Looking for more than just another job as a cook, which he'd been doing for the past twelve years throughout New England. He left on his motorcycle, with a tent, a sleeping bag, and 300 dollars in his pocket, eventually settling in the Sonoran Dessert of Apach Junction, Arizona. Well off the beaten path, with nothing around but Saguaro Cactus and the Superstition Mountains, he set up camp, on Federal Land, behind a quiet little concrete hut called "La Casa De Toro". La Casa was a welcome sight for weary travelers, where Mexican Food and Drink were served, as well as a place where Woodie could go for water and relief from the 100+ degree mid-day sun. This was where Woodie learned to create the Mexican dishes still in use today.

Two years later Woodie returned to Connecticut to open the first Mexican Restaurant in Litchfield County. Then, in 1991, he decided it was time for another "first" for the county to enjoy. Authenitic Pit BBQ. Again, Woodie headed out. This time, South, to the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida to learn the secret of the indistinguishable taste of authentic Pit BBQ. He learned that a "dry rub" was used to season the meats before cooking, that the smoky aroma comes from fresh green Hickory, and that "Low and Slow is the way to Go" meant keeping the oven temperature at a steady 220 degrees for hours on end. And now 24 years later Woodie is still at it. He's here every morning, 6 days a week, making sure that everything stays up to his standards. From the spices used for the Mexican Sauces to the St Louis Ribs placed in the Pit