The World Food Championships Brings In America’s Best Pitmasters for Barbecue Block Party

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Posted Aug 27, 2019

The World Food Championships Brings In America’s Best Pitmasters for Barbecue Block Party

What do you get when you mix five premium bourbons with delicious ribs prepared by the best pitmasters in America? The best barbecue block party Dallas has ever seen (or tasted)! If you’re a foodie who loves barbecue and bourbon, then mark your calendars for October 18th from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. for Bourb ‘N’ Que. This celebration of American flavors will be happening during the world’s largest Food Sport event, the World Food Championships (WFC), at Reunion Tower Lawn in Dallas, Texas.

This year’s WFC event is on track to be the largest food fight to date, with over 1,500 cooks traveling from around the globe to battle it out for ten category titles and a shot at its $350,000 prize purse.In addition to getting a front row seat to the world’s most intense cooking competition, WFC offers an array of special experiences, like Bourb‘N’Que, for foodies and families to sink their teeth into.

Bourb‘N’Que attendees will enjoy mouth-watering ribs from some of the best pitmasters in the country and have the opportunity to cast their vote for their favorite at the end of the night. While snacking on tasty ribs from the key barbecue regions (Carolinas, Texas, Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City) guests will also sample bourbons from BSB-Brown Sugar Bourbon, Title No. 21, Crooked Fox, TX Bourbon, and Bulleit Bourbon. Live music will be provided by Nashville-based Rolling Smoke, which has released a theme song for WFC called “Eat it Up!”

“We are so excited to bring this fun event to Dallas and give foodies a taste of all different types of barbecue flavors from across the country,” said Mike McCloud, CEO and President of WFC. “We’ve enlisted the best pitmaster teams from across the country to prepare some mouth-watering barbecue for Dallas food fans.”

Get to know the pitmasters that will be competing in this people’s choice competition:

Boomerang BBQ

Team Members: Matt and Sarah Walker

Hometown: Lubbock, Texas

Number of Years Competing: Three years

How did you get into barbecue competitions? We went to a barbecue contest in 2003 with a friend and loved it. We couldn’t afford to do it ourselves until 2016, and now here we are!

What do you love about barbecue competitions? We love the competition, rivalries, and the wonderful people we meet on this journey.

Favorite barbecue memory: Getting our pit back after being stolen for seven long months. She boomeranged right back to us. This is how we became Boomerang BBQ.

Top barbecue accomplishments/award?

#1 Team of the Year in Ribs 2018 “Rib King” Title KCBS
#1 Team of the Year in Chicken 2018 KCBS

Flavor Profile: Texas Style
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Smokin’ Triggers

Team Members: Johnny and Trish Trigg

Hometown: Alvarado, Texas

Number of Years Competing: 29 years

How did you get into barbecue competitions? I went to a cook-off in Dallas, Texas and decided this was something I want to do.

What do you love about barbecue competitions? We love meeting people and being able to cook.

Favorite barbecue memory: Going overseas and cooking for the military. Also, winning the Jack Daniels’ World Championship Invitational two times.

Top barbecue accomplishments/award?

Appearing on TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters
Winning KCBS Team of the Year in 2003
Winning Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational in 2000 and 2003
Cooking overseas for the Military

Flavor Profile: Texas Style

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Slap’s BBQ

Team Members: Joe Pearce

Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri

Number of Years Competing: Seven years

How did you get into barbecue competitions? We started cooking in barbecue competitions after devoting our life to the perfection of cooking in the backyard.

What do you love about barbecue competitions? The ability to compete against the best cooks in the country week after week.

Favorite barbecue memory: Winning my first contest in my hometown of Kansas City.

Top barbecue accomplishments/award?

2015 “BBQ Pitmasters” All-Star Team
Top 15 team in KCBS Team of the Year Race the last three years (2016-2018)
2018 NBBQL Rib Champion
2018 NBBQL Brisket Champion
2014 Reserve Grand Champion on BBQ Pitmasters

Flavor Profile: Kansas City Style
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Sugarfire

Team Members: Mike Johnson

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

Number of Years Competing: 10 years

How did you get into barbecue competitions? Started with a restaurant and then went to Memphis in May and was hooked on competing ever since.

What do you love about barbecue competitions? I love seeing and hanging with friends the most.

Favorite barbecue memory: Being on “BBQ Pitmasters.”

Top barbecue accomplishments/award?

Best BBQ in St. Louis in St. Louis Post Dispatch, St. Louis mag, and The Riverfront Times
Winner of the Patriot Award from the U.S. government for hiring Veterans
Two-time Seafood Champion at Memphis in May

Flavor Profile: St. Louis Style
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Shake ‘n Bake BBQ

Team Members: Tim Scheer

Hometown: New Haven, Missouri

Number of Years Competing: Seven years

How did you get into barbecue competitions? I was born and raised on a hog farm, so I’ve been flipping hogs since day one.

Top barbecue accomplishments:

2017 KCBS Team of the Year Runner-Up2017 American Royal Pork Champion
2016 KCBS Pork Team of the Year

Flavor Profile: St. Louis Style

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Gettin’ Basted

Team Members: Brad Leighninger

Hometown: Branson, Missouri

Number of Years Competing: Seven years

How did you get into barbecue competitions? I cooked at a local competition when a friend dropped out. We ended up getting three calls and winning a trip to Las Vegas.

