In the summer of 1992, Jimmie Upchurch was preparing steak for grilling and was somewhat frustrated with getting the perfect seasoning blend. He had found that he liked a mixture of various seasonings, but couldn’t quite get it right every time. So, it made sense to come up with a recipe of the perfect seasoning mixture to be consistent. Not entirely satisfied with the taste of the concoction, he
started experimenting – all the while grilling a lot of steak, chicken and fish for his taste testing. For the next few years, Jimmie used his special seasoning and shared it with friends and family. It was so well liked, he made batches to share with them. At one point Jimmie’s best friend, Dickie, suggested he sell it. It was so well liked, why not give it a try? The name became Papa’s Special Seasoning because Jimmie was known to many friends and family as Papa. They invested in bottles and labels and began selling it to friends of friends. In 2005, Jimmie was introduced to a salesman of a spice company and that encounter proved to be a big step in the growth of Papa’s Special Seasoning. The partnership with the spice company lead to bulk production of Papa’s recipe made from scratch. In 2021 Papa’s Special Seasoning purchased machinery to fill the bottles to help keep up with demand. But the labeling and sealing is still done by hand – it’s Papa’s personal touch. Papa’s Special Seasoning is the creation of Jimmie Upchurch, and he attributes its growing success to the help of his partners: Dickie Overstreet, lifelong friend, and Sarah Richardson, daughter-in-law in love. Dickie helps with production and Sarah handles sales and distribution. All three strive to provide the best special seasoning for every type of meat and vegetable.
