Rodney Scott

Rodney Scott is an acclaimed pitmaster, restaurateur, and James Beard Award-winning chef celebrated for preserving and elevating the tradition of whole hog barbecue. Born and raised in Hemingway, South Carolina, Scott was introduced to barbecue at a young age through his family’s barbecue business. By the time he was a child, he was already tending pits and learning the painstaking craft of cooking whole hogs over hardwood coals, a method deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of the American South. His early immersion in barbecue culture laid the foundation for a career that would eventually bring national recognition to a once-regional art form.

Scott spent decades honing his craft at his family’s establishment, Scott’s Bar-B-Que, where his meticulous approach to pit cooking earned a loyal following. Known for cooking entire hogs low and slow over live oak coals, he developed a reputation for producing barbecue with exceptional balance, tenderness, and flavor. His vinegar-based sauce, a hallmark of South Carolina barbecue traditions, further distinguished his style. As food writers, chefs, and travelers began to discover Scott’s work, his reputation spread far beyond the Southeast, helping introduce a broader audience to authentic whole hog barbecue.

In 2017, Scott opened Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston, South Carolina, bringing his signature barbecue to a larger stage. The restaurant quickly became one of the country’s most celebrated barbecue destinations, praised for its authenticity and consistency. That same year, Scott won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast, becoming only the second pitmaster ever to receive the honor. The recognition cemented his status as one of America’s leading culinary figures and highlighted barbecue as a serious and culturally significant culinary tradition.

Since then, Scott has expanded his restaurant brand to multiple locations across the South while also becoming a prominent media personality and author. His cookbook, "Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ', offers both recipes and insights into the traditions and techniques behind his cooking philosophy and was named one of the year's best cookbooks by the New York Times in 2021. He has appeared on numerous television programs and food documentaries, sharing his expertise and passion for barbecue craftsmanship. Throughout his career, Scott has remained committed to honoring the heritage of whole hog barbecue while helping carry the tradition into a new generation of American food culture.