Food for the Southern Soul

For Jimmy Hagood, Food for the Southern Soulâ„¢ isn’t just the UMBRELLA name of his catering business, his BlackJack Barbecue cooking team or his specialty food lines. It is his way of life! Following his passion, Hagood has made an indelible mark on the lowcountry food scene, keeping the pantries of Southerners and would-be southerners stocked with the region’s finest foods. For Hagood, “Food for the Southern Soul” says it all! It provides down-home flavors and aromas and best of all, satisfies a nostalgia for traditional, authentic southern fare.

Haygood’s company, Tidewater Foods and Catering, LLC is a full-service custom caterer that provides an authentic taste of the South Carolina Lowcountry. With a wealth of beautiful venues, Tidewater catering recommends outdoor entertaining and focuses on the local bounty with menus items like Hagood’s famous Tidewater Shrimp Boil, Steamed Oysters, or local fish. Tidewater Catering also offers BlackJack Barbecue – a truly gourmet southern barbecue experience ranging from gourmet barbecue picnics to the signature Carolina Whole Hog Pig Pickin’.

As a barbecue impresario and an advocate of coastal South Carolina’s unique culinary culture, Haygood has brought national visibility to the art of barbecue cooking, and further elevated high-quality Southern pantry items.

Slow cooking began as a hobby for Hagood. An insurance advisor, he spent weekends basting pork shoulders infused with his special marinades and taste-testing recipes. In March of 2002, Hagood took his food focus full-time. He traded his briefcase for a 27ft long red barbecue rig to launch Tidewater Foods and Catering, LLC and the BlackJack Barbecue & Sauce Company.

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The “Big Red Rig” is BlackJack Barbecue’s “ultimate cooking experience.” Making appearances at national competitions and large catered events the two-story, 27-foot long rig has enough cooking space for 50 Boston Butts, 40 racks of ribs, and much more. The upstairs serves as a viewing area where guests can check out pit master Jimmy Hagood and his team slow cook award-winning pork shoulders, ribs and whole hogs.

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Hagood’s natural talents were evident from the start – he simultaneously managed a full-scale catering and barbecue business, bottled his award-winning sauces and dry rubs and earned his pit master stripes in top national competitions. By 2004, Hagood’s BlackJack Barbecue Mustard Sauce had captured the taste buds of judges with a 5th place finish at the Memphis in May World BBQ Championship.
Further investing in the heritage of lowcountry fare, in 2005, Hagood moved to acquire some of the south’s finest food brands. Many local companies were facing uncertain futures with no heirs to continue the families’ traditions. Hagood saw an opportunity to keep the authentic products on shelves and expand their reach beyond local farmer’s markets and roadside stands.

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Under the Food for the Southern Soulâ„¢ umbrella, Hagood has combined his own BlackJack and Tidewater products with the well-known Charleston Favorites and Rockland Plantation Lines. From shrimp sauce and dry rubs to stone-ground grits and artichoke relish, Hagood is keeping the tradition of soulful southern food alive.¼br> Haygood is often featured in national magazines and on television. He has won numerous culinary awards and cooks for dignitaries including at Gov. Mark Sanford’s Inauguration in January 2003 and January 2007.

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All his products are available for purchase online at www.foodforthesouthernsoul.com as well as at farm stands, gourmet markets, and supermarkets including select Whole Foods Markets. For wholesale purchases, please contact Specialty Food South, LLC at 1-800-538-0003.

Food for the Southern Soulsâ„¢ product lines.

BlackJack Barbecue Sauces & Rubs
Award-winning barbecue sauces and rubs originally created by pitmaster Jimmy Hagood for BBQ competitions

Charleston Favorites
Charleston’s finest pantry items including Carolina Gold Rice, “Hot” Pepper Jelly, Benne Wafers and Stone Ground Grits

Rockland Plantation
Offering a true taste of the farmer’s market with items like Green Tomato Chutney, Okra Pickles, Charleston Gumbo and Artichoke Relish

Tidewater Catering & Products
Versatile shrimp sauce used for making traditional New Orleans style Barbecue Shrimp or used as a base for Hagood’s version of Lowcountry Shrimp & Grits.

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Photo by Tom Lollis

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For a variety of fathers-day recipes, read Allison Askin’s food column in the State Newspaper today.