Words of Wisdom

The Master of ‘Cue

Rashad Jones is living the American Dream. And he knows it. His path to success is amazing — so much so he wants to share what never envisioned winning, then … “I swept that competition,” Jones said. One judge was so impressed that he posted the following on his Facebook page: “Rait takes to achieve the Dream with whoever shad Jones, not only was your barbecue the will listen. It’s a story worth hearing. best that all three judges tasted tonight, your

Jones is owner of “Big Lee’s: Serious barbecue’s the best barbecue I’ve ever tasted.” About Barbecue” in Ocala. Business is boom- Jones and his wife, Patrice — who he ing. He’s got a beautiful wife and four sons, ages calls “Superwoman” and who holds a Ph.D. 5, 7, 9 and 11. He won the Food Network’s in health policy research — sat down and “BBQ Brawl” last month and was crowned the decided to go into the barbecue business. channel’s “Master of ‘Cue” and awarded his own That was 2014. Today, Big Lee’s is an iconFood Network show. He is the toast of the town. ic part of Ocala’s food scene, and even Jones And, by the way, he makes a mean brisket, slow marvels at how quickly it has all happened and cooked over kiln-dried Central Florida oak. the exposure his ‘cue has brought him.

Oh, I should mention he only started in “It’s amazing. It’s unbelievable,” he said. “How the barbecue business eight years ago. do you make the jump from having zero food

How he got to this point is a remarkable background to having arguably the best-known pull-yourself-up-by-the bootstraps story. food brand in Ocala? Well, it’s a God thing.”

After graduating from Lake Weir High, Jones said his American Dream is built on he was homeless at 18 and lived at the Salva- what is the quintessential American food that tion Army for a couple months. He said he started with meat being cooked on an open grill was not obeying his mother’s rules at home, and continues to be cooked the same way today. so she told him, “You can have all the freedom “This cuisine is historically American,” he you want,” and she told him to move out. said. “I think that’s why barbecue brings people

“It was humbling,” Jones said, remem- together like it does... It’s universally inclusive.” bering the odor that went with living in a Jones does not take his success for dorm with other homeless men. But out of granted and attributes much of Big Lee’s that, he learned accountability. growth to Patrice.

“It made me what I am today,” the “She’s everything,” he said, explaining 43-year-old said. “I’m resilient, tough, she oversees the administrative end of the strong. I’m not going to fall apart at every business. “The idea of cooking barbecue conlittle thing.” nects back to her. Her roots in the Mississip-

The biggest lesson he learned from that pi Delta. Everything connects back to her.” experience was the importance of accountability. With 15 employees and four food trucks

“Accountability – put that in all caps, and trailers (and another in the works), Big ACCOUNTABILITY,” Jones said. “That’s Lee’s is not close to the biggest eating estabhuge. That’s what we all need.”

Jones would go on to attend CF and eventually go to work for the Marion County Health Department. His foray into barbecue was inspired after a Thanksgiving visit to his wife’s family in the Mississippi Delta. Her Uncle Leon, who friends called Big Lee, fixed a huge spread of barbecue for not just the family, but the neighborhood. Jones loved it.

He brought home Big Lee’s barbecue tips and started cooking his own. In 2013, his wife pushed him to enter a local barbecue competition, “Bad 2 the Bone BBQ.” He Rashad Jones, as seen on BBQ Brawl

BY BRAD ROGERS

lishment in Ocala. But the tremendous attention and success Jones has found in such a short time has made him a curiosity and someone others look to for guidance.

So, you will frequently see Jones talking to groups of all ages, especially young people, telling his story. Besides ACCOUNTABILITY – you know, in all caps — Jones says a person must be motivated, make good decisions and not be afraid to look fear in the face. All that requires leadership.

“It all boils down to leadership,” he said. “Only leadership, leading your own life, can do that for you.”

It has worked for Jones – and remarkably quickly, for sure. Yet, for all his confidence and humility, Jones wasn’t always so sure he would succeed.

“I had concerns about whether people would show up,” he said.

Well, they did show up and how fitting that Ocala’s own celebrity chef is “100 percent barbecue.”

As for what to do with his success?

“It’s impossible to see all the opportunities success creates,” Jones said. “It means you have a platform, you have influence. And through that platform and influence, it gives you a chance to do good in the world.”

And cook up some darn good barbecue.