Lynnfield's Big Pig Delivers The BBQ

Lynnfield Patch recently interviewed Chris LaBella, Founder and CEO of Big Pig Barbecue.

With the slogan of “If you Grill it…they will come,” Big Pig Barbecue is a family oriented, customer friendly catering service.

LaBella, a graduate of Lynnfield High School, currently resides in Boston. He earned a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Vermont. LaBella enjoys traveling the world in search of barbecue recipes and new menu options. His passion for great food was ignited while he was a student at
UVM, where he built a pig roaster for a welding class.

The Lynnfield native is also known as “The Big Pig.” Each member of the Big Pig
catering team has a nickname. 

LaBella, who has worked in the restaurant industry for twelve years, explains that he got his start from Dom’s Sausage Co. in Malden. Under the tutelage of Domenic Botticelli, LaBella has honed his cooking skills and developed his own style of catering. LaBella explains that all of Big Pig’s meat products come from Dom’s Sausage Co. 

Big Pig Barbecue caters for all kinds of social gatherings including banquets, birthday parties, religious celebrations, tailgating, and weddings. “Our main source of revenue is graduation parties,” said LaBella.

Most of Big Pig’s business is derived from eastern Massachusetts including the Boston area, the North shore, Cape Cod, Falmouth, and toward the border of New Hampshire. “We do most of Massachusetts,” LaBella says with enthusiasm.

When asked about his favorite aspect of the catering business, LaBella notes that seeing his clients having fun and not stressed is a great feeling.

“I enjoy cooking a lot.  I love to talk to the customers initially on the phone. I like to hear their excitement and their energy on the phone,” he added.

“The best thing I like to do is just to see the looks on their faces when the job is done just right.”

Ultimately, LaBella’s goal is to ensure that his clients have a memorable barbecue experience and that they feel at ease from the stress of planning and cooking for a large group of people.

“A lot of other catering companies just try to deliver the best food; we still hold that to be true; however, we try to create an experience that will surely be remembered for years to come.” 

Check out Big Pig’s website at www.bigpigbarbecue.com and if you want to read customer reviews, Big Pig has a Facebook, Tumbler, and a Yelp page.  A typical season is from mid April to November.  LaBella can be contacted for a free catering estimate.

LaBella explains that steak tips are the number one seller and ribs and whole pig are also very popular. Other popular items include grilled corn on the cob, homemade pasta salad, and caramelized potatoes and onions.

The food aficionado advises young entrepreneurs in Lynnfield to explore their options in school.  “I think you should keep your options open.  Don’t get this predisposition of what you want to do,” he suggests.

In addition to having a fully booked catering schedule for the summer, Big Pig will be hosting about four fundraisers this year.  The proceeds from the fundraisers will go to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).  LaBella chose the CCFA as a charity because of a close Lynnfield friend who suffers from the disease.

LaBella says that Big Pig is also planning on creating a sports scholarship in memory of Nick Poti, who tragically died last fall. Not only was Poti a dear friend, but he was also one of LaBella’s business inspirations.

For more information about Big Pig Barbecue, visit www.bigpigbarbecue.com.