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Yates Dew’s stylish new GrillKilt is the accessory you didn’t know you needed this summer

Yates Dew’s stylish new GrillKilt is the accessory you didn’t know you needed this summer
June 2021
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The 360-degree apron puts all your grilling essentials within reach



Yates Dew’s GRILLKILT features 10 pockets and five D-rings.

Grilling enthusiast Yates Dew got tired of the traditional, over-the-neck aprons he wore when cooking out. After years of not having a good place to wipe his hands and struggling to find his spatula or tongs, the James Island resident set out to design his own apron. “There’s got to be a better way,” he thought.

What resulted was a stylish, waist-high apron with 10 pockets and convertible panels that allow for 360-degree kilt-like coverage designed for summer cookouts featuring his father’s barbecue chicken. The prototype was pieced together with a waist pack, a tool belt, and a towel. Dew used it around the house and the yard, improving on it piece by piece until finally—he had the ideal GRILLKILT.

An Emory grad with an MBA, Dew enlisted the help of bridal dress designer Kate McDonald to create a pattern. Comfort and functionality were sewn into every aspect, with durable fabric, deep pockets, and five D-rings—perfect for holding grilling essentials and hanging the towel that comes with each GRILLKILT. “There is no more back and forth from the kitchen to the grill,” he says.

Dew launched GRILLKILT last December in time for the holidays and sold out of his first production run. As grilling season heats up, he’s focusing on growing his business organically. “Many customers have told us that they didn’t know how much they needed it, until they tried it out.” If you’re still looking for a Father’s Day gift, Dew has you covered.