Van Sykes
“I couldn't duplicate the quality of the barbecue on another pit in another location.”
Van Sykes is the son of founders Bob and Maxine Sykes, who opened Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q in 1957 after Bob built his first pit at a Central Park stand. He left school to work in the business full time, served in the Air Force during Vietnam, and returned to help move the restaurant to its present Bessemer location in 1977, which he now runs. A dedicated barbecue preservationist, he is one of the roughly 50 founding members of the Southern Foodways Alliance. In 2024 he was named a finalist for induction into the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame.
Philosophy
Do one thing, in one place, exceptionally well — because quality can't be duplicated on a second pit.
Technique
Smoke over a single seasoned pit he refuses to replicate, keeping the restaurant to one location to protect the flavor.