Biscuits & Jam

Erika Council, a chef, author, and the owner of Atlanta’s wildly popular Bomb Biscuit Company, stopped by the Southern Living offices to do this interview in person. She grew up in Durham, North Carolina, though she spent plenty of time down the road in Goldsboro, where her grandmother ran the church kitchen like a five-star restaurant, even as she raised funds for civil rights. Erika’s talent runs deep on both sides of her family tree. Her paternal grandmother, Mildred Council—better known as Mama Dip—ran a legendary restaurant in Chapel Hill for more than 50 years, feeding everyone from college kids to Presidents. For a long time, Erika wasn’t sure she wanted to follow the same path, but of course, life had other plans. A few cooking side gigs turned into pop-ups, and those turned into a thriving breakfast business. She’s now a James Beard nominee and the author of Still We Rise: A Love Letter to the Southern Biscuit. Sid talks to Erika about her family’s legacy, the lessons baked into her journey, and how a simple biscuit can tell a much bigger story. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamey Johnson has called Nashville home for half his life, but he was raised in Montgomery, Alabama, in a family where pretty much everyone either played an instrument or sang. His grandfather was said to be a great singer, too, with a deep rumbling baritone, and Jamey learned his craft performing with his father’s band, the Down Home Boys. From there he eventually joined the Marine Corps Reserves, an experience that delivered lifelong friendships, but it also left him with some emotional scars that have informed his songwriting. Last year, he channeled some of those memories into his first album in 14 years, called Midnight Gasoline, and these days he has plenty to celebrate. In 2025, he got married at a rock quarry in Tennessee—a story you’ll want to hear—celebrated his 50th birthday with a show at the Grand Ole Opry, and acted in an upcoming movie with Megan Moroney called A Grand Ole Opry Christmas. Sid talks to Jamey about his tribute to the Greatest Generation, the new song he just recorded with Ronnie Dunn, and the organization he and his wife started called the Give It Away Fund, which supports disaster relief and other important causes. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

f you’re a Southerner who’s interested in food, you probably know John T. Edge from his work as the founding director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, as the author of the Potlikker Papers, or as the host of True South, a TV show about Southern food and culture on the SEC Network. It’s hard to find someone who’s been more influential in shaping the conversation around Southern food and telling the stories of its unsung heroes. Well, now John T. is telling his own story with a powerful new memoir called House of Smoke: A Southerner Goes Searching for Home. Sid talked to John T. about his complicated and sometimes violent childhood in Clinton, Georgia; his fraught relationship with a mother who struggled with alcoholism; and the wild journey that finally led him to a career at the University of Mississippi. A note: This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Southern Living offices in Birmingham, Alabama. Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Isaac Nunn - Recording Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh Mancuso has been rooting for the Tennessee Vols since he could walk, but he’s also an actor, filmmaker, and director who knows how to tell a story. In 2020, with few prospects in the film business, he made a video on Instagram about an imaginary middle school coach who was taking over to the top job at Tennessee, and it went viral. After that, he started a series on the absurdity of college mascots, from the Delta State Fighting Okra to the TCU Horned Frogs, often playing multiple characters in the same video. Now Mancuso has almost 300,000 followers on Instagram, and he’s always got something new to say, especially in the middle of football season. Sid talks to Josh about his recent collaboration with country singer Walker Hayes, the hours of writing it can take to make a good video, and the high school coach who had a major impact on his life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Sid talks to one of the biggest and brightest stars in country music – Lainey Wilson. Back in May, he drove up to Nashville and got to have this conversation in person at Lainey’s farmhouse outside of town. The occasion was a Southern Living cover shoot, and Lainey and Sid sat down on a pair of comfortable chairs in her speakeasy-style basement, which is where she writes a lot of her songs. Lainey couldn’t have been more welcoming as a host, even though she’d been touring nonstop for her latest album, Whirlwind. She’s also hosting the CMA Awards in mid-November, and she’s appearing in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel Reminders of Him early next year. But Lainey has clearly not forgotten her small-town roots in Baskin, Louisiana, or the importance of good friends, family, and her faith. She talked a lot about how she stays grounded, how she keeps holding on despite a wild few years in Nashville, and the importance of keeping her people close. She also told some funny stories about her fiance, Devlin Hodges, who goes by Duck, and how she and her family celebrate Thanksgiving. