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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Robert Fitzpatrick, a Navy veteran, business consultant, fraternity brother (ΩΨΦ), and now the owner reviving his family’s historic Texas barbecue legacy. The conversation dives deeply into Fitzpatrick’s upbringing, his father’s groundbreaking barbecue business in 1950s Texas, his educational and military journey, his corporate career, and his decision to launch Dewey’s Barbecue Market in Skokie, Illinois—honoring his father’s original recipes and values.
The interview blends entrepreneurship, legacy, cultural history, and personal transformation, while highlighting the courage of Fitzpatrick’s father and the humility and faith-driven foundation of his family.
Purpose of the Interview
The interview aims to:
1. Inspire entrepreneurship and legacy-building
Fitzpatrick’s story showcases how family heritage and values can shape a business vision across generations.
2. Highlight resilience, faith, and leadership
His upbringing in a household rooted in Christian humility, strong expectations, and boundary-breaking courage provides a blueprint for character-driven success.
3. Educate listeners on transitioning careers
Fitzpatrick exemplifies pivoting from engineering and corporate consulting to pursuing passion-driven entrepreneurship.
4. Promote Dewey’s Barbecue Market
The interview introduces the Chicago-area community—especially the Skokie region—to his upcoming restaurant built on a 70-year-old Texas barbecue tradition.
Key Takeaways 1. A powerful family legacy rooted in courage
- Fitzpatrick’s father, Dewey, opened a barbecue restaurant in 1951—before desegregation—and insisted that Blacks and whites could eat together.
- He enforced respect and safety in his establishment, even confronting racist patrons.
2. Education was non-negotiable in the Fitzpatrick household
- Robert is the youngest of seven siblings, all college graduates; five hold master’s degrees.
- He himself holds an MBA and an MS in Management Information Systems.
3. A bridge between technology and business
- Fitzpatrick spent decades in consulting with major firms (EDS, Dell, Arthur Andersen, KPMG) focusing on business process improvement.
- His dual MS/MBA made him a translator between tech and finance.
4. Military discipline shaped his personal and professional life
- Served in the U.S. Navy from 1986–1990, plus reserve duty (including deployment to Iraq).
- Balanced military service with graduate studies and advancing his corporate career.
5. A calling to revive his father’s barbecue
- His wife recognized his talent early, telling him for years he should be barbecuing.
- A shortage of good Texas barbecue in Virginia pushed him to recreate his father’s recipes.
6. Skokie, Illinois: the ideal launchpad
- After moving to the Great Lakes Naval Base area for a federal role, Fitzpatrick began scouting locations.
- Skokie offered:
- active support from city leadership
- grants
- an ideal building
- community enthusiasm
7. Dewey’s Barbecue Market offerings
- Meats: brisket, sausage, hot links, smoked boudin (monthly special)
- Sides: potato salad (egg/mayo base), pineapple vinegar coleslaw, fried okra, smoked pinto beans
- Desserts: apple cobbler, blueberry cobbler, sweet potato pie, possibly fried pies
- Bread: sliced “light bread” for dipping—traditional Texas style
- Experience: dine-in with 60s–80s “feel-good” music
8. A commitment to doing things the right way
- Fitzpatrick refuses to launch unless he can deliver “the best product on the planet.”
- Focuses on simplicity, authenticity, and quality.
Notable Quotes About his father and legacy
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“He said anybody who wants to eat here can eat here.”
(His father defying segregation laws in the 1950s.)
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“I can call an undertaker or an ambulance. Which one do you prefer?”
(Dewey enforcing respect from a belligerent white customer.)
-
“That was my barbecue.”
(On being raised around his father’s legendary pit.)
About family and humility
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“We are firmly rooted in Christ. If you try to get too big, He has a way of humbling you.”
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“Seven kids, all with degrees… that’s normal to you. But we know that’s not normal.”
(McDonald highlighting the family’s extraordinary achievement.)
About his calling
-
“If I didn’t think I was bringing the best product on the planet, I wouldn’t even do it.”
-
“My wife tasted the barbecue and said, ‘This is what you need to be doing.’”
About launching in Skokie
- “They really want me to be there… the economic development team didn’t treat it like just another restaurant.”
Short 3–5 Sentence Summary (For Quick Use)
In his interview with Rushion McDonald, Robert Fitzpatrick shares his journey from Navy veteran and Fortune 500 consultant to entrepreneur reviving his family’s historic Texas barbecue. He describes growing up with a courageous father who defied segregation in 1951 by serving Black and white customers together, and a family culture steeped in education, discipline, and humility. Fitzpatrick’s passion for barbecue and encouragement from his wife led him to bring his father’s 70-year-old recipes to Skokie, Illinois through Dewey’s Barbecue Market. The interview emphasizes legacy, faith, courage, and the pursuit of purpose.
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
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