Season 3 of Queer Eye dropped on Netflix on March 15, featuring eight heartwarming and binge-worthy episodes. Episode three, “Jones Bar-B-Q,” is the stand-out of the season featuring the hardworking Jones sisters, Mary and Deborah, better known by their nicknames “Shorty” and “Little.” This dynamic duo own and run Jones Bar-B-Q, a slow-cooked barbecue restaurant adored by the residents of Kansas City. Although the restaurant’s food is heavenly, the small shack it is run out of doesn’t live up to expectations. Mary and Deborah are so dedicated to their jobs that they barely have time to worry about themselves. Cue the Fab Five sweeping in and transforming the lives of the Jones sisters and their much-loved business.
- It’s the first episode where they made-over a duo
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Although we love Queer Eye, we all know that each episode has the same structure: the Fab Five come in and make-over one lucky (and brave) soul, turning their lives around. The Jones sisters made Queer Eye history by being the first pair to have a double makeover with double the laughs and double the tears.
- The Jones sisters show us the importance of family
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Jones Bar-B-Q is a generational operation with rich family history. Deborah and Mary have over 35 years of barbecue experience. They learned their skills from their father, Leavy B. Jones Sr., who owned and operated the first Jones Bar-B-Q until he passed. During the episode, the sisters reflected on the memories of their father and honored his life with every decision they made at the restaurant. Bobby made sure to incorporate his memory within the newly remade Jones Bar-B-Q by installing a glass case filled with newspaper clippings of him and the family on an outside wall.
This episode also features Deborah’s daughter Izora who nominated the sisters in order to repay them for all they’ve done for her. Deborah and Mary reopened Jones Bar-B-Q to help put Izora through college, working long and hectic days. Izora descibies how incredible the sisters’ work ethic is, and how willing they are to “bend over backwards” for everyone else.
- Female empowerment
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If you search “powerful women” online, a picture of Deborah and Mary should definitely pop up. Although the sisters are among the only known female pitmasters in Kansas City, the ladies say that in terms of men, “We can get right in there with them.” These female entrepreneurs show an incredible work ethic and dedication to their restaurant. Mary says she wakes up every morning at 3:00 a.m. and is at the cooker by 4:15 a.m. Mary and Deborah hustle all day and yet still have time to worry about their family and friends over themselves.
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The sisters achieved their dreams of getting their famous sauce bottled
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The scene where when Karamo and Antoni took the sisters to a factory that bottled their famous barbecue sauce was particularly memorable. The sisters’ secret sauce recipe has been in the family for decades, and although they have tried to sell the sauce before, they had trouble keeping up with the demand. With the support of Karamo, Antoni, and the bottling manufacturers, Deborah and Mary re-created their sauce with a special label highlighting their family history. The Jones sisters have since sold over 11,000 bottles of the barbecue sauce since the release of the episode. If you’re dying to try it, you can order it on their website here!
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The Fab Five gave Mary confidence back by fixing her teeth
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Tan noticed that on the first day Mary kept covering her mouth when she laughed and smiled. This prompted him and Jonathan to visit dentist Dr. Holli to fix the things about her teeth that made her insecure. Mary lost her tooth from a childhood injury when her brother let her bike go, and as a smiler, being so insecure about her teeth was difficult. Dr. Holli replaced Mary’s front tooth and got rid of a gold tooth as well. When Mary saw the results, she was speechless and began shedding tears of joy. “I can smile again,” said Mary. She was immediately ready to show her beautiful, new smile to the world.
Although it is practically impossible for there to be a bad episode on a season of Queer Eye, the Jones sisters truly captured the hearts of many with their incredible work ethic, selflessness, and smiles. For more information about Jones Bar-B-Q, visit their website here.