“We are on the land of the Wild West,” say the owners of the Back Forty Texas BBQ in Roseville, California, about their establishment. This authentic saloon attracts hundreds of visitors daily! How to create a successful modern restaurant while preserving authenticity and culture, keeping a historically beloved menu while subtly and meticulously enhancing it to unequivocally please customers — owners Galina Orlova and Timothy Orlov of Back Forty Texas BBQ share their story
Tim, Galina, your restaurant attracts a lot of people, it is very popular. What makes Back Forty Texas BBQ so unique?
Tim: Our restaurant is unique in many ways. The most important is the very delicious food. We purchase quality products, and our chefs with years of experience prepare dishes according to special recipes. As a barbecue restaurant the main dishes are cooked in smokers. For example, brisket is prepared over 14 hours on special green dry oak wood — a quintessentially American tradition.
Galina: Our restaurant is primarily distinguished by the unbridled atmosphere of the Wild West. The waiters dressed in cowboy style are sociable and they serve customers kindly and cheerfully. We invite people to a wonderful, detached building next to which is a huge parking lot. One of the advantages is the ability to accommodate companies of various sizes. Back Forty Texas BBQ is literally imbued with American culture, traditions and authenticity is evident in everything. Our guests can fully appreciate the variety of dishes and drinks.
We’ve heard that your restaurant has won awards in various competitions for many years.
Galina: The Back Forty Texas BBQ team regularly travels to compete with the best barbecue restaurants. As one of the top 24 national barbecue teams Back Forty is invited to participate in the annual National BBQ Rib Cook-Off since 1991. A panel of 24 judges regularly selects Back Forty Texas BBQ as the No. 1 barbecue establishment in California. In 2011 our restaurant was the best national barbecue taking first place. In 2012, 2014 and 2017 Back Forty was recognized as “People’s Choice” among all participants. The prestigious commission also twice highlighted Back Forty’s barbecue sauce as the best barbecue sauce in the States!
Tim: This four-day major competition is typically attended by over 400,000 people. After tasting the barbecue prepared by all participants the barbecue from Back Forty was recognized as the best marked in prestigious nominations:
– 2023 People’s Choice Best in the West National Rib Cook-Off (“People’s Choice”, the best in the Western national championship of rib cooking);
– 2022 3rd Place Best Ribs in the West National Rib Cook-Off (3rd place for the best ribs, Western national championship);
– 2022 Back Forty Texas BBQ Best Barbecue in the East Bay (“Best Barbecue” in East Bay);
– 2021 People’s Choice Best in the West National Rib Cook-Off (“People’s Choice”, the best in the Western national championship);
– 2021 2nd Place Best Ribs in the West National Rib Cook-Off (2nd place for the best ribs in the Western national championship);
– 2021 Back Forty Texas BBQ Best Barbecue in the East Bay (“Best Barbecue” in East Bay);
– 2020 Back Forty Texas BBQ Best Barbecue in the East Bay (“Best Barbecue” in East Bay);
Tell us more about the menu and additional services of the restaurant.
Tim: Our menu is truly diverse. At its core are pork and beef ribs, brisket, tri-tip, chicken, sausages, and prime rib. As we’ve already mentioned, everything is cooked for a long time in smokers. The professionalism of our chefs plays a huge role in the quality of the dishes. Our menu also features a huge selection of unique appetizers and side dishes that have delighted our customers for many years and a large selection of salads. Our guests are also amazed by the quality of our unique sandwiches and burgers. And no one remains indifferent to our steaks and wild salmon grilled to perfection.
Galina: Tim just described the dine-in menu, but we also have carry-out, meet à la carte and party packs. Simultaneously the restaurant can accommodate 3-4 large groups of 15-20 people and there are still enough tables for 2, 4, 6 people. We also offer four different types of banquet menus that will please any company and event up to 35-40 people.
