{"id":99868,"date":"2025-12-24T17:32:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T17:32:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/99868\/"},"modified":"2025-12-24T17:32:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T17:32:09","slug":"barbecue-inspired-by-family-tradition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/99868\/","title":{"rendered":"Barbecue Inspired By Family Tradition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Texas Tech\u2019s \u201cFrom Here, It\u2019s Possible\u201d campaign just introduced a smoky, standout new feature \u2014 and it centers on one of Lubbock\u2019s most beloved pitmasters.<\/p>\n

The Texas spotlight now shines on Michael\u00a0Flores of Jimenez Y Friends, a man whose blend of family heritage, restaurant savvy, and Red Raider education has fueled one of\u00a0Lubbock’s<\/a> most respected food operations.<\/p>\n

What many people forget is how wide-ranging Texas Tech\u2019s degree programs really are. It\u2019s not just engineering, agriculture, or business \u2014 programs like restaurant, hotel and institutional management can shift the trajectory of an entire family legacy. For Michael, that\u2019s exactly what happened. His roots run deep in the restaurant and bakery world, but earning his degree at Tech gave him the tools to elevate the family craft even further, turning street smarts into a refined, sustainable business strategy rooted in tradition and innovation.<\/p>\n

A Local Pitmaster Shows How Education and Heart Drive Real Community Impact<\/p>\n

Michael oversees the barbecue arm of Jimenez Y Friends, cooking on weekends and for special events, and let\u2019s be perfectly clear \u2014 his barbecue isn\u2019t just good. It\u2019s city-limits champion good. I\u2019ll go on record saying it\u2019s the absolute best inside Lubbock, and just to keep the peace, we\u2019ll call it a friendly tie with the legends at Evie Mae\u2019s and The Shack. Michael has earned that level of praise with smoke, sweat, and a lot of heart.<\/p>\n

In the new Texas Tech promotional segment, Michael talks about the joy of cooking, honoring his family\u2019s legacy, and building something meaningful for the community. The video has the same thoughtful, artistic vibe you\u2019d expect from a great episode of 24 Frames \u2014 personal, inspiring, and rooted in West Texas authenticity. It\u2019s not just a promo. It feels like a moment.<\/p>\n

And here\u2019s something worth noting: we write about Jimenez Y Friends a lot. There\u2019s a reason for that. Beyond the food \u2014 the pan dulce, the barbecue, the everything \u2014 it\u2019s their unwavering attitude of gratitude that keeps them top of mind. Michael and his family show kindness, community devotion, and genuine appreciation every time they fire up the pit or open the bakery door. That spirit deserves recognition as often as possible.<\/p>\n

Read More:\u00a0How United Supermarkets Supports Local Families In West Texas<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Jimenez Y Friends isn\u2019t just a business. It\u2019s a reminder of what makes Lubbock special \u2014 hard-working families, homegrown entrepreneurs, and the belief that with a little education and a lot of heart, \u201cFrom here, it really is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sneak Peek: Inside Lubbock\u2019s New Portillo\u2019s Location Before It Opens<\/p>\n

We visited Lubbock\u2019s new Portillo\u2019s location and grabbed photos for a sneak peek at the layout, the food, and what fans can expect before opening day<\/p>\n

Gallery Credit: Renee Raven<\/p>\n

Joyland Nostalgia: Photos That Bring Back the Best Lubbock Memories<\/p>\n

Joyland was a quirky, vintage treasure that Lubbockites enjoyed for generations. It is deeply missed, but lives on in memories, and in great photos like these. <\/p>\n

Gallery Credit: Renee Raven<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Texas Tech\u2019s \u201cFrom Here, It\u2019s Possible\u201d campaign just introduced a smoky, standout new feature \u2014 and it centers…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":99869,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[168,170,169],"class_list":{"0":"post-99868","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-lubbock","8":"tag-lubbock","9":"tag-lubbock-headlines","10":"tag-lubbock-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99868","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99868"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99868\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}