Chef Pierre Pryer didn’t plan on a culinary career—but the kitchen had other ideas. A Jackson native and Murrah High School Class of ’81 alum, Pryer found his calling where he least expected it: behind the dish pit at the Iron Horse Grill.

The Fire

“I was coming down with my wife to have drinks, and it was on fire,” he says of that Halloween night. He sat outside, watching it burn to ruins, and his job go up in the smoke. “It was a part of me. .. It was like losing some of my heart, because I put a lot of work in this place.” Pryer got hired at the Country Club of Jackson and stayed there eight years, honing his skills and learning more.

The Phoenix Rises

Fifteen years later, he received a call to come back to a redeveloped Iron Horse Grill. “Too many wounds,” he says of his decision to decline the offer. But he came for dinner after a few months and, “It wasn’t what I thought it should be.” The new owner called again and seconds later, a friend rang with the same plea, telling Pryer, “It’s your legacy.” “I decided I was going to come on home,” Pryer says. That was February 2014.

Still Having Fun in the Scratch Kitchen

The joy of cooking hasn’t faded for Chef Pierre Pryer. His face lights up as he rattles off the ingredients that give Iron Horse Grill’s Tex-Mex dishes their signature kick—jalapeños, garlic, fresh corn, queso, and more, all prepped fresh in the scratch kitchen. Signature plates like the chicken enchiladas, Chef Pierre’s Habanero Pasta, and the Navajo Chicken continue to draw loyal fans. “Chicken enchiladas and a nice margarita, yeah, you’re in the game. It’s good!” Pryer says with a grin.

The chips and salsa remain a must-have, while newer creations like Pryer’s Bayou Pasta—loaded with crabmeat, shrimp, Cajun sausage, and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy crawfish sauce—showcase his creative range.

The setting is just as memorable. Housed in an iconic brick building with a lively downtown energy, Iron Horse Grill buzzes with music and motion. A mural serves as the backdrop for live shows Thursday through Saturday nights and a jazz brunch on Sundays. Upstairs, the Mississippi Music Experience museum honors the state’s musical legacy with life-sized figures of legends like Elvis Presley and B.B. King. Downstairs, a miniature train chugs along a track, winding through the dining space.

Pryer gestures proudly to a framed napkin above the bar—signed by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman after his 1996 Super Bowl win. “I was able to cook for him, get an autograph from him and shake his hand. It was one of the biggest highlights of my career!” he says, beaming. “Big music buff, big Cowboys fan, and I’m a pretty good cook,” he laughs.

Decades after he first stepped into the kitchen, Pryer’s drive hasn’t waned. “I get up every morning, tired or not, with a fresh idea. I’m going to come in, make some good food and put a smile on a guest’s face and they’re going to love it. This is what I was born to do.”