A decade plus later, Brown and his team, some of whom are literal family, have racked up \u201cBest BBQ\u201d awards from Best in Osceola County to the Orlando\u00a0 Sentinel Foodie Awards\u2019<\/a> Critics and Reader Picks on multiple occasions.<\/p>\n But on Sunday (May 17), Brown and his team will serve their last Granddaddy\u2019s Sampler.<\/p>\n \u201cBusiness owners: all we do is work,\u201d says Brown. \u201cI work every day. Even on the days I\u2019m closed, I\u2019m here: cleaning, maintenance, something.\u201d<\/p>\n Family is the reason Brown is bowing out.<\/p>\n Not long ago, his 16-year-old son, Jayvian, was diagnosed with epilepsy. Brown wanted to be more available to his son, his four other children (Gabby, 20; Jaydence, 18; Jordan, 11 and Gracelynn, 9).<\/p>\n Also, his wife, Kacy.<\/p>\n The pair separated in 2024.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reason is because I was always here,\u201d he says. \u201cSeventy, eighty hours a week. I had to come up with a plan and make a decision.\u201d<\/p>\n It found him on the treadmill at the gym one morning, where he and Jose Martinez, a friend he\u2019d known since high school, were jogging alongside each other.<\/p>\n \u201cI said, \u2018You know, if someone offered me the right amount of money for this restaurant, I would take it, and be able to spend more time with my family.’\u201d<\/p>\n Martinez, owner of Susana\u2019s Cafe in Kissimmee<\/a>, said, \u201cWell, let\u2019s talk about it.\u201d<\/p>\n They did, for several months, before Martinez made that offer, one Brown couldn\u2019t refuse.<\/p>\n \u201cNot only did I make money on the building, I get to spend more time with my family once the deal closes.\u201d<\/p>\n Brown and his wife rekindled things in January of last year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one of the main reasons I\u2019m doing this,\u201d he says plainly. \u201cSo many restaurant owners end up getting divorced or having other issues because they\u2019re always at work. We got back together and ended up buying our own house, moving in, working on our marriage, going to counseling.<\/p>\n \u201cI realized that I really had to be a husband and a dad before I was a restaurant owner.\u201d<\/p>\n The couple renewed their vows on Nov. 10, 2025.<\/p>\n When I double-check that he\u2019s on the record, Brown is adamant.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can put all this in there, because it might help wake up other people.\u201d<\/p>\n As operations at Granny\u2019s wind down, and Martinez makes plans (as yet unknown) for the new property, Brown looks forward to serving longtime customers one last time, but he\u2019s not leaving barbecue behind.<\/p>\n In fact, he\u2019s in the midst of a pivot to sauce boss. He hopes to have their branded barbecue sauce in Florida grocery and hardware stores, as well as local restaurants, before too long.<\/p>\n \u201cI have meetings with a corporate office in Jacksonville,\u201d he says, noting that the recipe his customers have long enjoyed was improved during the packaging process with IPAC, a company in Winter Springs.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can cook it a lot hotter than I can, and it\u2019s just awesome,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n The family agrees.<\/p>\n \u201cThey know I\u2019m going to be home more and we\u2019re going to work together on the sauce and [my wife] is very, very happy and the kids are happy, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter or Instagram\u00a0@amydroo<\/a>\u00a0or on the OSFoodie Instagram account\u00a0@orlando.foodie<\/a>. Email:\u00a0amthompson@orlandosentinel.com<\/a>, For more foodie fun, join the\u00a0Let\u2019s Eat, Orlando Facebook group<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t![\"Jay](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/TOS-L-grannys-southern-smokehouse-closing-01.jpeg\")
Jay Brown says the sauce his customers love has gotten an upgrade since going through the bottling process with IPAC in Winter Springs. “They can cook it a lot hotter than I can,” he says. “It’s just awesome.” (Courtesy Granny’s Southern Smokehouse)<\/p>\n![\""So](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/TOS-L-grannys-southern-smokehouse-closing-03.jpg\")
“So many restaurant owners end up getting divorced or having other issues because they’re always at work,” says Jay Brown. After a 2024 separation, he and his wife, Kacy, reconciled. They renewed their vows on Melbourne Beach late last year. (Courtesy Jay Brown)<\/p>\n