Franklin Barbecue Vet John Avila Has Left Morgan's

John Avila, the expert pitmaster who opened Morgan's Brooklyn Barbecue just this past fall, has now parted ways with the restaurant. Avila came to the project after working at Austin's renowned Franklin Barbecue, which earned Morgan's a lot of buzz when the restaurant opened. Robert Sietsema was among Avila's fans.

But now several sources confirm that Avila is no longer tending the smoker at Morgan's. Barbecue writer/expert Daniel Vaughn notes the departure on Twitter, and a recent article in the Wall Street Journal says that Avila has been replaced by chef Andres Fernandez. There's not much mention of the change on the restaurant's website, but a passing note on Facebook acknowledges the switch. Avila also recently told the Houston Chronicle that he's looking to open a restaurant called El Burro and the Bull back in Texas, which would serve a mix of Cajun food, Tex-Mex fare, and barbecue. "We've been doing very well in New York," he says, "But it's time to come home."
· @BBQsnob [Twitter]
· Slow-Smoked Texas Barbecue Via Brooklyn [WSJ]
· Meet the Pitmasters of the Houston Barbecue Festival [Houston Chronicle]
· All Coverage of Morgan's [~ENY~]
[Morgan's by Krieger]