About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Smoke is a locally owned BBQ destination built on passion, resilience and genuine hospitality — creating spaces where great people, food and community come together.
Our Story
Smoke is a locally owned hospitality business built on passion, resilience and a love for great food and genuine hospitality.
Our journey began in 2019 at The Lake House at Lake Hood in Ashburton, with a single 1.5 tonne smoker and a big vision. Just as we seasoned our first piece of meat, the country went into lockdown. But we didn’t stop. As soon as restrictions lifted, we launched Smoke as a takeaway offering and quickly became a local favourite.
What started as an idea grew into something much bigger. In 2021, we opened our first standalone Smoke restaurant in Rolleston, bringing authentic low-and-slow BBQ to our local community. In 2023, we opened Smoke Ashburton — a purpose-built, warehouse-style space designed for connection, great food and shared experiences.
Since then, we’ve continued to grow the Smoke brand. From launching our mobile smoker for off-site catering and events, to creating Smoulder — our private dining and function space — we’ve built a business that goes beyond a traditional restaurant.
At our core, we’re about more than just BBQ. We’re about supporting local, creating spaces people feel welcome in, creating a great work environment and delivering an experience people come back for.
Whether you’re dining in, grabbing takeaway or celebrating something special — Smoke is built for our community, by locals, for locals.
Meet The Team
Our Clients
