We’re holding all food & beverage workers close this holiday season. A few important reminders:

Southern Smoke’s offices will be closed from December 24, 2025, to January 4, 2026 to give our team a chance to reset before the new year. We look forward to connecting on Monday, January 5, 2026.

Emergency Relief Fund: Applications will be paused from December 17, 2025, to January 4, 2026. If you have an ongoing case, you can continue working with your case manager. If you are seeking financial assistance due to a crisis, please check back and apply when applications reopen on January 5.

Behind You Mental Health Program: Applications remain open, and services will be available in January. The earlier you apply, the quicker we can determine eligibility, and you can be ready for when services commence.

Texas Hill Country Floods: Applications closed on 12/16.

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About Southern Smoke
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About
About Southern Smoke
News + Views
People + Partners
Our Impact
Programs
Overview
Emergency Relief
Behind You
How to Help
Overview
Donate
Shop
Events
All Events
Southern Smoke Festival
Southern Smoke Decanted
EN
EN ES ZH KO VI AR
GET HELP Emergency Relief Mental Health Services
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Aaron Franklin

Board Member

Aaron Franklin is the co-owner of Franklin Barbecue, winner of Texas Monthly’s coveted Best Barbecue Joint in Texas and Bon Appétit’s Best Barbecue Joint in America. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential pitmasters in the U.S., and received the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2015. He is the host of the popular PBS series, BBQ with Franklin, and has co-authored Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-smoking Manifesto, a New York Timesbestseller.

In 2017, he partnered with James Moody (Mohawk, Guerilla Suit) and Mike Thelin (Feast Portland) to launch an annual food and music festival , Hot Luck Fest, in Austin, TX.  He then opened the Asian smokehouse and bar, LORO, with fellow James Beard Foundation Award winner, Chef Tyson Cole in spring of 2018. Aaron’s second book, Franklin Steak, showcases his deep love for steak by exploring dry aging, reverse searing, and other cooking methods.