Rodney Scott sets opening date for Nashville restaurant Whole Hog BBQ

An award-winning pitmaster is bringing his craft to Nashville, and he's even trying his hand at hot chicken.

Rodney Scott, known nationally for his whole-hog barbecue, will on April 5 debut the latest location of his restaurant empire — the top two floors and rooftop at Chief’s, the six-story Broadway bar.

Chief’s is a behemoth: a restaurant and live music venue, with more than 4,000 concert posters from Eric Church's long country music career papering the ground floor.

Scott's prowess with barbecue is legendary as the James Beard award-winning pitmaster behind Rodney Scott's BBQ restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina, Birmingham, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia.

Who is Rodney Scott?

Scott launched his journey into barbecue at just 11 years old, when he smoked his first hog at his family's restaurant, Scott’s Bar-B-Que.

An oral history project from the Southern Foodways Alliance detailed Scott's restaurant roots:

"In 1972, just a year after the birth of his son Rodney, Roosevelt Scott opened a convenience store/gas station in an oak grove off the highway in Hemingway, South Carolina. On the side, his wife Ella Scott, aided by various family members, smoked a whole hog or two on the weekends."

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And now, Scott, in partnership with Nick Pihakis of Pihakis Restaurant Group, is bringing Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ to Tennessee for the first time. When the Nashville location opens next month, Scott will have restaurants in four states.

The future location is 200 Broadway.

“I’ve cooked whole hog in a lot of places, but none quite like Broadway,” Scott said in a media statement. “I’m excited to team up with Eric as he creates something special for his fans and the music community as a whole in Nashville.”

In Nashville, what will Rodney Scott's restaurant serve?

Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ will serve pit-smoked whole hog barbecue, catfish sandwiches, brisket and burgers. Sides are the classic barbecue accompaniments: hush puppies, collards and the like.

The pitmaster even has a take on a Nashville hot chicken sandwich.

More: Eric Church announces 19-date 'one of a kind' residency to open his downtown Nashville bar

The restaurant will take over the top two floors of Chief’s and will include "Hell of a Q," the rooftop portion of the venue.

The partnership between Church and Scott brings Broadway its first rooftop, whole hog barbecue experience and another landmark: the first street-level, walk-up window on Broadway serving breakfast through late-night snacks.

Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ at Chief’s will open on April 5. Hours are 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. daily with brunch served from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on weekends. A late-night menu will be served on the rooftop from 11 p.m.-2:30 a.m. A street-level walk-up window will serve breakfast from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., as well as lunch and dinner starting at 11 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Rodney Scott's Nashville spot in Eric Church's bar sets opening date