Melissa Cookston facts for kids
Melissa Cookston is a well-known American chef and writer. She owns restaurants and has written two cookbooks. Melissa is also a seven-time world champion in American barbecue. She has won the top award at the Memphis in May World Championship twice. She is the only woman to ever win this big barbecue competition.
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Who is Melissa Cookston?
Melissa Cookston was born in Ruleville, Mississippi in 1968. She spent her childhood years in different towns. These included Greenville, Mississippi and Pontotoc, Mississippi.
How Melissa Cookston Started Her Career
Melissa worked with food for many years. In 1996, she started cooking barbecue. She also began entering barbecue cooking contests. She won many of these early competitions.
In 2007, Melissa and her husband decided to quit their jobs. They traveled around the country. They visited many barbecue contests.
Opening Restaurants and More
In 2011, Melissa and her husband opened their first restaurant. It was called Memphis BBQ Company. This restaurant has locations in both Mississippi and Georgia.
In October 2016, she opened a second restaurant. It was named STEAK by Melissa. This restaurant was in Southaven, Mississippi. It closed in 2020.
In 2019, she opened another food business. It was called Green Tomato Catering. This place offered catering and plate lunches. It is located in Horn Lake, Mississippi. Melissa still leads her barbecue team. The team is called Yazoo's Delta Q. In 2017, Melissa shared something new. She had started raising her own special pigs. These pigs were a mix of different breeds.
Melissa Cookston on TV
Since 2012, Melissa has appeared on many TV shows. These shows include BBQ Pitmasters and Chopped. She has also been on CBS This Morning and The Kitchen. Another show she appeared on is The American Barbecue Showdown.
Melissa Cookston's Family Life
Melissa Cookston lives in Hernando, Mississippi. She lives there with her husband, Pete. They also have a daughter named Lauren.
