COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — When NewsChannel 5 reported last year the beloved Bobby Q's restaurant had to close, the Cookeville community was heartbroken. Someone with a big heart was watching, someone who wanted to keep the banana pudding on the menu in Putnam County.
In the middle of a really big day in a middle Tennessee kitchen, Lee Gann told us between stirring banana pudding how she does not like getting emotional on camera. Why not, Lee?
"Is that a real question?" she said with a stare.
She will tell you, though, this place where she stood working means a whole lot to her.
We met Lee a year ago. She was the pitmaster at Bobby Q's in Cookeville, working for owner Mike Migliore.
"I started out as a dishwasher," Lee remembered. "Mike gave me a job when other people wouldn't. I came to Cookeville with $50 and a backpack. I tell everybody they saved my life."
On that day a year ago, Bobby Q's was about to close after being run by Mike for 37 years. He needed to focus on his health.
"And I just love this place," Lee tearfully told us in her 2022 interview.
"I was there cryin' on your newscast like a big baby!" Lee said, thinking back on her interview a year ago.
Someone was watching Lee's interview, someone who saw her as genuine, whose words came from her heart.
"I remember being moved by how passionate she was," said Michael King, known in Nashville as the owner of Monell's.
"He seen me on there cryin', and he knew he had to come down here and do something!" Lee said.
"I bought it because of her, her passion," Michael said.
Bobby Q's was closed about a year for renovations. Now, it's back.
"This is what I've been waiting for!" a customer said. "Been waiting for some good barbecue!"
The building has been completely remodeled and redesigned. Lee is now a general manager.
"It's been a year in the making," said Michael. "It's like birthing a baby! What we did was keep a lot of the Bobby Q recipes and added Monell's to it."
That includes Monell's skillet fried chicken. As for Bobbie Q's famous banana pudding? It's there.
"It's about as good as banana pudding gets, I think," one customer smiled.
"I wish I could have it every day!" laughed another.
"Michael has been nothing but a blessing to everyone inside this building," Lee said. "For him, closing of small restaurants, it's a sad thing."
"If we don't start supporting mom and pops, we're going to start losing fabrics of our neighborhoods," Michael continued.
So, no, Lee does not like being emotional on camera. But maybe this time, just this time, it was okay. Right, Lee?
"Because of her, we were able to open up today," Michael said.
"I just love this place," Lee continued. "A lot of it is the people and a lot of it is our customers. They're here every other day. We're just excited to be able to serve this community again."
