebook
Aaron Sharrock is going from strength to strength with his fledgling foodie business Big Dog BBQ, mainly through a pop up restaurant run straight from his McIntosh Creek property. Pictures: Facebook

It’s a mighty long way from his native Colorado rockies, but chef and now business owner Aaron Sharrock has found the Gympie region to be the perfect place to launch his fledgling foodie venture Big Dog BBQ.

Running mainly through a pop up restaurant straight from his McIntosh Creek property on Thursday nights, Mr Sharrock has already seen his signature brand of smoked meats welcomed with open arms by the local community.

After putting himself through a university degree in Journalism by working as a cook, Mr Sharrock got offered a “decent job” as a chef towards the end of his studies, and his love for good food has remained ever since.

Aaron Sharrock is going from strength to strength with his fledgling foodie business Big Dog BBQ, mainly through a pop up restaurant run straight from his McIntosh Creek property. Pictures: Facebook
Aaron Sharrock is going from strength to strength with his fledgling foodie business Big Dog BBQ, mainly through a pop up restaurant run straight from his McIntosh Creek property. Pictures: Facebook

But there was still a long way to go before the stars aligned for Big Dog BBQ.

“It started with my grandad’s old petrol tank, I built that up as my uncle coached me in a bit of welding, and I decided to start a business based around that,” Mr Sharrock said.

“My dog passed away a few years back now, he used to do a lot of competitions with me over in the States and I brought him over here with me, and I named the business after him.

“I kept working away as a chef when I moved up to Gympie from Melbourne, quite a few years went by with me trying to get this thing off the ground and it never quite worked.

“We ended up buying a place at McIntosh Creek, and it was kind of my chance to finally get my business off the ground.”

After entering the local market scene for “eight or nine months”, the COVID pandemic threw another roadblock on Mr Sharrock’s path, but he had another venture up his sleeve.

But running Big Dog BBQ on his property does not mean Mr Sharrock isn’t eyeing a return to the market scene down the track.

Aaron Sharrock is going from strength to strength with his fledgling foodie business Big Dog BBQ, mainly through a pop up restaurant run straight from his McIntosh Creek property. Pictures: Facebook
Aaron Sharrock is going from strength to strength with his fledgling foodie business Big Dog BBQ, mainly through a pop up restaurant run straight from his McIntosh Creek property. Pictures: Facebook

“I had already planned to do a bit of a pop up on my property and after doing a bit of homework I went for it,” he said.

“It was busier than I’d ever been at any market from day dot, and it became a really good answer to COVID when the markets all died off.

“I’m looking to get back into the markets as they pick back up. Eventually I will fit out a commercial kitchen on my property, but for now it’s a temporary food premises I take from place to place when I can.

“I’m a family man, raising my kids here, so I have no plans to leave any time soon.”

Mr Sharrock said it was the community’s enthusiastic response to his business so far, not to mention the beautiful landscape, that inspired him to continue taking Big Dog BBQ from strength to strength.

“The beef brisket and the pulled pork are the real stars of the show. We’ve got a great selection of sides too. It is a small menu, but the best food I’ve ever cooked has come from a focus on doing a few things really well rather than a lot of things poorly,” he said.

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“It’s honestly the people (of Gympie), the amount of support I’ve seen for something as outlandish as a BBQ out of a rural driveway is pretty surprising, and it’s not to be overlooked.

“The scenery is just lovely, this is about as close to the mountains I’m going to get without going down to cold Victoria.”

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/gympie/how-this-fledgling-business-becoming-a-big-dog-in-gympie-foodie-scene/news-story/807c821e30ef9af6aabd6a6498434f1b