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Isaac Nunn - Recording Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas-born Chef Tiffany Derry is quickly becoming a fan favorite in the world of food TV. She was raised in Beaumont, Texas, though most of her family came from nearby Port Allen, Louisiana, which meant the culture of both states had a big influence on her. She had about 50 cousins, so she was used to huge family gatherings and potlucks where everyone had to pitch in. Her interest in food took a professional turn when she got a job working at the International House of Pancakes when she was just 15, and that’s where she got her first taste of how restaurants work. Now, after traveling the world and expanding her food horizons, Tiffany is running a small empire of restaurants, including Radici Wood Fired Grill, that combine her Southern heritage and her obsession with international flavors. She’s launched the Shef Food & Wine festival in Grand Prairie, Texas, which is focused on women in the culinary arts, and she’s also become a popular judge on Fox’s MasterChef. Sid talks to Tiffany about her legendary fried chicken recipe, the hardest part of judging young chefs in a cooking competition, and her upcoming role as a presenter at Southern Living’s Illumination Charleston. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marcus King grew up in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains in a working class family with deep roots in music. His grandfather played country and western music; his uncle played bass guitar in the church; and his father played country, rock and roll, blues, and even gospel. But Marcus had grander ambitions than others in his family. He felt that South Carolina didn’t get the respect it deserved when it came to music, and he set out to travel the world and make a statement about what was possible. Now he’s out with a new album called Darling Blue, his first with the Marcus King band since 2018, and their live performances have been described by some as an almost spiritual experience. Sid talks to Marcus about the song about meeting his wife, what it was like collaborating with Billy Strings and Lainey Wilson, and the annual music festival that bears his name. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ivy Odom has in many ways become the face of Southern Living. In addition to creating videos about all things Southern on social media, Ivy is a writer, recipe developer, and television host. And now she’s also an author, with a brand new cookbook called My Southern Kitchen: From Suppers to Celebrations, Recipes for Every Occasion. The book is a collection of Ivy’s favorites from a lifetime at the stove, starting with her childhood in Moultrie, Georgia, where she learned to cook and entertain from her parents and grandparents. She actually started off her college years thinking she’d be a home ec teacher, but an early mentor persuaded her to look at culinary school and food media as a better fit for her ambitions. She finished first in her class at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and then, thankfully, she landed here at Southern Living. Sid sat down with Ivy in the Southern Living offices and talked about all that, plus her Dad’s competition barbecue team called Butts Unlimited, her love of tailgating for the Georgia Bulldogs, and the astounding 18-layer chocolate cake that launched her career. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Isaac Nunn - Recording Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlotte Moss was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia and went to college at VCU, where she was an English major. Her mother didn’t especially love to decorate, but Charlotte was inspired by her grandmother, who created a warm, welcoming home and made entertaining look easy. Charlotte had that gift too, but it never occurred to her that she could make a living decorating other people’s homes, so she spent several years in New York working on Wall Street. Realizing that she didn’t want to be a stockbroker, she quit the job, started an interior design business, and the rest is decorating history. Charlotte has since won just about every interior design award you can win; she’s written eleven books on interior design and gardening; and now she’s designed her first Southern Living Idea House, which reflects her incredible eye for detail in every room. Sid talks to Charlotte about the connection between design and hospitality, some lessons she learned on Wall Street, and the paint color she can’t live without. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Riley Green got his start playing in bars and restaurants around his hometown of Jacksonville, Alabama—and lately he’s been performing in stadiums for tens of thousands. He grew up with a close relationship with his two grandfathers, who were influential in his early musical development and who fueled his passion for the outdoors. His song "I Wish Grandpas Never Died," a tribute to both of them, was a major hit back in 2019, and more recently he’s recorded a couple of duets with Ella Langley – one of which, “you look like you love me,” won a CMA Award last year. In some ways, Riley has gone back to his roots by opening a bar called the Duck Blind in Nashville, which has become a favorite hangout for some of the biggest names in country music. Sid talks to the rising star about the influence of his Southern