Leonard Botello IV, Chef
A first-generation pitmaster, Leonard Botello IV is the owner of the critically acclaimed TRUTH BBQ. Botello opened the original TRUTH BBQ Brenham in a small shack off a rural highway that runs between Austin and Houston in the summer of 2015, and in January 2019, he branched out with his second location, TRUTH BBQ Houston, in the historic Houston Heights neighborhood. At both locations, Botello offers both the traditional barbecue that first brought him fame as well as boundary-pushing dishes such as Carolina Style Whole Hog, Boudin Smoked Sausage, and Pastrami Brisket. In 2023, Botello took ownership of Round Top Smokehouse, a staple in the antiques-driven Round Top, TX community, renaming it Merritt Meat Company to honor the legacy of his late friend Lee Merritt Ellis, the smokehouse's original owner.
A veteran of the art of live fire cooking, Botello is known for his authentic Central Texas-style barbeque, relentless attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to the perfect cook. Botello puts his own twist on traditional recipes, creating dishes that are seemingly simple but unexpectedly layered, thrilling guests who come from around the world to enjoy what many consider among the country's finest practitioners of Texas barbecue. TRUTH BBQ has earned its place on Texas Monthly's list of 50 Best Barbecue Joints in Texas, cracking the coveted Top 10 bracket an astonishing three times in 10 years: No. 9 in 2017, No. 3 in 2021, and No. 9 in 2025. In 2024, Michelin Guide's inaugural Texas survey awarded TRUTH BBQ with Bib Gourmand distinction, making it among the first in the world to receive Michelin recognition for American-style barbecue.
In addition to being a seasoned pitmaster, Botello embraces a love for teaching, and combines the two by regularly hosting barbecue education classes at his Houston TRUTH BBQ location. He believes a large part of his job is to promote and preserve the history of traditional Texas barbecue by pushing the industry forward with a younger class of skilled, dedicated barbecue cooks.
When not manning the pits at TRUTH BBQ, Botello is often found competing with his fellow pitmasters as to who can perfect the "fourth slice" of a brisket at industry festivals and events. He is married to his fellow entrepreneur wife, Abbie Byrom-Botello (TRUTH BBQ's director of operations) and together they focus on giving back to the Houston community through their endeavors with local organizations The Beacon, Sky High for Kids and Southern Smoke Foundation.
