rribs
THE PITMASTERS
These are the professionals who will brave the flames and be paired with PGA Tour golfers to compete in this year’s Maker’s Mark Pro-Am Bourbon, Blues & BBQ Dinner sponsored by Southern Soul Barbeque and Sea Island.
Southern Soul Barbeque Team
Southern Soul Barbeque pitmaster Harrison Sapp and partner Griffin Bufkin really need no introduction. A favorite of locals and island visitors alike and oft-praised by Garden & Gun and Southern Living, Southern Soul rose from the ashes, quite literally, of an old island gas station to be arguably the best known barbeque joint in Southeast Georgia. Guy Fiere stopped in for a segment of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and the SouthernSoul team had a rather notorious showing on TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters. With their sauces garnering culinary awards and now selling worldwide at Crate&Barrel, Southern Soul is becoming a household name even beyond the Golden Isles.
Sea Island Team
They may not own a barbeque joint but the pedigrees of the four chefs making up the Sea Island Team are pretty impressive! Jonathan Jerusalmy, Resort Executive Chef and Director of Culinary, has more than 17 years in the kitchen and is one of only 350 Master French Chefs in the world. His distinguished career included a position as Chef de Partie at Hubert Keller’s Fleur de Lys, and several prominent internships at Michelin-rated restaurants in France, studying under Master Chef of France Paul Bocuse and Chef Gerard Boyer. After graduating from Johnson and Wales, John Helfrich,Executive Chef of The Lodge and Retreat, held positions at Nemacolin Woodlands, and 5 star signature restaurant Lautrec. He has participated in the Walker Cup, opening three Forbes 5 star hotels, numerous PGA Tour events, and the G-8 Summit. French Culinary Institute graduate, David Carrier, Executive Chef at The Cloister and Beach Club, worked for Chef Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, and alongside Chef Grant Achatz both there and at Trio. In 2005, he and wife, Ryanne, opened Avenue Sea in Apalachicola, FL. His food at restaurant Kith & Kin was awarded Michelin’s Bib Gourmand recognition. After graduating from the International Culinary Academy, Kris Weimer, Executive Chef of Ocean Forest Golf Club, held positions at Red Star Brewery in Greensburg, PA; Caddy Shack, Golden Trout, Lautrec and Hungry Moose at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort; Matthews Restaurant, a four star four diamond restaurant in Jacksonville, and Seven Falls Golf and River Club in Asheville, NC.
Tiffani Faison
Probably best known for her stints on the first season of Bravo’s “Top Chef” in 2006 and2010’s “Top Chef All-Stars,” Chef Tiffani Faison began her culinary career as a line cook for celebrity chef and restaurateur Todd English.Tiffani travelled the globe and was surrounded by diverse cultures and exceptional cuisine since childhood. In fall 2011, she opened Sweet Cheeks Q, a Southern-style barbeque restaurant in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood. Popular with both diners and food critics, Sweet Cheeks was in inspired by Tiffani’s love of barbeque and extensive travels in the South and is the first restaurant where she could execute full creative vision. Tiffani has been featured in SELF, Entertainment Weekly, People and Food & Wine, and has been a guest on the TODAY Show, Simply Ming, and several other national and local shows, and has been a contributing chef to numerous cookbooks.
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q
Jonathan and Justin Fox are not ashamed to admit they have no professional culinary training and cook by “trial and error.” Justin explains his creative approach to kitchen catastrophe: “The first time I made a red velvet cake, it came out like a brick… The flavors tasted right and I knew I loved cheesecake, so I tried to recreate red velvet cake as a cheesecake and it became [our] most popular dessert.” Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q started as a friendly backyard gathering of family and friends, moved to a parking lot at Smith’s Olde Bar, where catering services turned into serving a full menu, earning them recognition as runner up for Atlanta’s “Best Overall Bar-B-Q” by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The brothers teamed up with the owners of Smith’s Olde Bar to open a stand alone location for Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q. Today Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is an Atlanta staple, featured on Good Day Atlanta, CBS Better Mornings, The Weather Channel, TLC and Fox News. Their barbeque has earned top ranks from publications like Eater, USA Today Travel, Daily Candy and Maxim.
Jimmy Hagood
For Charleston’s Jimmy Hagood, Food for the Southern Soul™ is not only his company but a way of life. As BlackJack Barbecue impresario and an advocate of coastal South Carolina’s unique culinary culture, he has given the art of barbeque cooking national visibility and further elevated high-quality Southern pantry items. Under his Food for the Southern Soul™ umbrella, Hagood combines his own Black-Jack Barbecue™ Sauces and Rubs and Tidewater Foods & Catering with the well-known Charleston Favorites line. Hagood is determined to keep the tradition of soulful Southern food alive both off-road, with smoker “Big Red” in tow, and online.
