Mack Sevier
| |
|---|---|
| Born | June 24, 1944 |
| Died | June 1, 2015(2015-06-01) (aged 70) |
| Occupation(s) | Pitmaster and restaurateur |
| Known for | Opening Uncle John's BBQ |
| Spouse | Shirley Sevier |
Mack Sevier (1944-2015) was an American pitmaster and restaurateur known for opening Uncle John's BBQ and being pitmaster of Barbara Ann's Bar-B-Que.[1]
Mack Sevier was born on June 24, 1944 in Augusta, Arkansas. His mother was a restaurant cook, and he had four brothers and a sister. After graduating high school, Sevier moved to St. Louis, Missouri but he decided to move north, eventually going to Chicago in the early 1960s. He worked as a meatpacker at a meatpacking factory in Chicago for almost a decade and opened his own butcher shop, Honda Poultry & Meats, in 1971. He also practiced backyard barbecuing as a passion.[2]
He supplied meats to many famous South Side restaurants, including Harold's Chicken Shack and Mumbo Bar-B-Que. In the late 1980s, Sevier decided to quit the butcher business and become an apprentice pitmaster.[2]
Sevier first worked as pitmaster at Barbara Ann's Bar-B-Que, before leaving to open Uncle John's BBQ.[3] Sevier is known for his trademark use of the aquarium smoker, a staple of Chicago barbecue.[1] His preparation of rib tips and hot links, the latter of which were made with a proprietary recipe, became famous.[3][2]
Sevier was regarded as one of the best pitmasters in Chicago. Kevin Pang of Chicago Tribune called Sevier "the patron saint of South Side Chicago barbecue".[4] Writing for Saveur, Kevin Pang called him "Chicago's king of the hot link".[5] Hunter Owens of Saveur wrote that "If someone were to carve a Mount Rushmore of Chicago barbecue pitmasters," Sevier's face would be included.[6] Pitmaster Gary Wiviott said that Sevier was an "artist" whose "medium was fire and meat."[2] Pitmaster Garry Kennebrew, Sevier's former apprentice, later described him as "the Michael Jordan of Chicago barbecue".[6]
Sevier retired in 2013 at age 68 because of health issues,[2] including heart problems[1] and diabetes which cost him the use of his fingers.[6] After his retirement, he continued to cook for fundraisers and church picnics.[2] He died of complications including heart and kidney failure at Holy Cross Hospital on June 1, 2015.[2]
Mack was married to Shirley Sevier for 49 years, until his death in 2015.[2] At one point, he was a deacon at his church. Mack, a "gentle hulk", stood 6'3 and weighed over 300 pounds,[6] with a reputation for a "herculean" handshake.[2] He was described as being "shaped like a defensive tackle with an ever present Kangol hat."[6]
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