upbringing, his love of Jacksonville State football, and his new song, “Jesus Saves.” For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The soulful musician known as KIRBY was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but she grew up in the tight-knit community of Eudora, Mississippi, surrounded by cousins, church choirs, and plenty of talented relatives who knew how to cook. Her grandmother, Cora, could lead a song as easily as she could deliver a baby—something she did often as one of the first midwives in DeSoto County. Now, more than a decade into her career, KIRBY is set to honor her legacy with her second studio album, Miss Black America—short for Mississippi Black America. It’s a deeply personal record that blends modern soul with family history, weaving the voices of her loved ones and the stories of her home state. Sid talks to KIRBY about the memories that have shaped her as an artist, the Stax Music Academy years that helped launch her career, and the musical legacy of the nearby plantation that shares her family’s last name. They also discuss the story behind her hit song “Loved By You” that took on a life of its own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ellen Skrmetti was born and raised in Ripley, Mississippi, not far from Memphis, in a family that was devoted to the Southern Baptist church. For Ellen, a person of faith but also an aspiring comedian, this turned out to be great source material, as did all the characters in her small Southern town. During the pandemic, she started posting videos that all started with “Hey Jesus, It’s Me,” and then she would launch into gossipy monologues about her neighbors, critiques of a cousin’s potato salad, or—famously—what would have happened if Queen Elizabeth had died in the South. Now she’s got a new book that takes its name from those viral hits and expands it a bit: Hey, Jesus, It's Me: I Have Questions, Comments, and Concerns. Ellen lives in Birmingham now, so we got to do this one in the Southern Living offices, and she was just as charming and funny in person as she is on Instagram. Sid talks to Ellen about why her yeast rolls are controversial, what it’s been like getting back to standup after a fruitful detour through social media, and having what she calls a “true Southern church lady for a mother.” For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chef Tristen Epps, who just won Season 22 of Bravo’s Top Chef, grew up the son of a single mom who was a JAG, a lawyer with the military. That meant he moved about 16 times before the end of high school—from Guam to the Philippines—and was exposed to a wide range of cuisines from a young age. His travel background, along with family roots in Trinidad, led to a deep appreciation for food and cooking, and also a desire to both celebrate and elevate Afro-Caribbean cuisine. Now, on the tail of his high profile Top Chef win, he’s on a path to opening a fine dining restaurant in Houston called Buboy – a tribute to his grandfather’s nickname. And his goals for Buboy are ambitious, as he looks to bring Afro-Caribbean cooking in the United States to the Michelin-star level. We’ll talk about all that, plus the years he spent working at the Greenbriar in West Virginia, how his step-father’s unfortunate passing mid-season affected his time on Top Chef, and how he’s embracing his identity as a Southerner and a Houstonian. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katie Lee Biegel grew up in Milton, West Virginia, descended from a long line of women who really knew how to cook. Her grandparents had a big vegetable garden and canned their own green beans and tomatoes. Her great grandmother won blue ribbons for her angel food cake, her great aunt was a fabulous cook, and all of them instilled in her a love for comfort food and hospitality that she’s carried all her life. After getting a lot of attention in the media for her marriage to Billy Joel at age 23, she started writing cookbooks, landed a gig hosting Top Chef, wrote a novel about surfing, and eventually became a co-host of The Kitchen on the Food Network, which she’s now been doing for 11 seasons. These days, Katie is busier than ever, with a new movie coming out on the Hallmark Channel called Catch of the Day, which she produced and co-wrote, and a 5 year-old daughter who does not love vegetables. Sid talks to Katie about her Appalachian roots, her favorite restaurant ever, her recipe for sweet tea oven fried chicken, and her family’s Christmas tradition in West Virginia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryce Leatherwood is only 25 years old, but three years ago he won Season 22 of The Voice, and he just released a self-titled debut album that’s already gaining a lot of attention. Despite his age, Bryce’s new record sounds like it could have come out a long time ago, and that’s exactly what he was after. Many of the songs were inspired by the simple life of his hometown in Woodstock, Georgia, where he grew up, and Macon, where he spent a lot of time riding horses and dirt bikes on his grandfather’s farm. When we spoke, Bryce had just lost his grandfather to cancer a couple of weeks earlier, and he talked about what an inspiration he was, both in terms of music and as a role model in life. He also shared the story behind a new song called “Job Well Done” that he recently wrote in honor of his grandfather’s memory. Sid talked to Bryce about the best friend he gained from his time on the Voice, what he learned from being a high school wrestler, and why his debut on the Grand Ole Opry was the best night of his life. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode Sid talks to Ashleigh Shanti, who recently won a James Beard Award for her beautiful and thought-provoking cookbook called Our South: Black Food Through My Lens. Ashleigh is the chef and owner of Good Hot Fish, a counter-service spot in Asheville, North Carolina inspired by the spirit of old-school Southern fish camps. Despite her current hometown in the mountains, she’s been connected to the coast from the very beginning. She was born in St. Marys, Georgia, just north of the Florida border, while her parents were at a family wedding—and she grew up on a lake in Virginia, where she developed a reverence for the water and a love for fish fries. But her cooking isn’t just about seafood. Her passion for all the cuisines of the South—and there are many, as she’ll tell you—and her deep interest in Appalachian foodways have shaped the way she cooks, writes, and sees the region.Sid talks to Ashleigh about how a fast-food joint helped her prepare to open a high-volume restaurant, the many women who’ve inspired her journey, and the secret ingredients behind what sounds like an amazing fried fish sandwich. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chef Shuai Wang was the runner-up on the 22nd season of Bravo’s Top Chef and is the force behind two standout restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina—Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ—where he brings together the flavors of his childhood in Beijing and the spirit of the South in some pretty unforgettable ways. He grew up just a short walk from Tiananmen Square, in a tiny home with no electricity or running water, where his grandmother often cooked over charcoal. Later, in Queens, New York, his mom taught herself to cook—her first dishes were a little salty, but they were always made with love. And somewhere along the way, Shuai learned that cooking wasn’t just about food—it was about taking care of people. After years working in New York kitchens, he made his way to Charleston and started building something that feels entirely his own. Today, we’re talking about how all those experiences come together on the plate, the family stories behind his cooking, and what it’s been like to share that journey on national TV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dylan Scott grew up in Bastrop, Louisiana, a small town in the northeast corner of the state, not far from the home of another Louisiana sensation - Lainey Wilson. His father, Scotty Robinson, also had a career in country music for a while, so clearly the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Scotty taught the young Dylan to play guitar and piano, and he also taught him the value of hard work, whether it was construction, cleaning carburetors, or operating a jackhammer. Now Dylan Scott is working harder than ever, performing for bigger and bigger crowds, and coming out with a highly anticipated new album called Easy Does It. Sid talks to Dylan about the song he wrote about his hometown, his friendship with Morgan Wallen, his grandmother’s squirrel dumplings, and how his wife knows when a song is a keeper – all on this week’s Biscuits & Jam. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Baumgartner may be best known to many people, across at least a couple of generations, as Kevin from The Office, but there’s much more to the actor than his famous onscreen persona. Born and raised in Atlanta, Brian has a deep love for the South, a wicked sense of humor, an obsession with sports, and a successful podcast called Off the Beat. He also has a lifelong passion for barbecue – both the style of cooking and the communal gathering that defines it—and now he’s come out with the Seriously Good Barbecue Cookbook: Over 100 of the Best Recipes in the World. Brian has a lot of opinions on the subject, as well as whether Texas is a part of the South, and the absolute best way to cook grilled chicken. He talks with Sid about the new book, the connection he sees between acting and cooking, why he drove hundreds of miles for a meal at Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog Barbecue in Charleston, and the real story behind that infamous “chili scene” from The Office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emily Ann Roberts grew up in Karns, Tennessee, just outside of Knoxville, with hardworking parents who had deep roots in both faith and music. She went to the church her great-grandfather founded more than a century ago— the same place where she sang in public for the very first time. Her dad introduced her to the rougher side of music, too, playing a lot of Johnny Cash and David Allan Coe as they drove around backroads in a pickup truck. After performing for years in a Mexican restaurant and then being discovered on YouTube, she went on to become a finalist on The Voice, but she soon discovered there was plenty more work to do. These days, she’s making her mark as a fresh new voice in country music, releasing gritty new songs like “Scratching Out a Living,” and touring with Megan Moroney. Sid talks to Emily about her love of Southern cooking, her alter ego Yeehaw Memaw, and the advice from Blake Shelton that’s guided her every step of the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices