Dylan Cooke

Dylan Cooke Owner & Pitmaster, Fork Grove Barbecue Anderson, South Carolina native Dylan Cooke began barbecuing at the early age of 15. His high school best friend’s family owned and operated a Saturday-only barbecue joint dubbed Sadler’s Creek BBQ located off Highway 187, and it was here that Cooke’s passion for cooking (especially slow-cooked meats!) would truly cultivate. Eventually, Cooke would find himself with an opportunity to pursue his first love: music. After taking a leap of faith in the music world, countless weekends were spent traveling across the country to perform in notable venues in Denver, Colorado, Nashville, Tennessee, and everywhere in between. Cooke’s love for cooking would be reignited in 2017 thanks to a Big Green Egg he was gifted, and when he wasn’t traveling for shows, he’d spend time getting back to his cooking roots and trying his hand at more intricate barbecuing techniques at home. The pandemic not only caused Cooke’s music career to come to a screeching halt but also led to mass restaurant closures worldwide. With a newfound freedom from the hustle and bustle of the music industry coupled with his revitalized love for cooking, Cooke would offer home-cooked grab-and-go barbecue meals (with all the fixin’s, of course!) to friends and family. Word got around that a new face was in the South Carolina barbecue arena, and some pretty significant notoriety in his hometown and surrounding areas was garnered. It wasn’t long thereafter that the idea for catering and pop-up-only gigs under the alias of Fork Grove Barbecue was born. In 2023, Fork Grove Barbecue finally opened doors to its brick-and-mortar establishment, which was a full-circle moment for the once-15-year-old boy whose love for barbecue began within those very walls. Today, Fork Grove is known for its celebration of Texas-style barbecue and draws hungry crowds weekly during its Thursday, Friday, and Saturday-only services. While he, for the most part, has traded his guitar for a smoker, you can still find Cooke traveling to food festivals and events near and far to share the gospel of Southern-style barbecue. When he’s not burnin’ wood, Cooke enjoys spending time with his beloved children, Judson and Harlan, flyfishing with friends, and of course, picking up the guitar every chance he gets.