Renowned pitmaster Bryan Furman is coming to Charlotte for a pit takeover at Sweet Lew’s BBQ on Sept. 29. Charlotte-born Furman, who has restaurants in Savannah and Georgia, is widely known as one of the country’s best pitmasters. His restaurant B’s Cracklin’ Barbecue has been named the best barbecue in Georgia by Food and Wine, and Furman earned James Beard Award semi-finalist recognition in the Best Chef: Southeast competition. That’s the same category Charlotte’s chefs compete for.

Sweet Lew’s BBQ owner Lewis Donald says that Furman will actually take over the Belmont neighborhood joint for a day, cooking up his brisket, chicken, ribs, sides, and desserts and serving them in place of Sweet Lew’s daily offerings. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m., with food available until sold out. Everything will be priced the same as Sweet Lew’s usual pricing to keep things simple, Donald says. Food sales will go to Furman to help him rebuild his Atlanta restaurant, which was significantly damaged in a fire earlier this year.

Donald and his staff will work to assist Furman, while Donald will also roast some oysters. DJ Smitty will play music in the restaurant’s parking lot, which will be transformed as a hangout for the afternoon from noon to 4 p.m..

Furman, Donald, and several other local pitmasters will be on hand overnight cooking up a whole hog, for those interested in stopping by to see the process. Donald says he hopes to create a more unified Charlotte barbecue scene by bringing together those in the industry. —Kristen Wile