Behind the Scenes at California’s #1 BBQ Joint 🇺🇸

Gareth Leonard January 17, 2026
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Gareth Leonard

@garethleonard

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Insider Updates & Travel Hacks👇

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Open Your Relay Account Today: https://relay.yt.link/JPlSwf5 Relay is a financial technology company and is not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. @bankwithrelay #RelayPartner What is it really like running a Michelin-recognized BBQ restaurant in California? In this Day in the Life episode, we follow Chef Daniel Castillo, pitmaster and co-founder of Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano — one of the most talked-about BBQ restaurants in Southern California. From early morning routines and coffee stops to tending fires and serving some of the best Texas-style BBQ in the state, this episode shows the reality behind the smoke, the pressure, and the passion of operating at a Michelin level. Heritage Barbecue has earned national attention for its Michelin-recognized California BBQ, blending traditional Texas barbecue with a modern, community-driven approach. This behind-the-scenes food documentary explores pitmaster life, restaurant ownership, BBQ culture, and the importance of real-world connections in an increasingly digital, social-media-driven world. If you’re into BBQ, Michelin restaurants, food documentaries, restaurant life, or Day in the Life videos, this episode offers an honest look inside one of California’s most respected smokehouses. FOLLOW Heritage Barbecue: https://www.instagram.com/heritagebarbecue ——— MORE FROM GARETH ——— YOUTUBE: ① Main Channel: https://bit.ly/you-da-best ② Food Channel: https://bit.ly/GarethEatsSubscribe INSTAGRAM: ► https://instagram.com/traveldeeper ► https://instagram.com/garetheats WEBSITES: Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/GarethLeonard Merch ► https://traveldeeper.shop ——— WATCH ANOTHER TRAVEL SERIES ——— Croatia ► https://bit.ly/Travel-Deeper-Croatia-Series Egypt ► https://bit.ly/Travel-Deeper-Egypt-Series Russia ► https://bit.ly/Travel-Deeper-Russia-Series Philippines ► https://bit.ly/Travel-Deeper-Philippines-Series Japan ► https://bit.ly/Travel-Deeper-Japan-Series Brazil ► https://bit.ly/Travel-Deeper-Brazil-Series Australia ► https://bit.ly/Travel-Deeper-Australia-Series USA ► https://bit.ly/Travel-Deeper-USA-Series Mexico ► https://bit.ly/Travel-Deeper-Mexico-Series ——— WHO IS GARETH LEONARD? ——— Hi! My name is Gareth Leonard, an American Travel YouTuber with a passion for slow, meaningful solo travel. I have spent the past 15+ years traveling around the world while creating travel vlogs to help educate and inspire people to “Travel Deeper.” If you enjoy my work, please subscribe to this channel and turn on the notifications bell to stay up-to-date with my travel deeper adventures. Daily updates can also be found on my Instagram Stories (@TravelDeeper) so if you’ve read this far, send me a DM with the “🦊” emoji so I know you’re a real one! Thanks for following along! 🙏 #dayinthelife #dayinmylife #FoodDocumentary #foodvlog #food #foodlover #GarethEats #chef #cheflife #BBQ #Barbecue #TravelDeeper #GarethLeonard #BBQLife #Pitmaster #SmokedMeat #Heritagebarbecue #heritagebbq 0:00 Day in the Life Intro 0:53 Chef Daniel Castillo's Story 2:11 Chef's Morning Routine 4:28 Kitchen Prep 5:09 Sponsor 6:43 Beach Barbecue 10:42 Coffee & Community 12:42 Local Produce 13:35 Community Meal 13:52 Final BBQ Prep 15:11 Meaty Montage 16:32 Customer Reviews 17:47 Trying Heritage Barbecue 22:54 Bloopers

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