Red Hot & Blue

Who is the man behind the smoker? Pit Master and BBQ expert Sonny McKnight


Sonny McKnight has been with Red Hot & Blue Restaurants (RH&B) since its founding in 1988. He probably knows more about the organization than just about anyone else. Sonny was actually lured away from his chef position at Chef Paulino’s, an It...alian restaurant in Washington D.C., by one of the chain’s founders.
“It took them three months, but they gave me an ‘offer I couldn’t refuse,’” laughs Sonny.
An opportunity to begin an operation from the ground up and the chain’s original concept: a total commitment to the best possible barbecue, old-fashioned Southern Hospitality, great rhythm and blues, consistency and quality all came together to motivate his move to Red Hot & Blue almost 20 years ago.


He continues there today as “Pit Master” for all restaurants. Sonny’s responsibilities include training new franchisees, other barbecue “pit crew” members, quality control, line bills and creating new recipes and menus for the chain. He also travels frequently to the various locations to oversee and assist the general managers and operations executives. Quality and consistency across the board is his major goal today.


Sonny says those early days at the first Red Hot & Blue in Arlington were “wild.” The restaurant’s concept caught on so quickly with politicians, celebrities and other VIPs and locals – it was almost overwhelming.
“We were really starting from scratch so everyone on staff was really “winging it” in the beginning,” said Sonny. The original menu featured Memphis-style pulled and chopped pork, ribs, brisket and smoked chicken – side dishes were slowly added as the clientele grew.
“The desire for great barbecue – but especially that smell of hickory which spilled out and continues to spill out onto the street – still is a prime motivator for our customers; our numerous awards, great reviews and word-of-mouth reputation have not hurt either,” adds Sonny.


In the beginning though, things weren’t that easy. Until the Health Department approved an in-restaurant smoker, Sonny would drive portable smokers all over the Washington D.C. area – hiding them in parking lots, at his home, etc., in order for the prime meats to be smoked all night, ready for the next day’s customers.
According to Sonny, good barbecue has not changed over the years. Slow cooking over hickory wood and low temperatures still remain the restaurant chain’s trademark. The restaurants’ meats are cooked for at least 12 hours over night and throughout the day, but, as Sonny brags, customers can get their entrees, appetizers, etc., in seven minutes for lunch and 11 minutes for dinner.


His personal favorites and specialties he helped develop currently on the Red Hot & Blue menu include pulled pork and rack of ribs, Grandma’s potato salad (red skinned potatoes and condiments – freshly prepared every four hours), cole slaw, hush puppies, okra and sweet potatoes as popular sides and a battered onion loaf similar to onion rings. He also is very proud of the chain’s catfish which is Mississippi Delta farm-raised.


Red Hot & Blue was sold to an affiliate of Dancing Pigs, LLC in 2006. Sonny is very impressed with the new management team. “John Walker and Randy McCann are real go-getters and bring so much to the party. They have so much experience and success in our industry. We are so excited about the marketing and franchise expansion ideas that their team brings to RH&B while maintaining our promise for great quality BBQ and southern hospitality,” said Sonny.
We have come so far in the 20 years we have been in existence, but the new management has fresh ideas as well as a belief in sticking with what we do best and a consistency throughout our organization. I am definitely in favor of their combination of the old and the new.” Sonny particularly looks forward to participating in more national barbecue competitions and special events – all part of management’s plans for the future.


Sonny’s definition of Southern Hospitality – a mandate at all Red Hot & Blue Restaurants is: “Treat people as you would in your own home and offer them great food served with a side of southern hospitality.”
He looks for these qualities in the people he hires and most of them stay with the organization for a long time. Many employees of RH&B have been there for 12+ years and the kitchen turnover is unusually low. One of Sonny’s dearest friends – Richard Bolyer, started with the company on the same day he did 20 years ago. Mr. Bolyer is currently General Manager of the restaurant in Manassas, Virginia.


Sonny will not divulge his age except to say that he has been around since the golden days of the Blues and R&B and that his restaurant career began during that era. In addition, he has resided in Baltimore for more than 50 years. So, we will all have to guess though many say he looks much younger than his years.
His mother and mentor, Wilhemina, has since passed away, but he and his wife, Jeanette, have three children, two who reside in Baltimore and one in Texas. His brother is executive chef for Maris Grove Retirement Homes nationwide. Sonny was born in Sumpter, South Carolina.


Another mystery about Sonny has been parlayed into a customer contest. He frequently visits Red Hot & Blue locations, but unannounced. In the coming days we will start a contest designed around “Where’s Sonny?”. The first to stop Sonny for a picture on contest days and post on our Facebook fan page will win a prize, so stay tuned…Read More