Get to Know our Story!

Where It All Began

Code 1 BBQ is a veteran-Owned, women run, and family operated small business. We do it all and we love what we do.

Sean and Erica are the husband-and-wife team, married for almost two decades with three very awesome kids, who spent their years together hunting down good BBQ all over New England, and binge-watching BBQ competitions (then) and Netflix (now).

Sean is an Airforce veteran, former HVAC manager, and a dedicated, hardworking husband and father.

Erica is an author, entrepreneur, chef, mom, and public speaker. She also has food allergies that prevent her from eating at many great restaurants with the rest of her family.

When they first met, Erica worked in the restaurant industry after attending culinary school and ran her own wedding planning business. Sean was fresh out of the Airforce with a passion for grilling and smoking meat, but little time to indulge in it.

After life took them for a turn through the corporate maze of 9-5's, vacation days, and benefits— big business for Erica, small business for Sean—it eventually led them back to BBQ.

Then Covid hit, and Sean and Erica both realized that life was short. Finding time for the things you love mattered more than anything. Sean took his passion for smoked meat and Erica took her skills and knowledge, along with her recipe book, to the next level.

And . . . Code 1 BBQ LLC was born.

“When the opportunity arose and the universe fell in line, we asked ourselves, “why not? Why not share this amazing, made-from-scratch BBQ food!” Erica Marchant

Follow us on our journey!

Code 1 BBQ started out as a catering company with the two of them. They operated out of a shared commercial kitchen, and to get their name out there while sharing great BBQ they hit the market scene and introduced themselves to their local communities.

This is where they not only met amazing customers, followers, and supporters but also where they met Susan and turned from a duo into a trio. Along with another silent partner, Sean, Erica, and Susan opened the limited seating and take-out space for Code 1 BBQ at 211 Main Street, Wilmington MA.

Susan is not only a mom to two wonderful boys but also Code 1's MAMA BEAR and their resident baker serving up all those delicious cornbread and brownie bites. She makes sure they have coverage everywhere and anywhere that's needed.

Susan loves spreading the word about Code 1 and interacting with all their guests.

Where They Are Now

Since 2021, Code 1 has been catering and serving their community and surrounding towns smoked meats and scratch-made sides at all their events, functions, and dinners.

In 2023, they opened their first brick and mortar restaurant in Wilmington, MA with limited seating and take-out, enabling them to provide BBQ all week long.

Sean, Erica, and Susan run Code 1 BBQ every day in the hopes of not only providing great BBQ but also a place where you are not just a customer but a friend and family. Code 1 is a place where you feel at home. Or as one anonymous customer put it, “Everyone who comes in is Norm from Cheers.”

Code 1 BBQ | The Only BBQ on Your Radar