Co-Owner
Andrew Pollard
A&R Bar-B-Que
43+ yearsMemphis, TN
Read Profile Pitmaster Index
The People
Behind the Smoke
Memphis BBQ is defined by the men and women who tend the pits. These are their stories.
Co-Founder
Craig Blondis
Central BBQ
24+ years
Read Profile Owner & Pitmaster
Desiree Robinson
Cozy Corner
Memphis, TN
Read Profile Longtime Owner, The Bar-B-Q Shop
Frank Vernon
The Bar-B-Q Shop
Read Profile
Founder, Interstate Bar-B-Q (retired 2026)
Jim Neely
Interstate Bar-B-Q
Memphis, TN
Read Profile Co-Owner
John Vergos
Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous
Memphis, TN
Read Profile Founder (Historical)
Leonard Heuberger
Leonard's Pit Barbecue
Read Profile
Pitmaster & World Champion
Melissa Cookston
Memphis BBQ Co.
Mississippi Delta
Read Profile Why Pitmasters Matter
Memphis BBQ is not a cuisine that can be fully understood through menus and scores alone. The tradition is carried by specific people who have spent decades learning how smoke interacts with meat.