About the Founder: The Story Behind Oak’a BBQ
Every flame has a spark. For me, that spark was born many years ago, standing by a simple outdoor grill, dreaming of something bigger. My name is Kristaps Ozols, and I’m the founder of Oak’a BBQ – a brand built not just on flavor, but on passion, resilience, and one heck of a smoky journey.
Where It All Began
My culinary story started out of pure necessity - moving to Riga during high school meant learning to feed myself. What began as a survival skill quickly grew into a deep passion for cooking. I found peace in it, like meditation, especially outdoors. Step by step, I realized that food - real, soulful, honest food - was my calling.
The First Big Leap
In 2013, driven by a surge of energy and determination, I opened my first food business. It wasn’t easy. In fact, it didn’t last. But I never saw that as failure - just the first chapter of an education in flavor, fire, and persistence. I went on to gather more experience in the food and hospitality world, including working with hotel networks, which gave me broader industry insight.
Chasing Smoke in Texas
Still, something was missing. I was obsessed with barbecue - real, Texan-style, wood-fired BBQ. So in 2017, I decided to go straight to the source. I reached out to one of the top three BBQ joints in Texas - Bodacious Bar-B-Q - and when they replied, I booked a ticket. I wasn’t just going to learn how to smoke meat - I went to feel the soul of BBQ culture. That trip changed everything.
Bringing the Smoke Home
Back in Latvia, I knew I had to do something bold. I started experimenting - cooking, mixing, trying to create my own sauces, rubs, and smoked products. At first, no one really understood BBQ the way I did. At farmers markets, most people walked by. But I kept going - teaching, sampling, talking to everyone who would listen. And slowly, people started to fall in love with BBQ, just like I did.
Today, Oak’a BBQ has grown from a single sauce into over 60 handcrafted products, available not just in Latvia but exported to over a dozen countries. Every recipe, every rub, every smoked bite carries a story and a purpose.
Expanding the Family: Oak’a Burgers
In 2020, during the pandemic, we launched our second brand - Oak’a Burgers. It was born out of a need to stay close to our community and serve up something comforting and real. Since then, it has grown into one of Riga’s top-rated street food spots, and we couldn’t be prouder.
The Mission & The Future
At Oak’a BBQ, our mission is simple: to help people enjoy incredible outdoor moments with good food and great company. Whether it’s a backyard BBQ with friends or a quiet evening by the grill, we believe flavor brings people together.
Our next goals? To grow our production, innovate even more unique products, expand exports, and maybe… open a few more burger joints when the time is right.
But no matter how far we go - it all comes back to the fire, the food, and the people.
See you by the smoker.
- Kristaps Ozols