Rodney Scott

Rodney Scott has been cooking whole-hog barbecue, over wood coals burned down from hardwood, since he was in middle school. For the next 25 years he worked with his family in their BBQ stop in Hemingway, SC until 2017 when he partnered with the Pihakis Group — including chef Paul Yeck and seasoned restaurateur, Nick Pihakis — to open Rodney Scott’s BBQ in the North Central neighborhood of Charleston, SC. In their very first year of operation the restaurant was named one the 50 Best New Restaurants by Bon Appetit Magazine and in 2018, Scott was awarded the James Beard Foundation’s award for Outstanding Chef Southeast.

In 2019 Rodney Scott’s BBQ opened a second location in Birmingham, AL bringing whole-hog, South Carolina-style barbecue to a different part of the South with plans for a second Birmingham restaurant and an Atlanta outpost already underway. The popular, expanded menu includes classic sides like potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, collard greens and hushpuppies while offering fresh salads, burgers, smoked chicken wings and fried catfish among other favorites.

Scott’s hard work, friendly manner and respect from his peers has offered him many opportunities to travel around the world and cook alongside chefs and pitmasters in New York City, Belize, Uruguay, France and Australia. He has been featured on popular television shows with the likes of Andrew Zimmern, and Anthony Bourdain and recently appeared on The Today Show helping Al Roker feed folks affected by devastating tornadoes in Alabama. Scott’s attitude is contagious and while Rodney Scott’s BBQ nourishes the body through great food, the spirit of generosity and positive attitudes expressed through the restaurant’s environment — the great music, vibe and motto painted directly on the wall, “Every Day is a Good Day” lifts the spirits of every customer.