ABOUT
OUR CHEF & FOUNDER

MEET ADRIAN “BAY” WRIGHT

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, DEM 2 BROTHERS AND A GRILL OWNER ADRIAN “BAY” WRIGHT WAS SELLING HIS DELICIOUS RIBS, PULLED PORK, AND HIS MOUTH-WATERING BARBECUE SAUCE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

THE LINES FOR WRIGHT’S BARBECUE SNAKED DOWN THE ROAD AND EACH DAY MORE CUSTOMERS ARRIVED. WRIGHT, WHO WAS ONLY IN TOWN TO ATTEND HIS BESTFRIEND’S WEDDING, KNEW HE STUMBLED ON SOMETHING BIG AND HIS FAMILY CONVINCED TO STAY.

BEFORE THERE WAS DEM 2 BROTHER’S AND A GRILL THERE WAS JUST A MAN AND HIS GRILL.
ADRIAN” BAY” WRIGHT STARTED SELLING BBQ ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHILE VISITING HIS HOMETOWN OF CHARLESTON, WV FOR A FRIEND’S WEDDING. AFTER A LITTLE CONVINCING FROM HIS FAMILY AND GROWING DEMAND FOR WRIGHT’S BARBECUE, HE DECIDED TO STAY. AFTER 2 YEARS OF STREET VENDING, WRIGHT SECURED HIS FIRST STOREFRONT LOCATION, THUS DEM 2 BROTHERS AND A GRILL WERE BORN. ESTABLISHED ON CHARLESTON’S WEST SIDE AT 5 CORNERS, DEM 2 BROTHERS QUICKLY BECAME A NEIGHBORHOOD STAPLE. IN 2013, THE ORIGINAL DEM 2 BROTHERS LOCATION ATTRACTED HERDS OF BARBECUE CONNOISSEURS, WHO FLOCKED TO THE INTERNET TO TELL THE WORLD ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA’S BEST BBQ JOINT.

AS A RESULT OF THE POSITIVE RATINGS ON YELP AND GOOGLE WRIGHT’S RESTAURANT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF THE FOOD NETWORK. DEM 2 BROTHERS AND A GRILL WERE FEATURED ON THE FOOD NETWORK’S “SOUTHERN FRIED ROAD TRIP”. D2B HAS GAINED NATIONWIDE RECOGNITION AND RANKED ON SOME OF THE TOP LISTS FOR THEIR DELICIOUS BBQ AND HOME-STYLE SIDES. LISTS INCLUDE TOP BBQ JOINTS IN THE USA, TASTE OF SOUTH MAGAZINE, “BEST MAC & CHEESE IN THE STATE” AND BUZZFEED.

“WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD AND FOOTBALL REPETITION IS KEY. IN FOOTBALL YOU ARE LEARNING PLAYS AND IN THE KITCHEN YOU ARE LEARNING FOOD. THE TASTE AND QUALITY OF THE FOOD HAS TO BE ON POINT EVERYDAY AND IN FOOTBALL YOUR PERFORMANCE MATTERS. THAT’S WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE COMING BACK TO DEM 2 BROTHERS.”

— ADRIAN WRIGHT

A CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STANDOUT, WRIGHT PLAYED FOR VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY BEFORE HE STARTED A STINT IN THE NFL.
AFTER HIS FOOTBALL CAREER ENDED IN 1987, HE TOOK OWNERSHIP OF A SUCCESSFUL BARBECUE JOINT AND A CAR WASH IN FLORIDA BEFORE HE DECIDED TO MOVE BACK TO WEST VIRGINIA TO HELP TAKE CARE OF HIS MOTHER. WRIGHT, A FORMER TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS RUNNING BACK, CONNECTS HIS SUCCESS BACK TO FOOTBALL AND HIS FAMILY.

WRIGHT HOSTS SEVERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS INCLUDING A BACK-TO-SCHOOL PARTY TO PROVIDE LOCAL KIDS WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND BACKPACKS. HE ALSO SPONSORS A CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR CHILDREN AND GIVES AWAY BIKES, TOYS, AND FREE FOOD. WHEN NEARBY WEST VIRGINA TOWNS WERE FLOODING, WRIGHT LOADED UP HIS TRUCK AND FED DISPLACED FAMILIES.