Buckshot Honey brings local barbecue back to Cashmere

CASHMERE– With dreams of cooking local meat for small-town customers, professionally trained chef Dave Storm looks forward to bringing his iconic Cascadian Barbecue techniques to Cashmere as he prepares to open his new location in a spot already known to locals for classic barbecue. 

Setting up shop at the previous location for the locally hailed Country Boys Barbecue, Storm is excited to revitalize the storefront’s reputation as a classic spot for barbecue food with his eatery, Buckshot Honey. With his first Buchshot Honey location opened in Snoqualmie, Storm feels a passion for the mountains and the fresh local ingredients of Central Washington.

“I just always had this vision in my head of driving through these mountains and smoking meat,” Storm shared, explaining his love for the local area. My dream is I want to make people happy. And I just set up shop in a 101-year-old bank in the historic district of Snoqualmie, and so I really appreciate the whole small town vibe. I have a great connection with my customers, and I definitely plan on growing connections over there in the Cashmere area with the community. I’ll probably get a house over there and become part of the community as well.” 

Storm originally trained as a chef in Seattle, working on everything from fine dining to food trucks. However, his family’s Appalachian roots and love for small towns brought him to the Cascades, where he combined his professional experience with his family’s beloved Appalachian recipes to create a unique style of cooking he refers to as Cascadian Barbecue.

“I learned a lot of techniques and worked in a lot of fun restaurants,” Storm said as he shared his professional experience and unique family influences. “I try to implement these skills and use them for more of a home cook thing. All my favorite things have been recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, and so when I opened my own restaurant, I kind of had to look at myself and my history. I was raised by some really cool old women that were from Appalachia, and I remember them hunting squirrels and cooking collard greens. I feel like you’ve got to remind people to ask their grandma for a recipe, we’re losing that part of our culture, and I’m just trying to keep those old ways alive.” 

Though Storm isn’t serving up any squirrels, this focus on tradition and local ingredients is what makes his business unique from many other barbecue restaurants.

Buckshot Honey sources all of its ingredients from local farmers and growers, providing its customers with fresh, ethical, and delicious dishes. 

“I think what makes Buckshot Honey stand apart is that we buy quality meets from local ranchers. I smoke most of my meat with applewood because it’s so plentiful here in Washington State. I just try to take local ingredients and treat them with respect. So, to me, that’s letting them speak for themselves.” 

With preparations ramping up for the grand opening of his Cashmere location, Storm plans for Buckshot Honey to open in Cashmere by mid-October, just in time to catch all the yummy local benefits of the Fall harvest. 

Will Nilles: (509) 731-3211 or will@ward.media