Chris Lilly, Big Bob Gibson BBQ (Decatur, AL

The iconic Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q restaurant in Decatur, AL was founded in 1925, its classic neon sign still shining brightly today. Chris Lilly, a 4th generation partner, is now pitmaster, as well as the head of the restaurant's competition cooking team, a team that's won a record five Memphis in May World Grand Championships. I'd eaten Chris' cooking before at festivals, but we first connected personally at a Yeti store meet and greet, a company for which he is a sponsor. Alabama barbecue tradition has Big Bob Gibson in its bedrock, and Lilly has not only honored tradition but built on it with creativity, drive and respect for ingredients and the time it takes to learn the craft of cue. He was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2016, and we sat down after he fired up the pits for the first Holy Smokes BBQ Festival here in Charleston, SC.