Kent Whitaker

Kent Whitaker, better known as “The Deck Chef,” claims a pure love of traditional barbecue, grilling, and a life-long passion for cooking.  He enjoys traveling and collecting recipes and stories along the way. Kent’s Famous Barbecue Cornbread recipe won the 2003 Emeril Live Food Network Barbecue Contest. Kent Whitaker has been a guest on many Chattanooga and Tri State area radio stations over the last several years talking about grilling, barbecue, tailgate parties, hot sauces, and more. He has become a favorite on several WGOW talk radio shows. Kent Whitaker writes a weekly cooking article for several local newspapers and also teaches classes at a Chattanooga-area culinary school. “I am kind of the anti-chef. My classes are fun and full of energy!” Kent says. Pilot taping has begun for Kent Whitaker’s television show centered around food and sports. Kent Whitaker is membership director for the Chattanooga-area PBS station. He previously worked as marketing and promotions director for Nevada Bob’s Golf and was owner of Tri State Golf News. Kent also dove head first into the telecom industry working in marketing a startup phone company. Kent Whitaker was born in Louisville, Kentucky, raised in Nashville, Tennessee, and now lives in north Georgia in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.  He is the proud father of a 13-year-old son, Macee, who is a great help with the cooking... and the eating.  During many grilling sessions and overnight smokes you will find Kent Whitaker near his smoker with a cold beverage, the game or race on the radio, and his golden retriever, Jake, whose nickname is “Grill Master Jake,” at his side.   Kent Whitaker is the author of Smoke in the Mountains Cookbook: The Art of Appalachian Barbecue and Checkered Flag Cooking: An Insider's Guide to Tailgating at the Races.	Books by Kent Whitaker:   Smoke in the Mountains Cookbook: The Art of Appalachian Barbecue
	Checkered Flag Cooking: An Insider's Guide to Tailgating at the Races