We have catering with three types of service. Pick-up – where everything will be calculated, prepared, and packed for any number of people and we’ll help load it all into your car. The most common type of catering is delivery: we come, beautifully set up, display our hot and cold dishes, fully service the table buffet-style, and then leave. We also offer full-service catering: we arrive and work alongside clients for about an hour helping them choose dishes. Hot dishes are kept in warmers or on the grill depending on the order. We also provide tables if needed. We are always open for custom catering.
We have an excellent wine list in the restaurant as well as a fine selection of cocktails. I’m not even talking about the variety of draft and bottled beers. Everything is served in authentic mugs elegant cocktail and wine glasses.
It’s hard to imagine the Wild West where they drank from beautiful goblets
Tim: We are on the land of the Wild West. But now the area where everyone used to be served mugs of beer and shots of whiskey has turned into fabulous vineyards known worldwide. Huge territories in the Napa and Sonoma valleys, Plymouth, Paso Robles, and others offer unrivaled quality wines! Why shouldn’t we take advantage of this? It’s our American land! And it’s our soul! Although in our restaurant you can order Italian, Argentine wines – all depends on the client’s taste.
How are things with cocktails?
Galina: Firstly, we completely changed the recipes, secondly, we paid special attention to presentation – everything must be decorated. There are cocktails that are initially layered then lit with special wooden matches, etc. We use specially frozen ice for this. In general, we use many different little things that create an atmosphere for our guests.
A variety of service is great! But why exactly this menu? Why meat and smokers?
Tim: For me it all started in childhood when I learned to cook meat, chicken, and fish in homemade smokers. We had a small country house in the forest. My dad was an avid fisherman, so we often smoked fish then decided to try smoking chicken. And it took off! As a boy I gathered firewood for smoking from specific types of trees and process them properly. We also very often grilled meat on live wood coals. Smoked, grilled, buried in coals. My love for this way of cooking comes from there.
Galina: I was also taught to cook from childhood instilling a love for it. My mom cooked various dishes superbly and my dad had a master’s degree in culinary and public catering as an expert he cooked wonderfully. Often, they did it together teaching me and when mom passed away, he alone created amazing, incredibly delicious dishes. My brothers and I always told dad that he needed to have his own restaurant. He’s no longer with us but he would have really appreciated the menu of our restaurant.
We also had a country house where we cooked a lot of meat on the fire every summer and grew vegetables, berries, and some fruits ourselves. It can be said that both Tim and I absorbed this love for cooking various dishes, especially meat, from early childhood.
Why did you specifically choose Texas style?
Tim: To the question of why we chose this direction for our restaurant here in the USA the answer is simple: it is authentically American food with authentically American culture. We were interested in the Texas style perhaps also because even in our family name—there is a spirit of freedom. Orlov comes from “Orel”—the eagle, a bird that embodies freedom strength and independence. Orlovs, like Eagles are strong, independent, and free. Our last name translates as Eagle. Perhaps that’s the answer.
Galina: Indeed, we are true eagles if we are so close to the spirit of the Wild West.
Tim: Once upon a time on the land of the Wild West there lived cowboys—rugged but hardworking men who began to build America in the understanding that we know it today. There was the Gold Rush, trade, a flood of migrants from all over the world but there was a need to eat. And to eat well. There was also the oil industry which if you delve deeper intersected with the BBQ industry and the emergence of modern smokers. Incidentally before this Americans cooked meat in so-called barbecue pits. A fire was kindled in a pit in the ground and the smoke and heat from the burning wood went through an opening (chimney) into an adjacent large brick box with meat laid out on shelves. All the main smokers today are just a development of this ancient concept. This is a rather complex food preparation system that should be appreciated as part of American culture! But that’s a separate big topic for discussion.
Returning to the dishes I want to remind you that while it was clear with pork, fish, and chicken, preparing beef, bull or bison was difficult. And it was then that they found this method of smoking for many hours, to ultimately get such tender melt-in-your-mouth meat.
The culture of meat consumption in Texas is supported by a colossus named brisket—a beef chest cut. The meat is very tough if cooked improperly. However, with skillful handling a tough and not the most expensive piece of meat turns into the tenderest juiciest delicacy. Here the comparison is quite appropriate: just as the wild, tough dangerous west once transformed into the most comfortable place in the world to live. Where else should meat be cooked? Of course, in a smoker!
