Dustin Jones, along with his wife Amanda and their two daughters, Addie and Anna Lois, make up a hardworking family from Mississippi who find joy in life's simple pleasures: good food, great company, and time spent together around the grill. What started as weekend cookouts and a bit of friendly competition soon evolved into something greater—Southern Char Seasonings, a family brand founded on faith, flavor, and tradition.

Dustin, a lifelong sales professional and competitive cook, built Southern Char through years of trial, tasting, and genuine passion. From our original Signature Blend to the bold new Garlic Butter Blend, every recipe is handcrafted, competition-tested, and perfected in the kitchen, designed to bring people together and make every meal memorable.

At the heart of Southern Char is a simple belief: do things the right way—with family, community, and heart. Whether you're in the backyard, at a cook-off, or gathered around the dinner table, we hope our seasonings add warmth, incredible flavor, and a touch of genuine Southern hospitality to every bite.

My name is Dylan Cromer. I am 31 years old and man, do I love to cook BBQ! I grew up eating BBQ quite a bit with my dad. I used to watch him cook Boston butts, leg quarter chickens, and ribs on the weekends, learning as much as I could in the process. I started cooking BBQ on my own around the age of 18 and have grown from there. I gained an interest in competition BBQ from the show BBQ Pitmasters. A friend reached out to me because he was starting a small competition association and told me that a guy was looking for a teammate. I jumped at the opportunity and learned all I could. I decided I was ready to start my own team, and Holy Smoke BBQ team came to life. I have been competing for three years now, with one grand championship, two first-place wins, and multiple top-10 finishes. My favorite category to cook is Boston butt!

The Kairos origin story began as the culmination of another journey. Over a decade ago I made the decision to source my meat directly from a rancher. We were going halves on a cow before your neighbor thought it was cool. The next step was a journey that took years of learning how to hunt, successfully harvesting my first big game animal and sharing the story with my friends and family.

KRAM Knives is named after my family: Kimberly, Ryan, Andrew, and Makayla. I started my company after my wife was injured at work, which led me to take care of her at home. One day, feeling bored, I walked into the garage, heated a piece of metal, and began hammering it. Eventually, the metal started taking the shape of a knife, so I added a handle. After that initial attempt, I thought to myself, "I can do better than this," and I made another knife.

I sold my first knife to a friend who had specific requirements, and he was genuinely surprised that I could create exactly what he wanted. In 2023, I attended my first show and managed to sell all but four of the knives I had made. By 2025, I invested in a heat treat oven, allowing me to start making stainless steel knives. I also began promoting my business on TikTok, which has helped me reach a wider audience.

We started our journey in 2018 with our first competition at Tomato Days, where we earned a reserve grand champion title. From that moment on, we were hooked. Initially, there were four of us on the team, but as life got in the way, two members dropped out. However, Mitch and I continued to pursue our passion.

Our first KCBS competition took place in Bullhead City, where we met Anthony. It was there that we realized just how much we still had to learn. While focusing on mastering the four meats, we also got involved with the SCA, where we found success. We received invitations to the world championships four times in a row, and Mitch performed well enough to advance to the next round.

In 2024, we decided we were ready to fully commit to KCBS and set ambitious goals, including a desire to compete at The Jack. Despite facing setbacks, we persevered. Although we didn't receive an invitation last year, we continued to push ourselves harder. I told Mitch that all I wanted for our anniversary was to attend The Jack, and we achieved that dream. We had an amazing time, and this experience has only fueled our determination to return.

We're catching up with our favorite barbecue and bourbon aficionados!!