Birmingham food truck fans mourn death of Fat Charles BBQ founder
A beloved Birmingham-area food truck founder has died.
Charles Pilot, founder of Fat Charles BBQ, died today, according to a social media post from his brother, Christopher Pilot.
“With heavy hearts I would like to let the Fat Charles family know of his passing on 11/23/24,” the post reads. “Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Please be respectful during of our time of grief. We thank you all for your support over the years.”
No additional details were given.
In the Facebook post, Christopher Pilot said the restaurant would update Thanksgiving customers about their plans on Sunday.
The post immediately drew thousands of comments and shares as fans of the restaurant expressed their shock and sadness.
Customers wait on their orders outside the Fat Charles BBQ food truck in Birmingham, Ala.(Bob Carlton/[email protected])
Pilot in 2021 founded Fat Charles BBQ, a blend of Mexican-inspired and Southern-flavored barbeque.
Fat Charles BBQ became known for street tacos, quesadillas and Mexican pizzas. He told AL.com reporter Bob Carlton in 2023 that the fusion happened almost by accident.
“I had some leftover brisket one day and threw it inside of a taco and took a picture of it and put it on Facebook,” he said.
The photo went viral on social media.
“And that’s when the tacos took precedence over the barbecue,” he said. “I adore Mexican culture and the cuisine. What I tried to do is blend somewhat of a traditional Mexican taste and a down-South barbecue feel.”
Charles began his business in 2017 out of his house in Clay while still working as a soft drink salesman for Buffalo Rock.
The name Fat Charles came from a nickname from school at E.B. Erwin High School in Center Point.
By 2021, he made the food truck business his full-time career. Pilot along with his younger brother Christopher were seen operating their food truck and feeding hungry customers throughout the Birmingham metro area.
The restaurant had also served crowds during Crimson Tide football games at Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
“Yeah, we’re blessed, man,” Pilot told AL.com in the 2023 article. “It’s wild to see how far we’ve come in such a short time.”