For Nate Cantu, BBQ isn’t just a passion, it’s a legacy. Inspired by memories of grilling with his father and fueled by the joy of creating bold, smoky flavors for his own family, Nate brings heart and heat to everything he cooks. As a Director of Operations by day and Pitmaster by passion, Nate runs his own catering business and is always experimenting with new ways to elevate the classics. With his LĒVO in the mix, he's infusing butter, oil, and tallow with precision, taking everything from brisket to wings to the next level. This Father's Day, we’re fired up to feature Nate’s signature Loopy Lobster Mac & Cheese… a smoky, indulgent dish made for cookouts, celebrations, and seriously satisfied taste buds.
Tell us a little about yourself!
My name is Nate Cantu and I'm from Findlay, Ohio. I am married to my beautiful wife, Krista, and have 3 amazing children, Landon, Brynn & Kaylee. I am a Director of Operations for a Whole Animal Butcher Shop and I also run my own BBQ Catering Company.
I love spending time with my family and am involved in coaching my son's football and baseball teams. We are in the busy stage of life, and I am enjoying every second of it.
What sparked your love for grilling?
I've always loved to grill outside. I remember my dad grilling just about whenever he had a chance. I lost my dad to cancer at 16, and I feel that has played a big part in my love for grilling. It's one of those things that make me still feel close to him.
How has LĒVO become a part of your grilling game?
LĒVO has played a big part in my grilling game. I still have all intentions of making other infusions, but I mainly have just made flower infusions. Butter, oil and tallow have been my main infusions and all of them can be used for different things. From wings, to eggs, to brisket, there have been some delicious creations.
What’s your favorite infusion to make for grilling?
I have infused some wagyu beef tallow with flower that I used to fry up some eggs and also used a little bit over top of a resting brisket.
Butter is probably the easiest to use, as there are a lot of things you can do with it. You can make some delicious infused sauces to go with wings.
Do you have any grilling hacks or LĒVO infusion tips for other dads (or BBQ lovers)?
Grilling Hack: Forget about how long you cook something. Time is not the factor you should be concerned about, it's temperature. Cooking your meat to the correct internal temperature is far more important than time.
Infusion Tip: Use a potency calculator (like this one) to get a better idea of your infusion strength. The biggest thing I see from people is that their potency is not where they want it to be. I do a 1:1 ratio for flower and oil when infusing. There's only way way to get your infusions strong, and that's with a 1:1 ratio.
If you could describe your BBQ style in three words, what would they be?
Experimental, Flavorful, Smoky
What inspires your recipe creations?
Over time I think experimenting with flavors has included my style. There isn't a certain region that influences style. It's more about tasting good than anything. Good BBQ starts with great ingredients.
What’s one thing you’d like others to know about you or your journey?
Grilling has been a huge part of my personal self-care, it gives me space to slow down, be present, and recharge.
I have no idea where I will end up on this BBQ journey I am on, but I have enjoyed the ride. I've met a lot of great people and have had an opportunity to work with some amazing companies.
Tell us about the recipe you developed for this feature!
We have a Smoked Lobster Mac & Cheese done on a charcoal grill for some extra smoke flavor. I made some Lobster Mac last spring, before I got the LĒVO, and that's been on my list since.
Anything else you’d like to share with the LĒVO community?
I will never care what anyone grills on, as long as they are outside cooking. I own just about every outdoor cooking device that there is. They all serve a purpose and can put out some delicious food.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity for the Father's Day Q&A. It is very humbling. The greatest thing(s) that I have accomplished in my life is my children.
You can follow me along my BBQ Journey on Instagram and TikTok. @can2_bbq on Instagram and @can2bbq on TikTok.
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