The Smoke & Lime Story
How This BBQ Cantina Fusion Came To Be
Making this dream a reality wouldn’t be possible without the incredible talent of our Chef, AJ Briggs. AJ isn’t just someone who learned to cook Mexican food; it’s in his blood. For over a decade, he’s been immersed in the art of crafting dishes that honor his Hispanic heritage, from the nuanced spices to the time-honored techniques passed down through generations. His passion for authentic flavors is infectious, and his dedication to quality shines through in every salsa, every marinade, and every perfectly seasoned dish. With AJ at the helm, Smoke & Lime isn’t just promising authentic Mexican – it’s delivering a true taste of tradition.
And speaking of tradition, we’re bringing some unique touches to the barbecue side of things too. Imagine walking in and seeing a whole hog, smoked to perfection, ready for you to carve off exactly what you crave. That’s the kind of experience we want to create at S&L – a place where the food is not only delicious but also a bit of a spectacle. We believe that Des Moines deserves bold flavors, high-quality ingredients, and a dining experience that’s both exciting and satisfying. Smoke & Lime BBQ Cantina is poised to be that go-to spot, the place where smoky barbecue and zesty Mexican collide in a delicious explosion of flavor, ready to grab and enjoy wherever your day takes you in Central Iowa.
Chef AJ—The Heart, Soul & Flavor Behind Smoke & Lime
Smoke & Lime’s Chef AJ comes to us with 12 years of cooking experience from Denver, Colorado, having notably cooked for downtown hot spots such as Osteria Marco, Ocean Prime, Luca, and Capital Grille. He went to the culinary school at the Art Institute of Colorado with his main experience in fine dining.
AJ grew up in a Hispanic household and wanted to pursue this passion project by tying in his experience growing up with authentic Hispanic dishes and culture. In culinary school, he learned proper techniques to smoke meats and wanted to conceptualize a restaurant that married the two together.
“Cooking is my quiet place. The chaos of a kitchen is my peace.”
His favorite thing to do in cooking is to make sauces. How does one become a “saucier”, you might ask? AJ trained with a professional saucier for five years, and is something that someone “evolves into”, searching for sauces to pair with a dish to bring out a certain flavor.
“If a dish is spicy there can always be a sauce to cool it down and bring out the subtle undertones of a dish. Like our chicken tinga which is a chicken stewed in a tomato Chipotle sauce that has a good kick to it but can be cooled down with our vibrant chipotle lime crema!”
Smoke & Lime is Chef AJ’s first menu where he is able to showcase the food that he loves, along with the training he has amassed over the past 12 years.