Pig-Parazzi

Check out these party pics from theJim 'n Nick'sHickory, Fire and Smoke Dinner that took place during theCharleston Wine and Food Festival!

It's Community, It's Collaboration

The Hickory, Fire & Smoke Dinner that took place at Jim 'n Nick's Bar-B-Q's "Pink Pig" location on King Street in Charleston during the Charleston Wine & Food Festival was the perfect example of community and collaboration. The festival itself is a celebration of the city and it's cuisine. The Southern Foodways Alliance teamed with us to show a movie, "Capital Q" which tells the story of Pete Jones' Skylight Inn Barbecue in Ayden, NC. Sam Jones, Skylight's pitmaster and star of "Capital Q" cooked on the Jim 'n Nick's smoking rig right on King Street for two days alongside celebrated Hemingway, SC barbecue man, Rodney Scott of Scott's Bar-B-Que. Rodney cooked at the same event last year and came to lend a hand to Sam this year, not out of a spirit of competition but of true collaboration. The two swapped stories and techniques and became fast friends. Donald Link, Executive Chef of Herbsaint in New Orleans along with Chef de Cuisine, Ryan Prewitt and Cochon co-owner and chef, Stephen Stryjewski (who is nominated for a James Beard Award!) came along to help cook lending a great helping hand to Jim 'n Nick's Executive Chef, Drew Robinson and Chef Dan Latham. Celebrated Virginia ham curer, Sam Edwards brought an exquisite "Surryano" ham to carve on site and Greg Best, our favorite bartender in the world, from Atlanta's Holeman & Finch Public House made signature cocktails out of visiting superstar distiller, Julian Van Winkle's (also nominated for a Beard Award!!!) Old Rip Van Winkle Burbon. Jasmine Hirsch brought along some Hirsch Family Wines and Dan Donahoe from Silvertap Wines added to the libations. We are truly touched that all of these folks would go to such great lengths to lend their products, time and talent to the effort.

John Hare and his Pink Pig team went above and beyond to turn a fast-casual dining room into a warm and beautiful seated dinner.

Here are some photos of us getting ready for the party!

Setting the table for the Hickory, Fire and Smoke Dinner!

Jim 'n Nick's Brian Lyman and Sarah Johnson set the place cards on the table. We're gettin' pretty fancy here!

Rodney Scott hauled his "charcoal machine" from Hemingway, SC to Charleston. The wood goes in the top, burns and the burning chunks of wood charcoal fall through a grate near the bottom ready to be shoveled out and put under the cooking pig.

Getting ready to flip the pig! L-R, Uncle Sam from Scott's Bar-B-Que, Sam Jones from The Skylight Inn Barbecue, Brian Lyman from Jim 'n Nick's, Atlanta, GA taking photos with his phone, Nick Pihakis, the "Nick" of Jim 'n Nick's, and Rodney Scott from Scott's Bar-B-Que

Chefs on the line. L-R, Drew Robinson of Jim 'n Nick's Bar-B-Q, Donald Link, Executive Chef and Ryan Prewitt, Chef de Cuisine of Herbsaint in New Orleans!

Iconic image from Sam Edwards of S.Wallace Edwards & Sons, Country Ham purveyors from Surry, VA.

Fresh mint and many, many bottles of Julian Van Winkle's, Old Rip Van Winkle Kentucky Bourbon to be used in Greg Best's signature cocktails.

Just Came To: Tales from a Blurry Weekend

No seriously, this is the first day that there has been some clarity. The weekend of the Charleston Food and Wine Festival was a glorious one. Full of friends, parties, beer, hickory smoke, pork, rice, beans, triggerfish, shrimp, clams, pimento cheese, Old Rip Van Winkle, Pappy Van Winkle, Julian Van Winkle (a holy trinity of sorts). There's much more but suffice it to say that it was F-U-N! But also meaningful. Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q and The Pink Pig on King Street acted as a gateway of sorts. Yes, there was a big event there on the Saturday night of the festival, but it was also a watering hole and refreshment stop for Southern Foodways Alliance friends, Top Chefs, pitmasters, and famous actors (Bill Murray was here!). So here is a little photo trip through the weekend. It's gonna take multiple posts but it's worth it.

Rodney Scott from Scott's Bar-B-Que in Hemingway, SC and Sam Jones from Pete Jones' Barbecue-The Skylight Inn in Ayden, SC cooking a whole hog together. They use only wood coals made in Rodney Scott's "charcoal machine" (more on that later).

Early morning bourbon toast to the pig begins the ritual.

Chef Kenny Callahan of Blue Smoke in New York City helps carry meat accross Charleston's chic King Street to The Pink Pig.

Chef Donald Link of New Orleans' famous restaurants, Herbsaint and Cochon, checks out the progress with Nick Pihakis of Jim 'n Nick's.

Chef Kevin Gillespie and Sous Chef Andreas Muller of Atlanta's Woodfire Grill, check out the smoking rig parked on King St. Sam Burn, Jim 'n Nick's "commissioner of culture" is happy to give a tour. The trio is a study in quasi Fu Man Chu/Sky Dog facial hair.