SEC Network’s TrueSouth Wraps Filming in Jasper

“This is a nostalgic place for a lot of locals,” - Brown’s Deli Manager Nikki Quillin

Words by Nick Norris | Images by Al Blanton and Anna Lee Vaughn

ESPN’s TrueSouth graced Jasper, Alabama, on Thursday, May 30, 2024, as the James Beard Award-nominated limited series continued filming for its upcoming seventh season.

TrueSouth host and writer John T. Edge stopped at both Brown’s Grocery and Deli and Bayou Fresh Seafood to film an episode for the SEC Network’s Southern food and culture-focused series.

Episodes of TrueSouth traditionally revolve around two food stories told from the same general area, and Jasper will be one of the lucky cities selected for the upcoming season.

Brown’s Deli Manager Nikki Quillin gave The Walker Leader the inside scoop on how the local grocery store came to be featured in a Jasper-centered episode.

“We actually weren’t sure it was going to happen until after Christmas,” Nikki explained. “We had been pitched the idea a bit prior but we kept our excitement to a minimum until we met John in February. Once he came in, we felt confident that Brown’s was really going to feature in an upcoming episode.”

Now that filming at Brown’s has wrapped, Jasper’s excitement can hardly be contained. But there is still much mystery about what the episode will be about.

“When we were first pitched the episode, we were told it would focus on the history and influence of coal mining in Walker County,” Nikki said. “The segments filmed at Brown’s seem to be mainly focused on a man named Caleb Johnson, who I believe used to come to Brown’s with his father to eat biscuits when he was younger. Caleb and his father both came to eat here on Thursday to tell their story.”

Caleb is a novelist and the author of Treeborne, an honorable mention for the 2019 Southern Book Prize. Caleb’s father, Ronnie, is a coal miner, and the two sat down with TrueSouth to discuss the family’s connection to mining.

Nikki went on to say that the episode will also dive into the rich local history that has occurred at Brown’s.

“This is a nostalgic place for a lot of locals,” Nikki said. “We have had so many incredible stories occur here, including a surprise parking lot performance by Elvis Presley back in the day.”

But Nikki said fans of the series will have to wait for the episode to air to hear more details.

“What I can say is that John and his 12-man filming crew were so polite. Despite filming in front of a packed crowd, the team was all smiling and happy to be there. We had a great conversation about coal mining, family, food, and football.”

Caleb, Ronnie, and Nikki were all given shoutouts in a recent post on John’s official Instagram account.

@johntedge: “As day two of our @truesouthtv shoot in Jasper, Alabama, comes to a close I’m feeling deeply thankful. Novelist @caleb.r.johnson and his father coal miner Ronnie Johnson opened up to us, talking about what coal mining made possible for their family, talking about the tolls coal mining took on their family, too. We spent day one at Camp McDowell, where Ronnie’s father worked, and day two at Brown’s Biscuits, where Nikki runs a tight kitchen. (I like their corner biscuits, stuffed with sausage and a fried egg.) Tomorrow, we do some welding and eat some sushi. All for @bluefootentertainment and @secnetwork

Season seven of TrueSouth is expected to premiere in fall 2024. WL

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