Kreuz Market Pitmaster Roy Perez inducted into Barbecue Hall of Fame 

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor

   Roy Perez, the legendary pitmaster of Kreuz Market in Lockhart, has been inducted into the BBQ Hall of Fame, earning national recognition for a lifetime spent tending fires, preserving tradition, and shaping the flavor of Central Texas barbecue.

   For decades, Perez has stood watch over the post oak pits of the historic smokehouse, becoming one of the most respected keepers of old-school Texas barbecue. At Kreuz Market, the fires never go out, and Perez’s steady hand, and steady devotion, have guided the smoke that draws generations of Texans and barbecue pilgrims to Lockhart.

   A blue-collar pitmaster to the core, Perez began on the sausage pits before mastering every corner of the smoke room. His reputation was built the old-fashioned way: long hours, quiet consistency, and an unwavering commitment to the fundamentals that define Central Texas barbecue.

   In recent years, Perez suffered a stroke, a life-changing moment that he speaks about with remarkable humility. Reflecting on the Hall of Fame honor, he offered simple gratitude.

   “I just want to say thank you for being elected to the Hall of Fame,” Perez said. “I’ll take anything I can get in my life now. Since my stroke, it has woken me up to a lot of things, and I thought I could live forever, but I know that’s not the case.” He added that the award belongs not only to him, but to the team and to the pitmasters who came long before his time.

   For many Texans, Perez embodies the living spirit of Kreuz Market, a place where the smoke does the talking and the craft speaks for itself. His induction adds a new chapter to Lockhart’s proud legacy as the Barbecue Capital of Texas.

   A fan summed up the feeling on social media: “Here’s to you, Roy. Thanks for showing up for the fire, for the people, and for the tradition. Your induction is well earned. Keep burning the wood, brother.”

   With this honor, Roy Perez joins a select group of pitmasters whose work has shaped the story of American barbecue. And as the fires at Kreuz continue to glow, so does the legacy of the man who has tended them for so many years.