Being born and raised in Tennessee, Justin Timberlake takes barbecue seriously—a fact he underscored during his induction to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame on Saturday.
During the singer's 29-minute speech, he explained why joining such an elite group (members include Johnny Cash, B.B. King and Otis Redding), and what makes Memphis a city unlike anyplace else. As it turns out, a big part of that is the food.
"This, as everyone here knows, is a one-of-a-kind place, and I can say that with total sincerity, because I've been all over the world three ... teen times. But London ain't got no Gus's Fried Chicken," he says. "Paris may rendezvous, but they ain't got no Rendezvous."
This isn't the first time Timberlake's praised Gus's Fried Chicken. In 2012, he told USA Today it was one of his favorite restaurants in Memphis, as well as The Store on the Hill, a place he admitted looked like "the scene in a movie where someone's going to be brutally harmed," but serves home-smoked pulled pork you can buy by the tubful.
Gus's Fried Chicken is a little more appealing to drive up to—and you don't have to go to Memphis to try it, since the restaurant has 11 locations spanning five states. The Hot & Spicy Fried Chicken is a must-order; it's what the company is famous for, after all.
The other restaurant Timberlake name-checks is Charles Vergo's Rendezvous, a Memphis hotspot revered for its charcoal-grilled pork ribs. If ribs aren't your thing, you can also order a skillet loaded with 5 pounds of barbecue shrimp, provided that you call ahead and give the company 24 hours' notice. The shop also sells pork shoulder, lamb riblets, chopped chicken and beef brisket, as well as a nod to the founder's heritage: a Greek salad.
If a trip to what Timberlake calls the "global capital of soul" isn't in your immediate future, you could get a taste of Memphis with one of the barbecue essentials JT found in his dressing room before taking the stage: DJ Paul's BBQ Rub and Smoked Out BBQ Sauce. (Yup, that's the very same DJ Paul who raps in Three 6 Mafia—and who briefly appeared on stage with Timberlake during the ceremony.)
As for what to make with that sauce, well, we have a few ideas.
Follow Delish on Instagram.
