As he struts out of Ruby’s Southern Comfort Kitchen to meet a throng of adoring fans, Walter Johnson hit a little two-step while the crowd chanted “Unc!”
Mr. Tendernism is in town.
At his latest stop on a nationwide tour, Johnson’s fans lined up Saturday to take a photo with the pitmaster-turned-online culinary personality in the heart of Prince George’s County, a majority-Black county in Maryland.
“I’m hanging out like wet clothes,” Johnson says, in his distinct drawl.
Johnson — who coined the term “tendernism” while making one of his viral videos that demonstrated his impeccably smoked barbecue sliding right off the bone — is enjoying every moment of his newfound fame.
“Let me tell you something about this cooking thang,” he says. “People have to have love for this. You don’t just wake up and cook this. If you ain’t got no love for what you’re doing, then it just might not be the job for you.”
Johnson’s culinary journey most recently landed him in Southern California, where he encouraged coffee shop owner Nick Yepremian to focus his restaurant on barbecue. The coffee shop eventually evolved into Destination Smokehouse, and Johnson’s videos quickly made him a fan favorite, drawing celebrities and food influencers like Keith Lee to the Murrieta-based joint.
However, in March, Johnson announced that he was no longer affiliated with Destination Smokehouse amid a trademark dispute over the “tendernism” phrase and his decision to carve his own path as a content creator and food reviewer. Ken Harris, a Charlotte-based attorney, has been working with Johnson to secure ownership of “tendernism.”
The attempt to seize Mr. Tendernism’s shine is just the latest in the long history of barbecue, in which Black Americans rarely receive our due in the mainstream despite the cooking method being closely associated with our culture. The names of Black pitmasters like Henry Perry, known as the “Father of Kansas City Barbecue,” and Mary Jean, a renowned pitmaster in 19th-century Arkansas, have often been left out of the conversation.
“I had to go on my own so that way I can do what I have to do,” Johnson said on social media. “I’m finna’ tenderize the world now.”
Since becoming a viral sensation last year, he has appeared on Sherri Shepherd’s talk show, garnered millions of views across social media platforms, and was hired by R&B legend Ron Isley to cook at his wife Kandy’s birthday celebration. Prince George’s County Councilmember Jolene Ivey presented Johnson with a proclamation in recognition of his visit. Johnson, who declined to give his exact age, but says he is “closer to 80 than 60,” is embracing his second act and rejects the notion that anyone is too old to pursue their dreams.
“You ain’t too old. I don’t know how to pronounce old. Get up out your seat and get on your feet, and put some motion to that notion,” he explains. “You can still do anything that you want to as long as you put some effort behind it. Life is worth living.”
Nearly 1,500 people of all ages showed up to the event at the popular soul food restaurant for a chance to meet the internet’s uncle, according to county police.
“He’s everybody’s uncle,” says Keena Piersaint, a member of Johnson’s team.
“Everybody can relate to him. Everyone has two or three of him in their family. It’s easy to support him.”
Born in Gary, Indiana, Johnson says he’s been cooking for “40-something” years across the country. He got his start working in his brother’s barbecue restaurant in Robbins, Illinois, cutting off wing tips. He preferred cooking to his other career options — becoming an electrician or a plumber.
“I’ve been around this here United States and I’ve learned everything. I flipped it all together so I can put it together and have a swell piece of leather,” Johnson, who loves a good rhyme, says of his culinary experience. “I take pride in this right here. I want people to enjoy themselves.”
In his travels, he stressed the importance of learning how pitmasters cooked and seasoned their meat. “My thing was to learn all the ingredients they put in their food so then I could come up with my own thang,” Johnson explained.
“Once I figured it out, it all came together like two buttcheeks.”
Johnson is often heard saying he aims to “tenderize the world” — spreading love through delicious food.
And Johnson has been on a nationwide tour to do just that. Before his visit to Ruby’s Southern Comfort Kitchen in Maryland, Johnson made multiple stops, including meeting up with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson at Wilma’s World Famous BBQ & Tavern, a stop at Steve’s BBQ & Soul Food in Metro Atlanta and hosting a pop-up in Houston last month.
But he wants to make sure these visits are meaningful, according to Joe White, Johnson’s manager.
In one of Johnson’s latest videos, he visits Juci Jerk in Metro Atlanta to offer support to the owners and drive traffic to the restaurant in the wake of their father’s death. Then, he’ll be meeting a terminally ill man who wants to cook and grill with Mr. Tendernism.
“We want to do [these visits] once or twice a month,” White explains. “He likes to be with the people. He likes to meet and talk with people. His whole thing is tenderizing people’s hearts and making them soft, just like he does with meat.”
“I’m trying to not only tenderize this meat,” Johnson says, pointing to his plate of oxtail. “I’m trying to tenderize the heart. We’d have more happiness, and not all this confusion and hating.”
“I have to help uplift you, and then you help lift that brother or that sister,” he continues. “That’s what we are supposed to do. If we do that, I guarantee we’ll have a better United States.”