Over his more-than-fifty-year quest to make world-class cured hams and bacon, Allan Benton has remained a perpetual student, always open to the secrets that salt, smoke, and time have yet to divulge. “Even after five decades, I’m still learning, and there are surprises.”
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A big one came last summer, when his son Darrell left a successful career as a radiologist and returned to Madisonville to work with his father producing what might be the country’s most praised pork.
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“I was not expecting that,” Allan says. “I thought he had it made as a doctor. But he’s the happiest I’ve seen him since his childhood.”
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Meet the new heir to @BentonsBacon at the link in our profile.
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PHOTOS: @coreyofchatt and @emilydangerfox
Thank you to @maryvillecollege , @stevewildsmith 🖋️, and @savslater23 📸 for sharing our story! Darrell Benton is a proud @mcalumni and grateful for the education and relationships he gained during his time there. Link is in our bio.
🏔️Appalachian Homecoming is a celebration of the people, flavors, music, and traditions that make this region feel like home.
Join us for a one-of-a-kind gathering rooted in Appalachian hospitality, featuring meaningful food, live music, regional storytelling, and the kind of connection that happens when family, friends, and neighbors come together around the table.
This event honors the heritage of Appalachia while celebrating the spirit of homecoming: familiar, welcoming, and deeply rooted in place. Come hungry, come ready to listen, and come be part of a story that feels both timeless and close to home.
Visit the link in bio to learn more and secure your spot!
@chef_lance_mcwhorter ’s Delicata Squash is a whole experience! Stuffing it with @ansonmills Farro Verde and @bentonsbacon country ham and then fire roasting it is just the beginning, because when it lands on your table chef is right behind with a pot of absolutely delicious aligot made with Jimmy Red Corn grits and Gruyere cheese!
Come try it for yourself tonight! With all of the construction , give us a call if you need help figuring out parking! 903-787-5800
Link for reservations is in our bio!
📸: @danielgerona
Bringing a little bit of the south to the PNW. 🥓
Our friends at @bentonsbacon make some of the finest artisan country hams in the U.S., and we’re proud to be the only place in Seattle serving it in our kitchen.
If you’ve had our biscuit breakfast sandwich, you already know the hype.
Some boxes mean more than others.
This one came straight from Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams — and if you know Southern food, you already understand what that means.
Real country ham.
Hickory-smoked bacon.
Seasoning pieces that built generations of Appalachian kitchens.
This isn’t just product — this is history, smoke, patience, and craft from Madisonville, Tennessee that helped shape the way I cook today.
Grateful to be working with ingredients that carry this kind of story and integrity into the Greystone kitchen.
You’ll be seeing Benton’s across our menus this season.
Thank you for continuing to set the standard.
— Chef Donnie Simmons
Executive Chef, Greystone Inn. @bentonscountryham@southernlivingmag@gardenandgun@ourstatemag@visitnc@nceats@carolinadining@madeinnc
We have ONE MORE WEEK of March Membership Madness! Join SFA as a member this week, or renew your annual membership, and we’ll enter your name into a weekly raffle to win the latest SFA swag.
Membership dollars make SFA’s work possible. But don’t take our word for it—here’s Darrell Benton (@da_benton ), who was raised in the SFA community through his parents of the beloved Benton’s Bacon & Country Hams (@bentonsbacon ), who fried ham at the 2003 Symposium.
“The people are what make the Southern Foodways Alliance so special. Through the SFA, I’ve found a community that shares my passion for Southern food cultures and traditions. They feel like family, and time spent together renews my spirit and makes the long days around the smokehouse well worth it.”
Visit the link in our bio to join, renew, or check on your membership status.
There’s a reason Benton’s Ham holds a special place here.
It’s a Smoky Mountain staple and a longtime favorite of Chef Terry.
You’ll spot them hanging around the restaurant from time to time – but never for too long.
If you’ve tasted it before, you’ll know exactly why.
@bentonsbacon
❄️ Updated Weather Closure — Saturday, January 31. Due to hazardous road conditions, we are closed today out of precaution for our team and customers. Stay warm and safe out there.
The beauty of French technique.
Our Chicken Pithivier starts with confit chicken hearts, madeira-plumped raisins and chopped truffle, folded into a silky chicken mousse. The filling is shaped, chilled, wrapped in @bentonsbacon country ham, sealed inside buttery pastry and baked until deeply golden.
On special at The Loyalist.
