STEPPING INTO a Cracker Barrel kitchen feels like walking into the heart of a Southern home. The air is warm and fragrant, filled with the rich aroma of biscuits baking in the oven and the savory scent of country ham sizzling on the grill. Cast iron skillets clatter against the stovetop while the comforting sizzle of frying bacon mixes with the sound of bubbling gravy. Cooks move quickly, stirring pots of creamy mashed potatoes and ladling hearty servings of chicken and dumplings. We think about the tradition of Southern cooking in Cracker Barrels across the nation, but what we might not stop to think about are the faces and names behind this timeless roadside homespun staple.