Recipes travel from Colorado to Wisconsin
By Angie Landsverk
Dean and Kristen Samz brought their barbecue recipes from Colorado to Wisconsin.
They opened Buck’s BBQ & Grill this summer in Fremont.
“We say Fremont found us,” Kristen said.
Their restaurant is located at E6659 Wolf River Drive.
They first operated it in a suburb west of Denver for about four years.
“In 2014, we were approached with an opportunity,” she said.
A family-owned barbecue restaurant was going up for sale.
“It was kind of the right place at the right time,” Kristen said. “We rebranded it to Buck’s BBQ & Grill.”
Going home
Dean was born and raised in Wisconsin.
After graduating from Green Bay Preble High School, he spent four years in the U.S. Air Force.
That was followed by a short stint in California.
He then returned to Colorado and started working in the food and service industry, first as a server and bartender and then in management positions at restaurants.
That is how he and Kristen met.
She was born in Denver.
Her father’s job took the family to Arizona, Illinois and Texas, where Kristen graduated from high school and then college.
She graduated from Texas A&M University with a biology major and business minor.
During college, Kristen waited tables a bit.
After she graduated, she applied for some pharmaceutical jobs.
A year later, she decided to move to Colorado, where she got a job in fine dining.
“That is where I met Buck,” Kristen said. “We’ve been together about 15 years.”
They married in 2005, and their daughter was born in 2007.
Between the two of them, they have a combined 30 years in fine dining.
“When it was time to decide what to do with the business and life, we decided to relocate out here,” she said.
After living in Colorado about 30 years, it is about “coming full circle,” Dean said.
‘Little Buck’
There is a story behind why their place is called “Buck’s.”
That has been Dean’s nickname since the day he was born in Manitowoc.
It was deer hunting season.
“His mom went into labor a bit early,” Kristen said.
As a result, Dean’s father had to leave Forest County, where he was hunting.
“So, his dad called him ‘his little buck,’” Kristen said.
The name stuck.
Making the move
Dean and Kristen like change, challenges and opportunities.
“Last September, we were out here on his cousin’s farm,” Kristen said. “It was one of those moments where I felt like I could live here.”
They wanted their daughter to grow up around family, and they also saw a market for their business.
In addition to the restaurant, they do catering and are in the process of converting a support vehicle into a food truck.
Dean suggested they search for properties in the Fox Cities area.
The Fremont restaurant popped up during their search.
“Last November, we looked at all the properties on the list,” Kristen said. “Originally, we weren’t going to look at this one.”
Their Realtor encouraged them to do so.
They did and saw an opportunity for growth here, Dean said.
“Catering is a big part of our business,” Kristen said. “When we were doing our research, there was no barbecue catering for 20 miles.”
They closed on the Fremont property in late March.
The following month, Dean arrived to construct his smoker building.
Buck’s BBQ & Grill opened on June 26, and is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
They intend to operate year around.
Working together
Dean and Kristen have always worked together.
“We’re one of those couples who like to be together,” she said.
He runs the kitchen, dealing with products, supplies and vendors.
She runs the front of the house, handling bookkeeping, marketing and their seven employees.
All their meats are rubbed with their “Buck Rub” and slowed smoked in house, she said.
Their menu includes platters, sandwiches, salads, burgers and barbecue pizza.
“I think it’s just a type of food everybody likes,” Kristen says of barbecue. “There are so many different ways to prepare it – different styles and methods – and there are stories about it. I just think it’s something people can have conversations about. It’s a way of life.
They hope to have their beer and wine license in the coming months.
Dean and Kristen look forward to getting involved in the community.
They already created a hallway in the restaurant where they will hang their customers’ fishing and hunting pictures.
Dean says it is good to be back in Wisconsin.
“We wanted to come to a place where we can succeed with our business, thrive and grow,” Kristen said.