Meet Rasool Raheem of Deaf Man’s BBQ Sauce in Silverlake

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rasool Raheem.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Rasool. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
As a kid, I’ve always had a passion for food and flavor. Due to my hearing loss, the kitchen was/is my zen!

Back in mid 2000’s, I living and working in the wine industry in Northern California. During this time, I worked for an olive oil company called Katz & Co. Small family owned business and everything was done by the family with only a few areas being outsource. Working there, helped me develop my senses better.

As I grew to understand food manufacturing and the business itself, I reached out to my mom whom was holding on to the secret recipe giving to her by my grandfather from Louisiana. Damn, it took a good two years trying to convince her to let me have it. She finally gave in around 2009 or so and that’s when I begin to work my magic! The first one was pretty damn hot which is how they like it in the south, no flavor, more of a hot sauce type of thing if you’re having a meal that needs some spice.

After a few little modifications here and there, Deaf Man’s BBQ Sauce was born. I moved back to Los Angeles in 2009 after the wine industry took a hit and begin selling BBQ sauce to support myself. Of course, during that time, it was underground, either you heard about it or the birds came flying down at your door steps!

In 2014, after being laid off from Bank of America, I cashed out my 401k and went all in. Built up my fan by using local farmers markets, doing 4-5 markets at week while making the BBQ sauce by hand. Human engineer at its best!! Landed my first account with Bristol Farms and have been growing ever since.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is smooth, especially when it comes to one with a disability. A word I tend to separate myself from, however let’s face it. We live in a world that is judge by either our characters or the color of our skin. Completing against all odds and starting a business that is fully deaf owned, has been a challenge. People don’t expect me to be here, they are stock. “You’re deaf and you’re doing this”, words I read from people lips.

There’s always a struggle with ingredients and production, which is always expected as supply changes with the demand. When I first started, I was making good BBQ sauce with a whole lot of bad shit that we didn’t need in our bodies. Took me a while to understand the impact food plays on our health. I couldn’t say our sauce was healthily during that time. Around 2015, major change came and I was able to use healthily ingredients, make the BBQ sauce all-natural, gluten-free, no high fructose corn syrup or even corn syrup and no preservatives. I was able to make a more healthy BBQ sauce without worry about the impact on any one’s health.

Struggles comes regardless and I welcome them as I continue to strive for greatness

Please tell us about Deaf Man’s BBQ Sauce.
Deaf Man’s BBQ Sauce, which of course represents me because I’m deaf as well as the rest of the deaf community. However, what people don’t realize is, when it comes to food; we are all deaf! Think about it, when you have a good meal in front of you, the aroma, the flavor, the creation. You zone out! Nothing else matters. Take your first bite while everyone else is talking…you’re deaf!

Deaf Man’s BBQ Sauce is a food manufacturing company that specialize in small batch gourmet BBQ sauce with a current line of four flavors from Smoky Sweet, California Mild, Bourbon Elite and XXX. All flavors are gluten-free, made using natural ingredients, non-gmo and damn good! Just take your pick as if you want sweet, a little kick, some bourbon, or you want to kick it up a notch!

I’m most proud of the obstacles I have overcame to get where I am. I look back and I’m grateful for landing in Bristol Farms. Landing in Bristol Farms was actually one of my proudest moment as I was able to land it within 6 months after starting. I have a lot of proud moments, nothing tops landing in Bristol Farms for me.

As I mention earlier, there were and still is a lot of obstacles to overcome. These obstacles helped set me apart from other companies. I had to work twice as hard, prove my product deserve to be on the same shelf with Stubb’s and Sweet Baby’s Ray. I also had to prove that because of my hearing loss, I can still do it better and hang with the best. After all, we were ranked #17 in the world for best BBQ sauce in 2014 right behind Famous Dave. Not only were we in the top 25, we were the only company not in any of the so-called BBQ states to make the top 25! Heightened senses baby, got my secret weapon and I’m coming for whom ever stands in the way!

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
When I was a kid, my mother made BBQ sauce for special occasions. Not that she needed the money because she didn’t make any. Around the holidays, she would make this vinegar-based BBQ sauce, filled up any bodies that were empty. Wine bottle, mason jar, jelly jar, you name it. If you got one, you were good to go… If not, better luck next year. Her sauce was the talk of the table especially when BBQ season was in full motion. The aroma, the filled the kitchen while she was filling those bottles. The taste of garlic with the sweetness of honey, I’d never forget those moments.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.deafmansbbq.com/
• Phone: 323-947-2102
• Email: saucemaster@deafmansbbq.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deafmans/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeafMansBBQSauce/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/deafmansbbq

Image Credit:
Samuel Adams Brewing The American Dream

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