Sam Carlino Talk about your early starts! Sam Carlino began his food career at 8 years old, helping his father, Sam Carlino, Sr., make Italian sausage at the Time Market. At 15 he started working at his cousin's fish stand, and at 17 he ventured into his first partnership with his father in a sausage shop. This was followed by training as a journeyman meat cutter and finally by the opening of the famous Sam's Bar-B-Que in San Jose. Sam loves to showcase new and easy ways to prepare BBQ and other specialty dishes, and frequently brings in special guests to add a new spin to the South Bay cooking scene.