4R Restaurant Group

“4 Rivers had its humble beginnings. Just me, a smoker, and an age-old challenge—cooking brisket."

John Rivers never set out to create the most successful BBQ chain in Florida. He’s not a classically trained chef or graduate of culinary school. It was in Texas that he found the two loves of his life: his wife and the delicate art of brisket. And it’s been those very two godsends that inspired 4 Rivers as we know it.

John spent 20 years in the healthcare industry before retiring as president of a billion-dollar company. During that time, he had the opportunity to travel the country, honing his taste and talent for brisket perfection. As he soaked up the flavors and practices of ‘cue fare countrywide, John’s dream of de-regionalizing BBQ was born.

4 Rivers Smokehouse had a different beginning than most restaurant companies. Chef/CEO John Rivers started a barbecue ministry 15 years ago in his garage to help a young girl battling cancer, and encouraged by its quick growth, left his 20-year corporate career to pursue his passion for cooking and serving others.

Today, the ministry that started in a garage is now a fast-casual, Texas-style barbecue restaurant company with 15 locations and counting! We still hold a firm belief we are here to serve others and look for prospective employees who not only have a servant’s heart, but a passion to lead others in a fast-growing, family-owned company.

Our core values — servitude, integrity, faith, consistency, intentional, exceptional and creativity — help separate us from our competitors, and by investing in the development of our people and promoting from within, we ensure our core values are instilled from the start.

We currently are looking for motivated individuals to join something more than a restaurant — to be part of the 4R Family. If you have what it takes to lead and serve, please visit the link below to see our current openings.

At 4 Rivers, equal talent will always get equal opportunity | Drug-free workplace | Background checks required.

We operate under a set of core values that are the basis for every action we take. All team members must demonstrate these values in everything they do at 4Rivers.


Servitude: Putting others needs ahead of your own.

Integrity: Prioritizing honesty and truth in all decisions you make and in everything you do.

Faith: Living and believing in the principals that God set forth in our lives. Believing in what you can't see.

Consistency: Applying the same level of focus on every detail, every time.

Intentionality: Aligning your actions, words and decisions to a purpose.

Exceptionality: Never settling for being "good enough." Being extraordinary in every detail of what we do.

Creativity: The fostering of originality and imagination for the continuous generation of new, meaningful, and fun ideas.

Since launching in late March in direct response to COVID-19, Feed the Need Florida, a statewide public and private collaboration led by Orlando nonprofit 4Roots, has distributed more than one million meals.

Coming alongside various partners in the public and private sector, the program established a system to receive produce directly from Florida farmers, preserve and create jobs, and prepare fresh, nutritious meals served throughout Florida.

4Roots is an Orlando-based nonprofit community alliance founded by Chef John Rivers of the 4R Restaurant Group, dedicated to building a better food future and ending food insecurity in our community. In 2019, the organization began laying the foundation for its farm campus in the heart of Orlando to serve as a community crossroads where individuals and organizations work together to engage a holistic approach to food systems change, focusing on health, education, economic development, and sustainability.