Written by: Vanessa Molina Santamaria • May 30, 2022• Business Featured

A Taste of Local Flavor: Harvey’s BBQ Sauce

Since 2009, South Floridians have enjoyed Harvey Alexander’s authentic dishes at Harvey’s BBQ Kitchen. Now you can get the same great flavor at home with Harvey’s Original BBQ Sauce.

If you’re looking for the perfect place for BBQ in the Miami area, you’d be hard pressed to find a more authentic, delicious experience than Harvey’s BBQ Kitchen. Chef Harvey Alexander, who was trained at the Florida Culinary Institute and has been a professional chef for more than 30 years, has had a lifelong passion for cooking. He first opened Harvey’s BBQ Kitchen in 2009, and the food speaks for itself. Business has been booming ever since, with locals eager to enjoy the mouthwatering dishes cooked “low and slow.” Choose from Baby Back Ribs, Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork and much more. Finish off your meal with Harvey’s signature dessert, Bread Pudding, with flavors that change seasonally.

A Growing BBQ Business

What started as a brick-and-mortar takeout restaurant in Cutler Bay has evolved over the years to offer so much more. Whether you have 10 or 500 guests, Harvey’s offers catering for rustic weddings, baby “Qs” and even corporate gatherings. There’s also curbside pickup available at 13920 SW 139th Court (The Food Factory), online ordering and delivery at harveysbbqkitchen.com, as well as all the major food delivery apps, including Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates and Grubhub.

Now, Harvey has moved on to his next big venture: bottling, marketing and selling his own BBQ sauce.

“I’ve been overwhelmed by all the excitement,” says Harvey. “It really has been the community that pushed me to finally move forward. I laugh because every order has customer notes that read ‘extra BBQ sauce, please’; so, I finally said okay! It was always a vision and goal of mine that my BBQ sauce could be bottled.”

Available at Your Local Store

The first offering in what Harvey hopes will soon be a line of BBQ products is Harvey’s Original BBQ Sauce. It’s available for sale on Harvey’s website (harveysbbqkitchen.com), and Harvey says that many customers are already adding a bottle to their takeout or delivery orders to have on hand when they get that craving. “We are offering flat-rate shipping, so if you buy one bottle, two bottles, four bottles or even six bottles, it’s the same shipping cost,” says Harvey. “It’s a great gift idea for family or friends out of state.”

The sauce is also available at a growing number of stores around the area, including Evenings Delight in Pinecrest; and Milam’s Markets will be carrying it very soon. It’s even at Wynn’s at Ocean Reef in Key Largo. “We’re still learning how the big-box stores operate, but we’re hoping that you can find our sauce on more grocery store shelves very soon,” says Harvey.

An Eye toward the Future

Ultimately, Harvey views his Original BBQ Sauce as just the first step in what he envisions as an entire Harvey-branded line of BBQ products. “We are currently in testing and bottling with our co-packer for both Harvey’s Spicy and Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauces, as well as a few different dry rub blends,” he says enthusiastically. “I’m hoping that by the holiday season, we will be selling a full Harvey’s BBQ Box, which will be a great holiday gift.”

A Family Affair

Harvey’s passion for cooking, dedication to his craft and formal training as a chef are a few of the reasons that Harvey’s BBQ Kitchen has expanded through the years; but of course, he hasn’t done it alone. His wife, Natalie, runs the business side of the operation; and together, they’ve made a perfect team that has embraced technology and innovation more than most BBQ restaurants around. Harvey has even more growth plans for the future, and he’s confident that they will achieve their goals by adhering to the vision and values that made their business successful in the first place.

“Natalie and I reflect often on the community support that has kept us going for 14 years,” says Harvey. “It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve stuck to the same credos all along. Customers appreciate the respect we give them and that we remember their names, but we just laugh because that’s Credo #5: Never lose a guest. Our business mission statement is to serve our community respectfully and have our customers wanting to come back because they feel their money spent is worth it. That goes for leading the team as well.”

Harvey’s Original BBQ Sauce is now available for purchase at harveysbbqkitchen.com. You can add it to your delivery or takeout order or have it shipped. The sauce is also available for purchase at Evenings Delight in Pinecrest, Wynn’s at Ocean Reef in Key Largo and coming soon to Milam’s Markets.

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