Chef Howie Kleinberg Was Broke and Hungry On The Streets of Boston

Jacob Katel

​ Former Top Chef contestant Howie Kleinberg has a restaurant in North Miami called Bulldog Barbecue (15400 Biscayne Boulevard). Short Order ran into Howie last night at Taste of the Nation, an event that tours the country raising money to end childhood hunger in America. We asked him some questions. Here's what Howie had to say about his restaurant, the food he serves, kitchen waste, fighting hunger and begging money on the street...

NT: Where you from?

HK: North Miami Beach.

NT: What's the hungriest you ever been?

HK: I been hungry. I got sent away to school when I was younger. I didn't wanna be there so I left, ran away, and was begging money on the street in Boston, out there with my friends just tryina figure it out. It was a long time ago, but I'll never forget it. I can really relate to childhood hunger, an there's no reason anybody should go hungry in this society.

NT: Does your kitchen have any waste?

HK: All kitchens have waste. It's not so much waste as stuff we can't sell.

NT: What do you do with it?

HK: We eat it ourselves and feed it to the staff.

NT: What brings you out here tonight?

HK: We're benefitting starving children in this country. It's our responsibility and I'm glad to be a part of it.

NT: What kind of BBQ did you bring.

HK: We didn't bring BBQ.

NT: Why not?

HK: We're not just BBQ, we're BBQ Plus. We do BBQ and creative cuisine.

log on to http://bulldog-bbq.com/ for more info