Brandon Snooks heading Hudson Valley BBQ Co.

The day that causes his shoulders to tense in remembrance was the end to his personal and business relationship with Andrea Loguidice, with whom he founded Wandering Dago food truck. The truck name sparked ire from government officials, for its use of a word considered an ethnic slur against Italians. The food truck was booted from Saratoga Race Track in 2013 (followed by a ban from other state-run facilities) because of the name, and a tumultuous episode, including lawsuits and settlements, followed over the next two years. Some 70 percent of Hudson Valley BBQ Co.'s business is weddings and catering (busiest from May to November), and his clientele tends to hail from New York City or New Jersey, hosting their wedding celebration in a rustic Hudson Valley barn. Chickens impaled at the sternum with industrial hooks are nestled in hot coals, creating a crackling, blistered skin that shatters with herbal, acidic flavors. Though his barbecued meats are a large draw for betrothed couples and catering customers, he has not overlooked the smoky desires of vegetarians and vegans. Snooks currently employs 12 people (mostly seasonal) and retains 100 percent ownership of Hudson Valley BBQ Co. He is completely self-financed, making what he calls, "extreme sacrifices" to rebuild his life and start a new company.