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John Thomas Rivers is an American entrepreneur and businessman..[1] He is the founder and CEO of 4R Restaurant Group and founded a nonprofit organization, The 4R Foundation,[2] which established 4 Roots, an alliance of community stakeholders investing in a healthy, thriving, sustainable, food system.[3][4]
Early Life and Career
Rivers grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and attended Bishop Kenny High School. He later graduated from Florida State University's Business School in 1989.[5] Rivers served as President of Priority Health Care until his retirement in 2004.
Rivers began smoking meats and creating his signature BBQ in the garage of his house in 2005. While honing his culinary prowess, Rivers hosted a brisket fundraiser to support the family of a young girl battling cancer. The term "BBQ Ministry"[6] was coined, and Rivers opened his first restaurant, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, in 2009. There are currently fifteen 4 Rivers Smokehouse restaurants in Florida.[7] In addition to restaurant locations, and a Disney-area food truck concept, 4 Rivers also has a line of BBQ sauces and rubs.
Rivers founded a nonprofit organization, The 4R Foundation, in 2015. The 4R Foundation was created to give back to the communities where the brands are located, a culture that remains dubbed as part of the BBQ Ministry. In addition to supporting various charitable organizations, the foundation also established 4Roots[8] whose mission is to "unearth the power of food to build healthy communities".[9] The primary focus of 4Roots is the 4Roots Farm Campus in the heart of Orlando which began development in 2021.[10]
Accomplishments
Rivers was invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard House in 2013.[11][12] He is the author of his cookbook, The Southern Cowboy Cookbook originally published in 2013.[13] He participated in Food Networks' South Beach Food and Wine Festival. His restaurant chain, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, was voted "The South's Best BBQ Joint" in Southern Living Magazine's 2020 "Best Of" edition.[14] In November 2022, Rivers was inducted into Florida State University's Business School Hall of Fame.[15] Philanthropist of the Year[16] Rivers was a finalist for Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of The Year, a program that has celebrated ambitious visionaries leading successful, dynamic businesses for nearly four decades[17]
Personal Life
Rivers is married with two children. He currently resides in Winter Park, Florida.[18]