Meet Our Pitmasters

 A deep rooted passion for fine food and the outdoors motivated husband and wife duo Matthew and Jessica Register to start Southern Smoke BBQ of NC, which boasts two barbeque sauces that quickly became a hot commodity in Eastern NC.  see more 

Named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s 2019 Best New Chefs (the first Pitmaster to ever receive the title), also receiving a 2019 James Beard Foundation semifinalist nomination for Best Chef Southeast... see more

Growing up in Florence, South Carolina, where mom and pop 'cue joints reigned supreme, Elliott gained a deep appreciation of the art of smoke. His roots for Southern food and culture run deep as he spent his younger years playing with pigs and chickens on his grandparents' family farm.

Since 2016, City Limits Barbeque has been a family-owned restaurant based in West Columbia, South Carolina. Our dedication to maintaining authenticity in our barbeque is evident in the all-wood burning pits we use for our Texas BBQ (offset style) and our Carolina BBQ (directly over coals). We pride ourselves on making as much as we can from scratch. see more

Third Generation Perfection. 

Dedication since 1947.

Guests still come to Sam Jones BBQ for whole-hog BBQ that’s done the right way - cooked nice and slow over a wood-fueled pit. They continue to share thier passion for BBQ and keep on cookin’ because they believe the best thing about BBQ is the community it creates.  

  Perfecting brisket became an obsession for Cooke after picking up a copy of the acclaimed Franklin Barbecue cookbook. Believing his 'cue was more than just backyard-worthy, he put his skills to the test by offering barbecue plates on Facebook. Incredibly, that single social media post drummed up 40 orders, confirming not only the quality of his smoking but also the demand. see more

Farmer Tank of Holy City Hogs travels the country sharing his passion for heritage breed hogs and whole hog BBQ. What started as a family tradition for Tank with his Father and brother building their own smoker 20 years ago to compete in the Big Pig Jig has blossomed into a true farmer to table BBQ experience. Specializing in the art of cooking lard breed hogs it’s a unique and unforgettably different approach to a BBQ!! 

 “Growing up, I always had a thing for fire. Any time we had family get-togethers they’d be cooking whole hogs, or barbecuing pigs, doing oyster roasts. It was very intriguing to me to see these older guys, my uncles and grandfather, doing stuff like that by an open fire,” Wood says. “I saw how it brought everyone together. Even as a kid I remember thinking, that’s so damn cool, man.” 

At Black Powder Smokehouse we honor those who came before and the community that surrounds us. In this 4k, 5G, overnight society we pride ourselves on cooking "low-n-slow". We take the time to cook from scratch, say hello when you stop in, and say thank you when you leave. 

Lewis Donald flipped an old service station in the heart of the Belmont Community into a no-frills, go-tell-yo-mama, smoke shack; the location and food echoes memories of distant backcountry roadside barbecue joints that made this state famous. see more 

For North Carolina natives Garren “Jon G” and Kelly Kirkman, barbecue is a labor of love. What began with experimentation among friends and family, evolved into a successful and recognized food truck. As always, there were bigger ideas ahead. see more

 Ken and his wife Jessica, both classically trained chefs, traveled across the U.S., along with their three children, Ali, Maya and Obi, to witness the masters at work firsthand. 

County Smoak draws inspiration from each of the great barbeque regions and those experiences, while incorporating Virginia-sourced products as often as possible. 

Nathan Monk carries on the legacy of Lexington Barbecue, the renowned North Carolina restaurant his grandfather Wayne Monk established in 1962 (after briefly partnering with Sonny Honeycutt, when it was known as "Honey Monk"). Having worked at the restaurant since age 15, Nathan continues the western North Carolina tradition of smoking pork shoulders over hot coals for 12 hours, using their signature thin vinegar-based sauce with ketchup, while maintaining the family-oriented atmosphere that keeps customers returning year after year. 

   Pitmaster and Owner who inspires individuals to believe that anything is possible regardless of where the journey begins. Never be afraid to think outside of the box and strive to be great in all that you do. Be the head and not the tail. Be a leader and not a follower. Be larger than life. Be Epic. 

In 2021 Ben and his wife decided to venture into the food truck world. We started as a side business and have quickly expanded into a full time food truck! Ben is a firefighter and Bayley is a nurse.  Hayes (their son) is our pittmaster in the making. They love providing quality food to Western NC and Eastern TN!