Craig Blondis
“We started Central because we wanted to bring competition-quality BBQ to everyday Memphis. The city deserved a place where you could get great ribs without it being a special occasion.”
Craig Blondis co-founded Central BBQ in 2002 with Roger Sapp, bringing a competition BBQ pedigree to a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Before Central BBQ, Blondis competed on the Memphis in May circuit, where he developed the slow-smoking techniques and dry rub recipes that would become the foundation of Central's menu. Under his leadership, Central BBQ grew from a single Midtown location to a Memphis institution with multiple locations across the city.
Philosophy
Memphis BBQ is about the whole experience — the smoke, the bark, the tenderness, the atmosphere. You can't separate one from the other. We want every bite to tell the story of this city.
Technique
Slow smoking over hickory wood at 225°F for 5–6 hours. The ribs are dry-rubbed 24 hours in advance and smoked until the bark is set and the meat pulls cleanly from the bone.
Recognition
- Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest — Multiple First Place
- Best BBQ in Memphis — Memphis Flyer Readers' Poll (multiple years)