“Someone’s going to walk by and think we’re having a fight, like Jared said something that hurt my feelings. I’m bawling in here.”

What is ‘Nashville Hot’ chicken? In simplest terms, it’s fried chicken with a level of cayenne spiciness that can bring a grown man (e.g. me) to his knees. Restaurateur Jared Leonard (Rub’s Backcountry Smokehouse) jumps in the passenger seat to debut his ‘Nashville Hot’ recipe in advance of its featured presence at his soon-to-open Lincoln Square restaurant, The Budlong.

Jared’s passion for food is obvious, and in between delicious bites, he shares wisdom gained from running a restaurant and teaching regular BBQ classes. Some of the learnings are appropriate for any business. Things like, “Don’t borrow any money” and “don’t take on a bunch of business partners.”