Resident Culture Brewing Adds Monthly Hands-On Barbecue Class Led by Chef Edmar Simoes

Resident Culture Brewing is rolling out a monthly barbecue class aimed at helping Charlotte residents feel more at ease at the grill this summer. The program is the latest step in the brewery's effort to widen what it offers at its South End location.

The sessions will be led by executive chef Edmar Simoes, who joined Resident Culture in December 2023 to run its new culinary program. Participants will learn to cook Carolina-style barbecue as well as styles from other parts of the world, with an emphasis on doing the work themselves.

Simoes grew up in Brazil and previously served as kitchen director at the Urban District Market in Optimist Park. Resident Culture CEO and co-owner Amanda McLamb praised his background in a release announcing the classes. "Edmar is a world-class chef and has worked with some of the finest in the Charlotte community, Brazil and beyond," she said, adding that the brewery is excited for him to share his passion in a format that "echoes our mission of community."

The first class is set for July 14. After that, sessions will run on the second Sunday of each month from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the brewery's South End site, 332.

Simoes stressed that the format differs from the usual barbecue class in which students watch large-scale cooking demonstrations from the sidelines. Attendees should expect to get smoky and work directly alongside an expert. "We'll have experts onsite to answer questions and guide the work, but this is truly a hands-on, immersive barbecue experience — a small-group coaching session," he said in the release.

Each class is limited to eight participants, and a spot costs $400. The price includes breakfast and coffee, a swag bag of Resident Culture gear, additional food and drink, and take-home portions of the meats prepared during the session: brisket, pork butt, chicken leg quarters, chicken wings and top sirloin.

Simoes introduced a new culinary menu at Resident Culture in February, designed to honor Carolina barbecue while drawing on global influences. It features Brazilian cheese bread known as pão de queijo, smoked brisket egg rolls, and espetinhos, which are skewers of lightly smoked top sirloin topped with fresh chimichurri. More traditional choices include the Butcher's Block Sampler, which pairs smoked brisket, pulled pork and smoked turkey with house barbecue sauce, Eastern Carolina sauce and Carolina sauce.

Describing his approach at the menu's launch, Simoes said he grew up cooking on a farm in Brazil with his mother and her family. "Open fire cooking, to me, is about community, culture and gathering," he said.

The South End taproom is closed Mondays. It is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Registration for the classes is available through Toast.