This is a part of our Q+A series. Know someone we should interview? Nominate them here.
Profile: Octavius “Tay” Nelson is the co-owner (with his wife) of Bobby’s BBQ in Fountain Inn. Tay loves Jesus, his family, seeing the joy people have when they eat Bobby’s BBQ, and how a meal can build community.
In honor of both National Brisket Day (that’s today in case you didn’t know) + National Barbeque Month, we’re asking Tay some questions, like what local restaurants he loves, what a not so secret menu item is at Bobby’s, and what chefs he looks up to.
Your name is Tay, so where does the name “Bobby’s” come from?
Bobby’s BBQ is named after my late dad and brother, Bobby Sr. and Bobby Jr. They influenced my cooking and who I am as a man, so it made sense to name the restaurant in honor of them.
Other than Bobby’s, what’s your favorite restaurant in Greenville?
We love frequenting other locally owned restaurants — Giovanni’s, Adam’s Bistro, Table 301 restaurants, and Trappe Door are a few of our favorites.
What chefs do you look up to?
Andrew Zimmern, Anthony Bourdain, Bobby Nelson, Sr. (my dad), and Aaron Franklin
Do you have a secret menu item you are kinda wanting to keep secret, but also kinda wanting to share with the city?
Yes. It’s called The Big Bobby! It’s a sandwich with a buttered bun, ¼ pound of pulled pork, and a ¼ pound of brisket, with coleslaw, house-made pickles, and pickled onions on top. I also suggest mixing our hot BBQ and mustard sauce and drizzling that on top. Price: ~$12.00
What’s your favorite dish at your restaurant?
A brisket sandwich combo with Ellie’s baked beans, cheesy potato casserole, an extra link of jalapeno cheddar sausage on the side, and banana pudding to top it all off.
If you’re originally from the Upstate, why have you stayed here? If you’re not, what brought you here?
I say I’m from Greenville County, because I’ve lived all over the Upstate. I’ve traveled to many places, but I always can’t wait to get back home. I’ve seen the community evolve over my 41 years of life, and in some weird way it reminds me of my own story...it hit some rough patches and is now looking better than ever.
Convince a friend to move to Greenville in 15 words or less. Go.
Small, vibrant city close to Atlanta, Charlotte, the mountains, and the beach.
What’s an improvement you’d like to see in Greenville (or Fountain Inn)?
Parking, parking, and more parking
Fill in the blank — The coolest person I’ve met in Greenville (or Fountain Inn) is:
Mike Askew. Mike is my barber (and owner of Cuttn’ Up Barbershop), but he’s become SO much more than that! When I was first starting my seasoning business years ago, Mike and his wife, Nicole, helped me tremendously. Not only did they believe in me, they let me store product at their house and even made the seasoning for me when I wasn’t able to. Mike is an incredible business owner himself and serves as a valuable resource for me to bounce ideas off of. If you need an amazing haircut, definitely go check him out.
Tell us about an obstacle you’ve had in life and how you overcame it.
I grew up rough and even got mixed up in the wrong crowd in my early years. Through God’s grace, I’ve been able to see what the combination of hard work and determination combined with trust in God’s blessings and faithfulness can accomplish. Growing up, I never imagined I’d own a business in the same town I grew up in, but here we are. I am so proud of the restaurant my wife and I have created, the staff we consider family, and the feeling of community we’ve helped foster. To be able to show my kids a better way, and for them to be able to grow up seeing what you can achieve with hard work and many prayers, is such a blessing and the best gift I can give them.
You’ve received a lot of national recognition recently — what has been your favorite award, nomination, or TV spot?
I would have to say our shoot with YouTube. It was amazing to see how it all came together and panned out. People flew in from all over the country — Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Charleston — and they were here for 5 days getting everything set up and filming. We had a set designer and a make-up artist, there were multiple cameras, takes, and reshoots — it was a whole production. We really bonded with the crew and created lasting friendships. It was definitely a special time we will always treasure as a family.
What life advice or epiphany would you share with others that you’re thankful you learned?
Always keep God first. Don’t get too high on the highs or low on the lows. Always stay humble.
