Ed & Ryan Mitchell | Ed Mitchell's Barbeque (IN STORE LAUNCH)

ABOUT THE BOOK

A celebration of the history and tradition of whole-hog barbeque from the most famous pitmaster in North Carolina.

Ed Mitchell’s journey in the barbeque business began in 1991 with a lunch for his mama, who was grieving the loss of Ed’s father. Ed drove to the nearby Piggly Wiggly to buy a thirty-five-pound pig—that’s a small one—and fired up the coals. As smoke filled the air and the pork skin started to crackle, the few customers at the family bodega started to inquire about lunch and what smelled so good. More than thirty years later, Ed is known simply as “The Pitmaster” in barbeque circles and is widely considered one of the best at what he does.

In his first cookbook, a collaboration with his son, Ryan, and written with Zella Palmer, Ed explores the tradition of whole-hog barbeque that has made him famous. It’s a method passed down through generations over the course of 125 years and hearkens back even further than that, to his ancestors who were plantation sharecroppers and, before that, enslaved. Ed is one of the few remaining pitmasters to keep this barbeque tradition alive, and in Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque, he will share his methods for the first time and fill in the unwritten chapters of the rich and complex history of North Carolina whole-hog barbeque.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ED MITCHELL is an American pitmaster and businessman. Ed’s network of passionate culinary experts who are at the forefront of the food movement, as well as a rising fan base, helped support his transition from his family’s restaurant to an upscale barbecue concept, The Pit, based in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2014, Ed left The Pit to team up with his son Ryan at Ed Mitchell’s Que in Durham. Mitchell's frequent media appearances and advocacy for the use of heritage breed pork has earned him the title of the most "famous pitmaster" in North Carolina. Mitchell has appeared in Bon Appetit and on Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and National Geographic.

RYAN MITCHELL, Ed’s only son, serves as the business savvy brain behind his father’s brand. From a very young age, Ryan began working in the Mitchell family restaurant. Ryan attended East Carolina University to pursue his dreams of playing college football and earning a degree in Economics. He spent eight years working in commercial and investment banking for some of the nation’s largest firms. After going through a major market crash and brutal lay-offs, Ryan felt it was time to leave his sixty hour a week desk job, return to his roots and pursue his passion. Ryan credits his father, grandfather, and two uncles Aubrey and Stevie Mitchell for giving him the skills to lead the next generation of BBQ.

ABOUT THE EVENT

Tickets include a signed copy of ED MITCHELL'S BARBEQUE, and guaranteed entry and a seat at the event.