Ron's Goode BBQ In Alexandria, Alabama: Meet The Chef

May 12

We sat down with Executive Chef Ron Dover of Ron's Goode BBQ in Alexandria, Alabama. Ron's Goode BBQ is unmatched in the region. The ribs are perfectly smoked, falling off the bone with each bite, while the pulled pork bursts with flavor, complemented by a variety of house-made sauces ranging from tangy to sweet. The casual, down-home atmosphere invites diners to relax and enjoy their meal, making it a great spot for families and friends alike. Additionally, their sides, such as the creamy coleslaw and baked beans, are the perfect accompaniments to elevate your barbecue feast. Ron's Goode BBQ promises a genuine taste of Southern hospitality and barbecue excellence.

Ron's Goode BBQ In Alexandria, Alabama: Meet The Chef

Tell us about what your morning routine looks like, and how you like to end your day?

I start everyday with firing up the smoker with fresh hickory and putting our high quality Boston butts, smoked chicken, St. Louis style ribs, and ham on the smoker for the day around 6am. We lightly season our meats with a secret rub recipe i’ve used since I opened the original Ron’s in the late 1990’s. I then move inside to help Kandice start preparing our freshly made sides for the day until its time to open the doors and start serving our community with the delicious menu we have been carefully cultivating for so many years. In the evenings, we leave the cooking to Chef Jacob and head server Barbie who leads our team each day to success by making sure wait times are short, food is consistent to recipe, and each and every customer comes and goes satisfied!

Do you have any awards or achievements you’d like to mention?

We received the 2024 Emerging Small Business with the Chamber of Commerce, were voted best barbecue plate in Alabama by customers on AL.com, and were nominated top 5 best barbecue in the readers choice awards with the Anniston Star, and all of this in under 2 years since we opened our doors as Ron’s Goode BBQ in January 2023.

Do you have a favorite chef that you look up to and what advice would you give to aspiring chefs?

My uncle, Henry Snelling, was a chef at Fort McClellan after serving infantry in World War II. Growing up, I watched him cook fish frys and grill barbecue when we got together as a family and I remember him loving to cook and I guess he’s what’s inspired me over the years. Regarding aspiring chefs, just keep trying new stuff and keep on cooking!

What do you typically cook at home?

My wife, Diane, answered this for me saying “only the meats.” I love cooking ribs, tenderloin, pork chops, and steaks. My favorite to cook at home is a good ribeye steak.

What’s a food trend that you’re loving right now and why?

I really like the movement to get foods from local farms and we have been working towards more locally sourced meats and produce since opening. We carried a locally sourced burger and chili last year and we have plans to try more locally sourced products in the future. Supporting each other in our local community, especially our farmers, is something we need a lot more of I feel and we want to be apart of that movement.

What’s the strangest food combination you’ve ever tried? And, did you like it?

I don’t really try any crazy stuff. I guess I am a little stuck in my ways on the recipes we have and nothing really sticks out to me that is strange or crazy. Our recipes are just some good ole southern cooking though.

What cocktail or beverage do you enjoy most?

We have “Ron’s Favorite” at the restaurant. It’s about as simple as you can get, but a drink I’ve always enjoyed, Jack and Coke.

Have you ever cooked for a celebrity? Do you have a story to tell?

I’ve personally cooked for Mike Shula, the quarterback at Alabama, while he was head coach of Alabama. I fed them after practice and that was a really fun thing to do. Hee was a smoked chicken guy. It was his favorite. I also cooked for a Nascar truck series driver, Bryan Dauzat, and his staff at the race track in Talladega a few years ago. He liked our pork tenderloin. Some others that have came through the restaurant include, Pat Sullivan, a quarterback at Auburn University that won the Heisman, and he liked our barbecue sandwiches. Watson Brown was the head coach at UAB and Vanderbilt came through on a recruiting trip and got to sit down at the table with them. Bill Clark, the former head football coach of UAB and Jax State is a regular. Eli Gold - the radio voice for alabama football likes our ribs and he comes in every now and then. Keith Burns a Musician from Nashville eats with us a lot and matter of fact I just sat down with him the other day at the restaurant.

What’s your Instagram so readers can follow you?

It’s @ronsgoodebbq.

Why should readers visit Ron’s Goode BBQ in Alexandria, Alabama?

Ron’s Goode BBQ is a local family-owned business that are just some southern boys and girls trying our best to service our community with some of the best barbecue, chicken, and smash burgers around. We offer weekly specials, right now being Hamburger steak Wednesdays, All you can eat American Catfish Thursday Nights, and Pork Tenderloin Fridays and revolving delicious desserts of the week. We have a comfortable place to eat and delicious food for a good price.

Advertiser disclosure + editorial note