Favorite barbecue memory: Winning the King of the Smoker 2018

Top barbecue accomplishments/award?

2015 KCBS Chicken Team of the Year
2017-2018 KCBS Pork Team of the Year
2018 King of the Smoker Grand Champion
Jack Daniels World Pork Champion
2018 KCBS Team of the Year
2018 KCBS Brisket Team of the Year

Flavor Profile: Memphis Style

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Dirt Road BBQ

Team Members: Ryan and Karen Murphy

Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri

Number of Years Competing: Seven years

How did you get into barbecue competitions? Ryan’s sister and her husband convinced us to cook at a local non-sanctioned contest in the town they live in and we’ve been hooked ever since!

What do you love about barbecue competitions? The people you meet, the friends you make and the opportunity to do something competitive.

Favorite barbecue memory: Our first win at the Sam’s Club Invitational local event in Overland Park, Kansas.

Top barbecue accomplishments/award?

2018 1st Place, Perfect Perfect (180) Brisket at the American Royal Invitational
2017 1st Place Brisket in KCBS Team of the Year
2017 1st Place Brisket at the Sam’s Club Final
2014 American Royal Invitational Reserve Grand Champion
2014 2nd Place Chicken in KCBS Team of the Year

Flavor Profile: Memphis Style

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The Smoking Hills

Team Members: Loren and Cheryl Hill

Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas

Number of Years Competing: 13 years

How did you get into barbecue competition? I quit stock car racing and needed a new hobby.

What do you love about barbecue competitions? The people.

Favorite barbecue memory: Winning the World Food Champion title in 2015.

Top barbecue accomplishments/award?

Winning the 2015 World Food Championships
Winning the American Royal World Series of BBQ Invitational
26 Grand Championships
25 Reserve Grand Championships
Competed in over 300 KCBS Competitions

Flavor Profile: Carolina Style

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Rio Valley Meats

Team Members: Fred Robles, Roddy Trevino

Hometown: Weslaco, Texas

Number of Years Competing: Seven years

How did you get into barbecue competition? We started competition barbecue as a way to promote our butcher shop in our hometown. We went to a local competition and cooked a bunch of food to give away along with some flyers to potential customers. We ended up placing fifth place chicken that day among 149 teams and I was instantly hooked. Here we are seven years later still trying to perfect the craft.

What do you love about barbecue competitions? I love the spirit of competition. Although, we are all trying to beat our competitor and come out on top no one hesitates to help another team if they need something. The friendships garnered and the memories made are priceless.

Favorite barbecue memory: Winning the World Barbecue Championships in 2017 at WFC.

Top barbecue accomplishments/award?

IBCA Top Cook of the Year 2016, 2017
2017 World Barbecue Champion at the World Food Championships
Perfect Brisket at American Royal 2017
World Food Final Table Runner up 2018
Three-Time Automatic Qualifier to Jack Daniels World Championship BBQ

Flavor Profile: Carolina style

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Fat Boys BBQ

Team Member Names : Corey and Danny Mikes
Hometown: Temple, TX
Number of Years Competing: I’ve been competing for 7 years, my father competed for 19 years prior
How did you get into barbecue competition: it’s in my blood! I grew up while my father competed all over the country
What do you love about competition barbecue? The people involved. I love the memories I’m making with the great people from all over the country.
Favorite BBQ memory: my first category win at the American Royal in 2016, complete surprise! Also getting invited to KOS in 2017
Top barbecue accomplishments/award?

Chicken and Rib category wins at the Royal
KOS invite in 2017
Sam's Club Tour finalist in 2017

Flavor Profile: Kansas City Style
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WFC’s Food Sport sponsors contributing to make this event a grand success include Blues Hog, Snake River Farms, Prairie Fresh and Natural Tableware. Also, helping to make to this grand barbecue gathering a success is Whiskey Morning Coffee, who will have a sampling booth on-site and be providing the first 50 Bourb’N’Que guests a product goodie bag. North Texas Food Bank will be on-site educating guests about their non-profit’s efforts in the Dallas area.

To purchase your tickets* to Bourb’N’Que**, click here.

*Ticket price includes general admission to WFC on Friday, October 18th.

** This event is 21 years and older.

To learn more about other special events happening at WFC, click here.

WFC’s 8th Annual Main Event is scheduled for October 16 – 20, 2019, at Reunion Tower Lawn in Dallas, Texas. To keep up with all WFC news, follow the event on Twitter (@WorldFoodChamp), Facebook and Instagram (@WorldFoodChampionships). Click here to book your room for #WFC2019.

About the World Food Championships

The World Food Championships (WFC) is the highest stakes food competition in the world. This multi-day, live-event culinary competition showcases some of the world's best cooking masters competing for food, fame and fortune in ten categories: Bacon, Barbecue, Burger, Chef, Chili, Dessert, Recipe, Sandwich, Seafood and Steak. In 2018, over 1,500 contestants on nearly 500 official teams from 42 American states and 12 countries competed. More than 20 million people have attended WFC or have seen it on national TV over the past seven years. This year's Main Event will be held in Dallas, Texas at Reunion Tower Lawn, Oct. 16-20.

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The World Food Championships Brings In America’s Best Pitmasters for Barbecue Block Party

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