Jonnetta Patton, Usher’s mom, opens barbecue food trailer J’s Smokehouse
Entrepreneur Jonnetta Patton has expanded her business portfolio by opening J’s Smokehouse, a barbecue trailer and mobile restaurant, in Doraville.
It’s far from her first foray into food service but still represents a continued shift from the job that gave Patton her greatest success: being the mother of Atlanta’s superstar R&B icon Usher.
Opened this month, J’s Smokehouse is a small camper in the parking lot across from JPat Management, Patton’s management company, and J’s Kitchen Culinary Incubator, her shared kitchen. Patton told AJC she preferred to start smaller than a food truck to avoid mechanical issues.
“If it needs to go to the shop, then you’re out of business for the day,” Patton said.
Patton teamed with executive chef Gregory Dennis to create the menu, which includes traditional items like ribs, chicken and brisket, as well as a few inventive dishes.
Ms. J’s Tennessee Cajun fried chicken sandwich, a signature item, comes topped with macaroni and cheese, yams and broccoli slaw. Side dishes like braised collard greens are prepared in a similarly unique fashion.
Instead of being boiled in pot liquor, the greens are lightly fried in an oil base, then topped with a steamed broth. Dennis says the technique, which he learned as a child watching his grandmother cook, tenderizes the greens and retains their flavor.
“His food is very traditional and authentic, and I wanted to cater to different audiences with both healthy and comfort food,” Patton said of Dennis’ culinary style.
Dennis said he smokes brisket, turkey legs and other meats slowly, bone-side-down, at 200 F, and pays attention to the proximity of animal proteins from the fire used in cooking. “The key is to judge how far the coal is from the meat,” he said.
There are also vegan options like kale salad and plant-based chili dogs.
Growing up in Chattanooga, Patton learned entrepreneurship working alongside her father, a grocery store owner who started with a snack shop in the family’s home basement before expanding. She paid attention to his passion and dedication to creating a successful business.
“He never took vacations and helped people that couldn’t pay until payday by giving them a bill,” Patton said.
In 1993, Patton launched JPat Management and began overseeing Usher’s music career. She recalled not being taken seriously at times and was often uninvited to meetings with other executives discussing details relating to her son’s budding career.
Determined to protect Usher’s interests and effectively guide his career, Patton read books like “All You Need to Know About the Music Business,” and learned how to negotiate contracts, music publishing and royalty payments.
“Usher was a little kid who wanted to sing and perform, so I had to figure it out. When you challenge and doubt me, that’s when I’m most effective,” Patton said.
When LaFace Records, Usher’s record label, was on the verge of dropping him following lower-than-expected sales of his eponymous debut album in 1994, Patton focused on booking Usher on television to keep him relevant. She also diversified as an entrepreneur, just in case.
“I started building other businesses, because I wasn’t putting all of my eggs in one basket,” she said.
In 1999, Patton co-founded Usher’s New Look Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to turn youth in underserved communities into global leaders. The organization celebrated its 25th anniversary this year and claims to have supported more than 50,000 youths.
“He really loves helping people. It’s genuine and from the heart,” Patton said of Usher’s philanthrophy.
Patton retired from managing Usher in 2010, after 17 years.
In 2015, after her youngest son James Lackey moved out of the family home, she decided to explore entrepreneurship again, to occupy her time.
“I found myself lonely. I looked around [and] hadn’t done or built anything for myself,” she said.
Patton opened J’s Kitchen Culinary Incubator in 2016. The shared kitchen, which currently hosts 10 chefs, was created to offer business services to culinarians and aspiring restaurateurs after Patton recalled hearing stories from chefs and caterers about pitfalls they encountered in business.
“Chefs are very passionate and skillful, but they try to do it all. They have the passion. But I have the tools,” she said.
Patton is still keeping an open mind about business opportunities outside of food. She launched Lion Queen Entertainment, a film and TV production company, in 2023, and said the company allows her to try something different.
“Producing was something that I wanted to do that was in my head, so I went for it,” she said.
She added that watching Usher receive numerous awards and embark on an arena tour this year continues to motivate her to pursue new ventures, just like her son.
“He’s put in the work, and I feel joy in that. It gives me the confidence to know that everything that I do will be successful,” Patton said.
In July, Patton was presented with the Influencer Award from Sysco Foods at the Essence Festival in New Orleans. She also received proclamations from local and state legislators at J’s Smokehouse’s grand opening in early August.
Patton hopes to open a restaurant in its own building by next year but, like a true serial entrepreneur, likes managing her own affairs and being on her own clock.
“I’m having a great time with all of these different entities. I haven’t had any failures. I prefer creating magic,” Patton said.
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About the Author
Christopher A. Daniel is a Black Culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is an Atlanta-based, award-winning journalist, cultural critic and ethnomusicologist. He previously taught courses at Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.
