Hurricanes' Slavin invests in Prime Barbecue's expansion
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Jaccob Slavin, left, and Christopher Prieto stand in front of Prime STQ
Fresh off winning a Stanley Cup, Carolina Hurricanes star Jaccob Slavin's next career move is to partner in one of the most hotly anticipated restaurant openings in the Triangle.
Why it matters: Prieto's beloved Knightdale restaurant, Prime Barbecue, is in the process of expanding to the Hub RTP development in Research Triangle Park.
- The new restaurant, called Prime STQ, is being billed as a combination of a barbecue joint and a classic steakhouse.
Driving the news: Prieto announced the investment Tuesday morning and told Axios that he and Slavin have been longtime friends, drawn together over their shared faith and work on similar charities in the area.
Between the lines: The pair are close enough that when Slavin was looking for a place to celebrate with the Stanley Cup, he chose Prieto's restaurant and ate barbecue there out of the Lord Stanley's trophy.
What they're saying: "My family and I love this community," Slavin said in a statement. "It's why we choose to stay here year-round, it truly feels like home. Being part of Prime STQ gives us another way to show up for people, pour into this community, and live out the values that we are called to live."
- "We met in late 2018 at a charity event, and we kind of have always been aligned on our values and faith and our platforms," Prieto said of Slavin. "He brings in a lot of the team members [to Prime] to teach them how to cook different kinds of barbecue."
Zoom in: Construction on Prime STQ is underway and expected to be completed in the spring.
- Prime, known for its brisket, attracts long lines at its restaurant in Knightdale but Prieto cooks a wide variety of styles, including Eastern-style whole-hog barbecue.
- Most recently, Prieto has been diving into his Puerto Rican heritage with Primo Latin Cuisine, which serves several dishes from the island including lechon, tostones and guisado.