30 Under 30: Dawson Day

Head Chef at Tallulah Brewing Company

Words by Anna Lee Vaughn | Images by Ryan McGill

What do you get when you add a little boredom and some YouTube videos on cooking?

For Dawson Day, you get a career.

Today the head chef and kitchen manager at Tallulah Brewing Company is making waves in the local culinary industry. Just a few years ago, he had no thought of becoming a chef.

Dawson moved to Jasper as a child and was homeschooled until college. Outside of his normal childhood, he didn't have any interest in cooking. But when the COVID-19 outbreak occurred in 2020, Dawson found an interesting way to pass the time. Through a series of videos, he found inspiration to start making home-cooked meals.

“Those videos really piqued my interest in cooking, and I just figured out that I was good,” he says.  

While pursuing an associate degree in Culinary Arts at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Alabama, he began working with Tallulah Brewing Company to create their menu, specializing in pub-style food inspired by different cuisines.

While Dawson continues his work at Tallulah’s, he is helping open a kitchen at Twisted Barley Brewing Company nearby.

“I’ve been in the kitchen here the entire time, and we’re still not done yet,” says Dawson. “We’ve got lots of room to grow.” 78