Onur Gulbay
Outsider BBQ | Seattle, WA
December 2025
After working in tech sales for almost two decades, Onur Gulbay’s life changed in 2017 when his company relocated him from Istanbul to Austin, Texas and he had his first bite of smoked brisket. At the top of his list was Rising Stars alum Aaron Franklin’s acclaimed Franklin Barbecue. As he ate more Texas-style barbecue, Gulbay was soon inspired to give the pit a try himself. He bought a small backyard smoker and started to work on his craft. From there, Gulbay’s interest and passion grew quickly. He started popping up at breweries in town, but a few months later, his wife got a job in Seattle and the couple decided to move to Washington state. Before leaving, Gulbay quit his job and took on a front of house role at Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q, slinging brisket and ribs and learning about the business of barbecue.
Gulbay spent some time working for another pitmaster in town before deciding to launch a concept of his own. He started doing events and pop-ups, and eventually expanded the business into a popular food truck. With momentum and a growing following for his barbecue, Gulbay opened the brick-and-mortar location of Outsider BBQ in February 2025. At the restaurant and beer garden, Gulbay is honoring the barbecue that made him first fall in love with the form, showcasing the traditions and flavors of Texas-style barbecue through his brisket, sausage, and ribs, as well as his pulled pork and beef cheeks.
But when it comes to the sides, he’s turning to his roots with Turkish-inspired riffs on American classics like potato salad and coleslaw. As he continues to grow, Gulbay is committed to maintaining the welcoming, community-focused atmosphere that he has cultivated at Outsider while mentoring his team and advocating for more intentional, high-caliber barbecue in the Seattle area.