Galina: We all live on this land now. It must be said that there are many fakes around and we often observe attempts to reflect the culture of the Wild West but only its semblance is achieved. However, we strive to preserve the original style—these recipes this culture, which is not just in the food, but also in communication. Our waitstaff always offer friendliness, jokes, songs, and warm, kind communication which is so scarce in the world of modern technology.
How was the Back Forty Texas BBQ restaurant created?
Tim: It all started… with a game of poker. In the mid-1960s Michael Schroeder in Austin, Texas was waiting for a fateful game. The second player who had no money covered Schroeder’s bet by offering “half of his restaurant.” Schroeder’s three of a kind beat a pair of queens. When it came time to pay the owner of the barbecue restaurant insisted that he meant “half of the place,” not “half of the establishment.” Schroeder’s “half” turned out to be an empty room at the back of the venue. Angered by such deceitful tactics Schroeder gathered his grandmother’s barbecue recipes and opened a restaurant within a restaurant.
Galina: Customers were informed about the shared space. And although seating was limited to 40 people the barbecue was so tasty and high-quality that soon visitors began requesting to be seated in “the back forty.” The business in the front part declined and Schroeder bought the restaurant turning it into a successful barbecue chain. In the early 1970s he sold the restaurant and moved to Las Vegas to resume professional gambling. However to provide some financial security he opened almost a duplicate of the restaurant. Recalling the phrase of his loyal customer he decided to call it “Back Forty” adding “Texas BBQ” for those aficionados of the Lone Star State version!
Tim: Since 1978, there has been a Back Forty Texas BBQ. In 1995 our restaurant appeared in Roseville. Since then, it has undergone three remodeling several owners have changed, and each has contributed to the development of this business. The restaurant successfully survived the COVID-19 pandemic earning money and delighting Americans with delivery during the lockdown as well as carry out.
Galina: And now we have been honored to own this establishment and to develop and improve it. For us it is a great honor because the restaurant reflects American culture it is already part of its history. We are confident that even greater success awaits Back Forty Texas BBQ because it has huge potential!
You take a creative approach not only to every stage of the restaurant business – your contribution is felt in every detail of the interior. Tell us a bit more about yourself and your talents.
Tim: For my part I can say that I have a wonderful wife two talented very athletic and smart sons. I had the honor of being born in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, St. Petersburg, Russia. I went through my formative years there learned life lessons. I lived in several countries around the world and absorbed their cultures. I studied, worked, and had businesses in different fields such as music, design, architecture, trade, various auto industries, limo business, construction industry and others. I worked in the restaurant business in my wife’s homeland of Belarus which apparently helped me come to the restaurant business here in the USA.
Galina: I was born in the capital of Belarus, Minsk. I am a musician and opera singer. I also completed financial-economic and business courses. I studied fashion and have experience in the modeling field. In the USA I completed my postgraduate degree as an opera singer. Alongside the restaurant business, I perform at concerts, corporate events, participate in competitions and master classes and teach vocal lessons and piano in various styles.
Since both my husband and I are musicians, we sing to our customers in our restaurant whenever possible celebrating their holidays with them. In plans – live music on weekends at Back Forty Texas BBQ.
You are immigrants who have now become US citizens… As you said, your last name translates to Eagle, which makes you truly close to the spirit of the wild and free West. I noticed that even your beautiful muscle cars speak to the fact that the spirit of the Wild West is close to you. Style in everything. Tell us how much have you managed to learn and understand America in 10 years now that you successfully own and manage an authentically American restaurant?
Galina: My husband and I are such: whatever we undertake – we always delve deeply into it thoroughly study it. Having arrived here we not only traveled all over California but then all over USA and explored this country as much as we could. We traveled all over Texas which led us to understand what we are doing now. You can feel and try vibe, atmosphere, and taste of Wild West.
