Jake Wood is the Owner/Chef of Lawrence Barbecue – now located in downtown Cary, NC.
Growing up in Apex, NC, food was always part of the conversation. Taking great influence from his Papa Allen Lawrence & Granny Helen, Jake found his passion for barbecuing and perfecting family recipes.

In 2019 Wood was named one of FSR Magazines Rising Stars as the CDC of 18 Seaboard and played a major role in raising over $450k for the people devastated by Hurricane Florence as the acting Culinary Co-Chair for the Sunday Supper. After leaving 18 Seaboard, and a short stay as Executive Chef at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen, Wood started Lawrence Food Company out of his garage. 

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, Wood found himself cooking from a ghost kitchen in parking lots and doing pop-ups wherever he could all while finishing his first restaurant buildout, Lawrence Barbecue, which successfully opened in June 2021 at Boxyard RTP (Research Triangle Park), a sustainable up-cycled shipping container complex in one of North Carolina’s most rapidly growing areas. Shortly then after opening and gaining traction, Lawrence BBQ was named one of the “Best New ‘Cue Joints in The South” by Southern Living Magazine in October 2021. 

By 2025, Jake and his team had greatly outgrown their 24×40 Boxyard space and the decision was made to transition to a full-service restaurant space in downtown Cary. The grand opening of “BBQ Paradise Headquarters” was September 19th, 2025.