Pat Neely
Encyclopedia
Patrick "Pat" Neely is a restaurateur
, television personality, and author
. He is the co-owner of Neely's Bar-B-Que restaurant in downtown Memphis
, Tennessee
. He and wife Gina host two popular Food Network
television program
s named Down Home with the Neelys
and Road Tasted with the Neelys
. The pair also co-wrote a cook book. Down Home became the highest rated debut for a Food Network show within the "In the Kitchen" series, which appear on weekend mornings.
, according to the Neelys episode of Chefography
. He, age 45, and Gina (née Ervin), age 43, dated in high school. They reportedly rekindled the romance at their 10-year high school reunion. They married in 1994 and have two daughters: Spenser (age 20), Gina's daughter from a previous marriage (as mentioned by Pat in the book Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook), and Shelbi (age 14). This is the second marriage each for Pat and Gina.
barbecue scene and owner of Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Que. Jim's sister, Beverly Neely (Pat's aunt), is owner of Jay-Bee's Bar-B-Que in Gardena, California, and her son, Curtis Williams (Pat's cousin), is the general manager. Jay-Bee's was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
.
After a while, the restaurant emerged from behind the shadows of their uncle. Pat and his brothers began to gain their own acclaim, appearing on local TV in Memphis.
Their barbecue sauce is now being distributed nationally with Wal-Mart
.
The restaurant has thrived. According to their website, there are now four Neely’s Bar-B-Que locations: two in Memphis (downtown and Mt. Moriah neighborhood), and two in Nashville
(including one at Nashville International Airport
). On July 9, 2008 the Mt. Moriah location caught fire.
Pat and Gina Neely are bringing their prize-winning, Tennessee barbecue to New York City with their fourth restaurant project called Neely’s Pig Parlor. The restaurant, with partner Abraham Merchant aboard, will occupy the current cigar bar Merchants NY on 1st and 62nd which is slated to close this August for a Fall opening. The restaurant eventually opened in 2011 as Neely's Barbecue Parlor.
In August 2008 they acquired a 2000 square feet (185.8 m²) space in mid-town Memphis slated to be a corporate headquarters.
In 2008, their cousin (Jim Neely's son) opened Ken Neely's Hickory Bar-B-Que in Memphis.
, Down Home with the Neelys
and Road Tasted with the Neelys
. Down Home began airing in February 2008. Food Network personality Paula Deen
helped the pair get their first show. During the summer of 2006 her sons, Bobby and Jamie Deen, featured the Neely's Bar-B-Que Nashville location on their show Road Tasted
. In September 2006 Paula ate at the Neely's downtown Memphis restaurant and was impressed. In January 2007 the Neelys were invited to appear on Paula's Party.
The Neelys taped the sixth season of Down Home, which airs seven days a week on the Food Network. Following the success of Down Home, the Neelys took over the Road Tasted show from the Deen brothers in July 2008, which was then changed to Road Tasted with the Neelys.
.
Restaurateur
A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of the restaurant business.-Etymology:The word...
, television personality, and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. He is the co-owner of Neely's Bar-B-Que restaurant in downtown Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He and wife Gina host two popular Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
s named Down Home with the Neelys
Down Home with the Neelys
Down Home with the Neelys is a Food Network show hosted by Patrick and Gina Neely. In the show, they share the secrets behind their favorite dishes and their passion for food. Videotaped in their Memphis home surrounded by family and friends, the show now airs seven days a week on Food Network...
and Road Tasted with the Neelys
Road Tasted
Road Tasted is a television program airing on Food Network. The show originally featured hosts Jamie Deen and Bobby Deen, the sons of popular Food Network host Paula Deen, as they drove around the United States searching for the best in family-run food businesses...
. The pair also co-wrote a cook book. Down Home became the highest rated debut for a Food Network show within the "In the Kitchen" series, which appear on weekend mornings.
Personal life
Neely was born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, according to the Neelys episode of Chefography
Chefography
Chefography is a television series biography of Food Network personalities. While the name implies that the program features biographies of chefs, it in fact includes both chef and non-chef Food Network personalities....
. He, age 45, and Gina (née Ervin), age 43, dated in high school. They reportedly rekindled the romance at their 10-year high school reunion. They married in 1994 and have two daughters: Spenser (age 20), Gina's daughter from a previous marriage (as mentioned by Pat in the book Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook), and Shelbi (age 14). This is the second marriage each for Pat and Gina.
Restaurant
In 1988, Neely and three of his brothers (Gaelin, Tony, and Mark) opened a barbecue restaurant in downtown Memphis. They were aided by their uncle, Jim Neely, a legend on the MemphisMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
barbecue scene and owner of Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Que. Jim's sister, Beverly Neely (Pat's aunt), is owner of Jay-Bee's Bar-B-Que in Gardena, California, and her son, Curtis Williams (Pat's cousin), is the general manager. Jay-Bee's was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is an American food television series that premiered in November 2006 on the Food Network. Produced by Page Productions, the program stars and is hosted by Guy Fieri...
.
After a while, the restaurant emerged from behind the shadows of their uncle. Pat and his brothers began to gain their own acclaim, appearing on local TV in Memphis.
Their barbecue sauce is now being distributed nationally with Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
.
The restaurant has thrived. According to their website, there are now four Neely’s Bar-B-Que locations: two in Memphis (downtown and Mt. Moriah neighborhood), and two in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
(including one at Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...
). On July 9, 2008 the Mt. Moriah location caught fire.
Pat and Gina Neely are bringing their prize-winning, Tennessee barbecue to New York City with their fourth restaurant project called Neely’s Pig Parlor. The restaurant, with partner Abraham Merchant aboard, will occupy the current cigar bar Merchants NY on 1st and 62nd which is slated to close this August for a Fall opening. The restaurant eventually opened in 2011 as Neely's Barbecue Parlor.
In August 2008 they acquired a 2000 square feet (185.8 m²) space in mid-town Memphis slated to be a corporate headquarters.
In 2008, their cousin (Jim Neely's son) opened Ken Neely's Hickory Bar-B-Que in Memphis.
Television shows
Neely and wife Gina host two shows on Food NetworkFood Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
, Down Home with the Neelys
Down Home with the Neelys
Down Home with the Neelys is a Food Network show hosted by Patrick and Gina Neely. In the show, they share the secrets behind their favorite dishes and their passion for food. Videotaped in their Memphis home surrounded by family and friends, the show now airs seven days a week on Food Network...
and Road Tasted with the Neelys
Road Tasted
Road Tasted is a television program airing on Food Network. The show originally featured hosts Jamie Deen and Bobby Deen, the sons of popular Food Network host Paula Deen, as they drove around the United States searching for the best in family-run food businesses...
. Down Home began airing in February 2008. Food Network personality Paula Deen
Paula Deen
Paula Deen American cook, cooking show host, restaurateur, author, actress and Emmy Award-winning television personality.Deen resides in Savannah, Georgia, where she owns and operates...
helped the pair get their first show. During the summer of 2006 her sons, Bobby and Jamie Deen, featured the Neely's Bar-B-Que Nashville location on their show Road Tasted
Road Tasted
Road Tasted is a television program airing on Food Network. The show originally featured hosts Jamie Deen and Bobby Deen, the sons of popular Food Network host Paula Deen, as they drove around the United States searching for the best in family-run food businesses...
. In September 2006 Paula ate at the Neely's downtown Memphis restaurant and was impressed. In January 2007 the Neelys were invited to appear on Paula's Party.
The Neelys taped the sixth season of Down Home, which airs seven days a week on the Food Network. Following the success of Down Home, the Neelys took over the Road Tasted show from the Deen brothers in July 2008, which was then changed to Road Tasted with the Neelys.
Book
Pat and Gina have written their first cookbook "Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook". It is also co-written by Paula Disbrowe, with the foreword written by Paula Deen. It was released in May 2009 and published by KnopfAlfred A. Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a New York publishing house, founded by Alfred A. Knopf, Sr. in 1915. It was acquired by Random House in 1960 and is now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group at Random House. The publishing house is known for its borzoi trademark , which was designed by co-founder...
.