When Food Network’s newest barbecue competition, Pitmasters, premieres on July 13, viewers will meet one of the competition’s most unique teams. Jacob Roark Scott and his mother, Leslie Roark Scott, aren’t just passionate barbecue cooks—they’re carrying the weight of a family tradition that stretches back five generations.

Raised in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Jacob grew up surrounded by smoke, fire, and barbecue. His family’s famous Ubons BBQ restaurant and signature barbecue sauce have been local institutions for decades, while the Scott family has also become a familiar name on the competitive barbecue circuit through prestigious events like Memphis in May. For Jacob, barbecue wasn’t simply a hobby—it was part of his identity long before he ever stepped into a professional kitchen.

“My family has been doing barbecue for about five generations now,” Jacob explained. “It started with our barbecue sauce. My great-great-grandmother created the recipe, and then my grandfather and my mom started competing in barbecue contests.”

His education began long before culinary school. At just ten years old, Jacob’s grandfather placed a bread box beneath his feet so he could reach the prep table while helping trim pork shoulders for competitions. Those early lessons became the foundation of a lifelong passion.

“It truly was trial by fire,” Jacob recalled. “I learned by working competitions and making sure I didn’t repeat mistakes.”

Unlike many modern pitmasters, Jacob proudly embraces Memphis-style barbecue, a tradition built around patience and balance. Rather than relying on overly sweet sauces, Memphis barbecue focuses on low-and-slow cooking techniques with vinegar-forward sauces designed to complement, rather than overpower, the natural flavor of the meat.

“I like sauces that enhance the barbecue instead of becoming the main attraction,” he said. “Every region has its own style—Texas focuses on beef, Kansas City has its own approach, South Carolina has another—but hospitality connects them all.”

Although Jacob already considered himself an experienced pitmaster, he decided to expand his culinary knowledge by enrolling at the John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University in Louisiana. Rather than learning barbecue itself, he wanted to strengthen the skills surrounding it.

“My goal was to gain formal business knowledge and classical French training,” he explained. “I already understood smoking meat. I wanted to learn everything else that would help me run a successful restaurant.”

That education has allowed him to move comfortably between traditional barbecue pits and professional restaurant kitchens in New Orleans. Today, he continues experimenting with recipes while developing new content alongside his mother through YouTube and social media.

Jacob is no stranger to television, either.

Long before joining Pitmasters, he competed on Kids BBQ Championship before later appearing on Chopped Junior, where he learned to thrive under intense time pressure.

“Chopped Junior was completely different,” he laughed. “Thirty minutes goes by incredibly fast. Pitmasters is a different kind of pressure.”

According to Jacob, Food Network’s newest competition pushes contestants in ways even seasoned pitmasters may not expect. While barbecue traditionally rewards patience, Pitmasters demands both endurance and quick decision-making.

“It was barbecue at its most primal,” he said. “Everything was true live-fire cooking using wood, embers, and ash. It’s definitely a marathon, but there are moments when you suddenly have to sprint.”

Unlike previous television appearances, this competition allowed Jacob to work alongside someone he has trusted his entire life—his mother.

The Scott family has always cooked together, making their partnership feel completely natural despite the pressure of national television. Rather than dividing responsibilities randomly, both instinctively understand what needs to be done without getting in each other’s way.

“My mom and I have been a team forever,” Jacob said. “We’re thinking the same way. We can work separately but toward the same goal without stepping on each other’s feet.”

For the competition, the pair leaned heavily into their greatest strength: pork barbecue. While confident cooking virtually any protein, they chose to showcase the style their family has spent generations perfecting, occasionally incorporating chicken alongside classic Southern sides.

Even after years of competing at legendary barbecue events like Memphis in May, Jacob admits filming for television creates a different type of pressure.

“At Memphis, it feels like you’re cooking in your own backyard,” he explained. “On television, you’re cooking while people are watching every move. You want the food to be great, but you also don’t want to look foolish.”

Still, Jacob believes the competition gave him and Leslie something even more valuable than exposure—it gave them an opportunity to represent generations of family history.

For the Scotts, Pitmasters isn’t simply another cooking competition. It’s the latest chapter in a barbecue legacy that began with a homemade sauce recipe generations ago and now continues on one of Food Network’s biggest stages. As the series premieres on July 13, viewers will discover that behind every perfectly smoked piece of pork lies decades of tradition, teamwork, and genuine Southern hospitality.