Frank Frantz isn’t afraid of a little heat.
The South Buffalo resident is becoming known locally for his tangy “Bravo” barbecue sauce and slow-cooked brisket, sold the past few years from a roving food truck.
He has joined fellow chef James Palumbi of Saxonburg in opening an indoor version, 12 Bravo BBQ, at VFW Post 894 in Harrison.
“This is a family business,” Frantz said. “The food is made with love.”
His passion for peppery provisions shines through menu items such as pulled pork and baked beans with burger and bacon.
Frantz, 43, said he learned his grilling savvy from the best.
“We went down and spent some time with Myron Mixon — the winningest BBQ chef in the world,” Frantz said.
Mixon, a celebrity chef from Georgia, is a five-time winner of the BBQ World Champion crown and served as a judge on TV’s “Smoked.”
“We wanted to bring some of that Southern flair up here,” Frantz said.
A native of Harrison, Frantz grew up in the township’s Natrona neighborhood and graduated from Highlands High School. He served eight years in the Army as a military combat engineer — also known as 12 Bravo.
Frantz said he spent a lot of time in the kitchen as a child, cooking alongside his father and “my mom, with all her Polish food.”
A few years ago, a friend opened the Liberty Corner Tavern in Freeport and asked if Frantz would man the menu.
It led to a partnership with Palumbi and set them on course for the food truck, which makes regular stops at Freeport Days, held the second Tuesday of each month in the summer, along with the Saxonburg Artisan Market.
His involvement with the annual Ride for Homeless Veterans fundraiser, which begins and ends at the Harrison VFW, led Frantz to consider opening the on-site kitchen on a regular basis.
“Not only are we trying to get our name out, but we want to give back to the vets as much as we can,” he said.
Hungry customers don’t need to be VFW members to order from the 12 Bravo menu. But Frantz hopes people who make regular visits will consider buying a social membership to the club for $30.
“We’re trying to build up the ranks,” he said.
Frantz’s father-in-law, Adam Rogacki, is a regular in the kitchen, helping to prep homemade mac and cheese, coleslaw and hand-tossed pizzas.
“The pulled chicken is my favorite,” Rogacki said. “I highly recommend it.”
Friend Jackie Gaughan has also joined the staff. A board member of the nonprofit Dynamic Community Foundation in Freeport, Gaughan lauded Frantz for always stepping up to help people in need.
“Any time we do an event, he’s always the first to jump in with cooking or donating,” she said.
“Our community appreciates him.”
