Leonard Botello IV is the owner and pitmaster behind Texas’ critically acclaimed TRUTH BBQ, with locations in both Brenham and Houston. A self-taught pitmaster who opened his first location in a small shack off a rural highway, Leonard surprised the industry in 2017 when TRUTH BBQ was awarded #10 on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints list in 2017; and was recently ranked in the top 3 on the 2021 Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ List. As an expert in the art of live fire cooking, Leonard is known for his twist on authentic Central Texas style bbq –one dedicated to the history of Texas ‘cue –as well as his relentless attention to detail.