By Bayleigh Koch COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Every time Tom BeVirt lights his grill, he still hears his father’s voice — a quiet nudge, a laugh, a reminder to “get to work.”
What began as a weekend experiment between father and son has grown into something much bigger: a small business seasoned with memory, grief, and love.
Persnickety Pig BBQ Seasonings started as a shared project between BeVirt and his late father, Dean Charles BeVirt. The two spent weekends perfecting spice blends and talking food- a passion Dean carried throughout his life. Even when his health declined, he kept creating, making small batches of seasoning from home and helping his son test every mix.
“They always had a really great relationship,” said Megan Easter, Tom’s sister. “They’re like best friends. So this was kind of like two best friends getting together and making this happen.”
The family’s love of food and Southern flavor shaped the company’s identity. BeVirt drew inspiration from Louisiana, where a well-known barbecue YouTuber helped him refine his recipes.
But perhaps the most meaningful part of the business is its name: Persnickety Pig. Dean came up with it years ago, insisting it was perfect. Tom wasn’t so sure.
“My dad wanted to call it Persnickety Pig,” Easter said. “My brother had a different name. And so when my dad passed, I told my brother, ‘You do know you have to call it Persnickety Pig now, right?’”
A message from his father confirmed it. BeVirt later found a birthday card signed, “From your persnickety pops.”
“There was my birthday card from last year in there,” he said. “And it said, ‘From your persnickety pops.’ You win — Persnickety Pig it is.”
That name now carries the weight of a legacy. Easter remembers their dad’s excitement when he ordered Tom a purple and gold chef’s hat with “Persnickety Pig” embroidered across the front: Louisiana colors that still define the brand.
Even now, the business is bittersweet. “It’s awesome, it’s sweet, but it’s also bitter because my dad’s not here,” Easter said.
For Tom, each jar is a reminder of his father’s guidance and the lessons he left behind. “I wish he was still here,” BeVirt said. “He pushed for this hard, and I really wish I could show it to him. But he sees it.”
Persnickety Pig products are now sold at local Hy-Vee stores, but for the BeVirt family, success isn’t about sales. It’s about connection, to their customers, to their community, and to the man who inspired it all.
“It’s really a perfect example of letting someone’s spirit live on,” Easter said. “It’ll live on through his spices. And now everybody gets to enjoy it.”
BeVirt hopes every meal made with their seasoning feels just as meaningful. “I believe that food is probably going to be one of the last real things that we get to enjoy in our lives,” he said. “So, I want to make food as palatable as possible.”
Leave feedback about this