With hopes to permanently move in, BBQ pop-up star Brother’s Keeper tests water in new kitchen

The rumors have been true: Pitmaster and Brother’s Keeper BBQ owner Maurice “Mo” Stewart has been eying the space at 3701 E. 4th St. as a permanent home. Rich with culinary history—it was once home to the original MVPs before it became Prime by Shenandoah, an underrated space before it shuttered in 2021 amid the pandemic—the space remains in hopeful terms when it comes to Mo making it Brother’s Keeper’s permanent home.

But before committing to the space, Brother’s Keeper will host its pop-up on Sunday, Nov. 16, from noon until sell-out.

Given his extraordinary win at barbecue legend and James Beard award-winner Kevin Bludso’s local competition and his back-to-back wins at the Long Beach BBQ Festival, hopes are high that Maurice can find a permanent home in Long Beach.

“We’re still in the negotiating phase,” Mo said. “But I still want to see how it could look if we do decide to move forward.”

And that is why he is hosting a one-day-only pop-up event at the space from noon until he sells out. What to expect? Brisket. Pulled pork. Smoked chicken wings. Pork belly burnt ends. Spare ribs. Beef ribs. Smoked gouda mac. Baked beans. Coleslaw. And the unmistakable aroma of purpose.

From Long Beach roots to the wood-fired comeback: How Brother’s Keeper BBQ made a name for itself in the world of smoke.

Brother’s Keeper BBQ began as Mac & Mo Smoke, a 2018 partnership between Maurice and friend Brandon McIntosh. But Mo’s story with barbecue started long before any official launch—rooted in the family kitchens that defined his youth.

“I was born and raised in L.A., but my grandma and grandpa were from Pennsylvania—she did the cooking, he did the grilling,” Maurice said. “Our barbecue was more Carolina-style, sauce on everything. That’s where I learned to love cooking.” After college at CSULB and years working restaurant jobs, Mo fell in love with the ritual of smoking meat: the patience, the fire, the quiet. “It was instant love,” he said. “There’s something almost spiritual about standing outside with a beer, smoking food for your family.”

That spirit of connection became his compass—and eventually, his calling.

Stewart’s barbecue is rooted in Central Texas-style tradition: oak wood, dry rubs, butcher paper, and restraint. He sources white oak from The Woodshed in Orange County and embraces a minimalist approach. “It’s low and slow,” he said. “Let the wood and the meat do the work.”

It’s a craft learned the long way—through smoke, failure, and community feedback. 

The struggle behind the smoke of Brother’s Keeper BBQ.

Behind the craft lies hardship. Maurice has had years that were defintiively marked by instability—twice laid off from restaurant jobs, caught between professional uncertainty and the responsibilities of raising two daughters—Samantha and Camryn—and one son, Carter, with his partner Marissa.

“There’s this mixture of anger and frustration when you don’t have stability,” he told me back when he was taking on the Long Beach BBQ Festival for the first time. “But bringing Brother’s Keeper back has been really inspirational for me. There’s purpose in food—and I’ve found worth in what I do.”

That purpose was compounded on Sept. 20, when he lost his grandmother, Dorothy Stewart, at the age of 93. Considering it was her who taught him how to cook, restarting Brother’s Keeper isn’t just a career move. It’s survival. It’s self-determination. “This is both for myself and my family,” he said.

The cultural urgency: reclaiming Black foodways in Long Beach.

Stewart’s return happens at a crucial moment. Long Beach, once a stronghold of Black culture—home to generations of Black-owned businesses, clubs, and restaurants—has watched much of that legacy fade amid gentrification and rising costs. The number of Black-owned restaurants in the city today pales in comparison to the decades of the past. 

Brother’s Keeper stands as a living testament: a man with smoke-stained hands and steady purpose, feeding his neighborhood while holding onto something bigger. And for me, that’s something Long Beach can’t afford to lose.

Brother’s Keeper will host its pop-up at 3701 E. 4th St. on Sunday, Nov. 16 from noon until sell-out.