Gwen & Curtis Robinson
(photo by G. P. Kelley)

Pennsylvania Ave., but the current road construction made it a bit too complicated for customers to swoop down for some home cooking. So, Robinson pulled up stakes and relocated to this current near westside location and hasn't missed a beat.

For the past 2 1/2 years Robinson has been slow smoking chicken and ribs in the Capital City. That's when he moved to Lansing with his wife, Gwen, from Hickory, North Carolima. The couple have friends in town who encouraged them to relocate. And, Robinson's never looked back.

Robinson says that Lansing has a bunch of friendly people who like smoked meat. "The customers like talking directly with the person who is preparing their food," he said. The customers also like the idea of tasting free samples. "I give them a sample and they buy," Robinson exclaimed. "Once they taste my cooking they are hooked."

Those words are echoed by longtime loyal customer Steve Goble, who testified once he tasted a free sample of Curtis Famous BarBeCue, "I had to come back."

Goble liked Robinson's cooking so much that he got tired of tracking him down every time he craved for some ribs. So, Goble encouraged Robinson to set up on eastside property.

"People just keep coming back," Robinson said. "I have some very loyal customers. They've tried the rest now they can try the best. The taste tells the story."

The hickory wood flavor makes the difference. However, Robinson also whips up his own signature Barbeque sauce - Curtis Gourmet Original Sauce to complement the smoked meat. The menu also sports: chicken, rib tips, greens, potato salad, pinto beans and slaw. And all of this can be topped off with a slice of peach cobbler.

Currently, the roadside chef sells his smoked cuisine Thursday through Saturday beginning around 11 a.m. and closes down when he usually sells out around 7:30 p.m.

Robinson, who will be 62 in September, says he has always enjoyed cooking. " I was cooking when I was a little boy," he said.

The mobile chef also braves the Michigan winter. "The cold doesn't bother me," Robinson said. "It was 25 degrees in March and I was still cooking."

For a free sample of Curtis's Famous BarBeCue follow the smoke.

Curtis Robinson,
the man behind the smoke.
(photo by G. P. Kelley)