Pat Martin

Years of Participation

2020-2023

Restaurateur Pat Martin is the founder of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint and Hugh-Baby’s BBQ
& Burger Shop. A leader in American barbecue, Pat is one of the few pitmasters still carrying the torch of West Tennessee-style whole hog BBQ. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint is rooted in his lifelong love for the art of pit-cooked barbecue and live-fire cooking.

The entire menu at Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint is scratch-made, every single day - from sides to sauces, and everything in between. In 2006, Pat first opened the doors to Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in Nolensville, TN, with a 950-square foot joint and a dream to share his passion for whole hog BBQ. Today, the restaurant is a beloved culinary destination with deep Nashville roots, and outposts in Charleston, Birmingham, and Louisville.

In 2017, Pat opened Hugh-Baby’s as a tribute to the small town BBQ and burger spots that dotted the mid-South of his youth. Dedicated to simple, delicious food and warm Southern hospitality, Hugh-Baby’s covers all the classics, with burgers, pulled pork, hot dogs, fries and hand-spun shakes at its heart. There are three Hugh-Baby’s locations in Nashville, and one in Charleston.

In 2022, Pat released "Life of Fire: Mastering the Arts of Pit-Cooked Barbecue, The Grill, and The Smokehouse" (Clarkson Potter). Through beautiful photography and detailed instruction, this procedural book offers a must-have guide to open-fire cooking. Pat lives in Nashville with his wife, Martha Ann, and their three children Wyatt, Daisy, and Walker.