Ep. 7: Taylor Swift & NFL Players | Kinder’s Head Pitmaster Dave Johnston talks BBQ & Brand Growth

About this episode

Dave Johnston discusses BBQ, brand growth, and cooking for celebrities and athletes.

In this episode of What’s Cookin’? — The McLemore Boys Podcast, we sit down with Dave Johnston, Head Pitmaster at Kinder’s, to talk all things BBQ. Dave shares behind-the-scenes stories of cooking for Taylor Swift, feeding NFL players, and what it really takes to operate at the highest level of professional barbecue. We dive into how Kinder’s grew from a local butcher shop into a nationally recognized brand, the discipline behind pitmaster success, and the lessons learned from cooking under pressure. From funny road stories to real talk about leadership, consistency, and staying true to your craft, this episode is packed with BBQ wisdom, brand-building insight, and unforgettable moments.

People in this episode

Hosts: John McLemore, John II McLemore

Guest: Dave Johnston

Topics covered

• BBQ
• brand growth
• cooking
• leadership
• professional barbecue
• storytelling

Keywords

• BBQ
• Dave Johnston
• Kinder’s
• Taylor Swift
• NFL
• pitmaster
• brand growth
• cooking under pressure

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NFL, Kinder’s

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