Bludso was born in 1965 in Compton, California. His father was a police officer at the Los Angeles Police Department; his mother was a postal service worker. While on summer vacation, Bludso lived with his aunt, Willie Mae Fields, in Corsicana, Texas. Fields introduced him to Texas-style barbecue; at the age of 9 or 10, Bludso was allowed to help with the cooking. He studied business at the Dallas-based Bishop College.
Prior to entering the food industry, Bludso worked as a correctional officer for thirteen years. He opened Bludso’s BBQ in 2008, serving as its pit-master. Based in Compton, the restaurant shut down in September 2016, following a dispute with the landlord. Bludso also owns restaurants in Hollywood and Melbourne, Australia. Since 2020, Bludso serves as a judge on the Netflix series The American Barbecue Showdown.
Bludso’s BBQ is a California BBQ restaurant owned by television personality, James Beard Award Winner, and two-time Steve Harvey Hoodie Award Winner Kevin Bludso. Both businesses give back to their communities. Bludso’s BBQ runs a scholarship program to support Black students in the Compton School District where Kevin Bludso was born and raised, and Tansy hosts their Teen Titan internship program to help young girls gain skills that teach them how to run a business effectively.
