Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series coverage

INTERVIEW: 2025 GRAND CHAMPION (FAMOUS DAVE'S ALL-STAR BBQ SERIES, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO)

7/25/2025

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (BBQ CRITIC) - Pitmaster Marty Marlow (Rooster's Competition BBQ) is the third BBQ team to win a GRAND CHAMPION (June 14) at a 2025 Famous Dave's of America All-Star BBQ Series contest, sanctioned by the World Food Championships (WFC).

Prior to the contest, Marlow took his family on a vacation to Universal Studios. That was all good and fun until his truck broke down, right in downtown Los Angels (riots were even going on). He rented a vehicle and safely returned back home to Colorado Springs, CO. Marlow's Truck was still stranded, so now he had to rent a truck to do the competition.

Marlow picked up the rental truck Friday afternoon. He trimmed his meat that evening and got everything together finishing around 1 am. At 5am, he was up and getting everything loaded.

"It was not as smooth as most contests," said Marlow. "With a Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) contest, I could do it in my sleep. Just show up and get it all done in Styrofoam boxes. Pretty simplistic, same thing all the time. WFC took me out of my comfort zone by using the platters (instead of boxes), decorations and everything. Though it was a little more stressful, I feel like that's when you need to step up your game."

Oh, he stepped up his game alright. Let's take a look at Marlow's turn-ins. Notice he uses his own rubs and sauces, too.

CHICKEN

Marlow turned in chicken thighs. "I executed a Raspberry Apple Habanero flavor profile. I got a good base of savory seasoning and run it with a sweet heat type seasoning that gives it a brown sugar flavor with cinnamon. That blends really well," said Marlow.

This platter looks fantastic, but getting it to the judges table became a challenge. One of the chicken plates dropped off the platter on the way to the judges, with only a few minutes to spare! Marlow and his team rushed together another chicken plate and added it to the platter. Luckily they cooked extra chicken thighs so they can pick and choose the best pieces. They made it to the judges turn in just in time.

"I have a good team, I really do. Steven Richardson is one of the most laid back people I have ever worked with and I've had many good people on my team. I enjoy cooking with him. He helps out so much. If it wasn't for him there with me, it might have not went off the same - especially when that chicken hit the ground and I had to go find another piece."

Marlow and his team overcame this obstacle and nailed a 1ST PLACE win. Very nice!

(Rooster's Competition BBQ products used: BBQ Chicken Rub, Sweet Heat and BBQ Sauce Hot Apple Habanero.)

RIBS

Marlow said, "I did a St Louis style rib just like I do in KCBS except I mixed in a raspberry component and put it in the wrap. I tried to just get a 'hint' of raspberry. It came out pretty good. It was sweet and savory. It had a fruit note in the far background that was not the elevated flavor profile. It really just popped. I was fortunate that day. Everything just clicked. "

Marlow was fortunate enough for a 1st place win. Congrats!

(Rooster's Competition BBQ products used: Rib Rub, Sweet Heat and Competition Blend BBQ Sauce)

WILD CARD

This platter was decked out with greenery, grapes and flowers. He did something like this last year. "I did jowl meat, pork cheeks. Did medallions, chopped and chunks with a little different flavor profile."

This Wild Card earned him a 2nd place win. Congrats!

(Rooster's Competition BBQ products used: Rib Rub, Sweet Heat and Competition Blend BBQ Sauce)

GOLDEN TICKET

Marty Marlow said the highlight of this event was having his family there for support. "Between my wife, Betty, and my teammate Steven (and his wife, Brenda), we were successful. I have ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK."

Rooster's Competition BBQ flew away with the GRAND CHAMPION by winning:

1st Place Chicken
1st Place Ribs
2nd Place Wild Card
People's Choice Award

Congrats to Marty Marlow and his team and to Jacob Gavin (Ribs N Whiskey BBQ) for the RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION!

In addition to their share of the $5000 prize purse, the Grand Champion, Reserve Grand Champion and People's Choice each received a Golden Ticket to the 2025 World Barbecue Championships in Indianapolis October 16 - 19, 2025.

Marlow did win two tickets at this contest (for Grand Champion and People's Choice), so he gifted the extra Golden Ticket to 3rd Place Over-All Winner Jacob Gavin (Ribs N Whiskey BBQ).

It's great that the WFC allows others to "pay it forward" - giving more BBQ teams a chance to complete at the World Food Championships.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Marlow really enjoyed his visit with Famous Dave Anderson. "I got to sit down with Dave for about an hour. I felt so fortunate to have that one on one time with him, and to get his insights and his experiences. It was incredible."

I think it was great how Rooster's Competition BBQ overcame unexpected hurdles at this contest and came out on top!

FOOD SPORT is just like any other sport. In the NFL, we might see a player fumble the ball. In NASCAR, a driver might blow a tire. In the MLB, we may see a player strike out. In the WFC, a cook just might drop their food.

When a team recovers and wins (no matter what the sport), the moment is that much more exciting! And so it is with FOOD SPORT, and the WFC is at the center of it all.

Marlow said, "I like the World Food Championships because of the out of band challenges, not just about putting food in a box. I'm thinking about getting more involved with WFC."

Famous Dave Anderson summed this contest up best in his Facebook post: "TOTALLY TASTY CREATIVE ORIGINAL MOUTHWATERING "WORLD FOOD CHAMPIONSHIP ENTRIES" AT THE COLORADO SPRINGS FAMOUS DAVE'S...just one incredible day for hungry tastebuds! - Famous Dave

You're making me hungry, Dave!

Herb
BBQ CRITIC
World Food Championships
E.A.T. Certified Judge

(Photo Courtesy, Arlie Bragg, Famous Dave Anderson, WFC and Marty Marlow)

BBQ CRITIC APPROVED!

Following my interview with pitmaster Marty Marlow, he offered to send me some Rooster's Competition rubs and sauces for a test cook for the BBQ CRITIC APPROVED program. In full transparency, I accepted and this has absolutely no impact on the final outcome of my test cook.

I cooked with Rooster's CHAMPIONSHIP RIB RUB and the CHAMPIONSHIP BBQ SAUCE. I smoked up some baby back ribs. One sample with sauce, and the other without - just dry ribs only. I am huge fan of dry ribs and this rub nailed it. The caramelization of the sauced ribs blended nicely together with a very savory, smooth taste. Both versions were very delicious.

I am pleased to announce that Rooster's CHAMPIONSHIP RIB RUB and CHAMPIONSHIP BBQ SAUCE are now BBQ CRITIC APPROVED after this successful test cook. Nice job, Marty Marlow!

You can purchase Rooster's Competition BBQ products at this website link: https://roostersq.com/

NOTE: BBQ CRITIC is not compensated in any way for the sales of these products.

FOR A FULL LIST OF WINNERS, GO HERE...
https://worldfoodchampionships.com/2025-FD03-colorado-springs

ATTEND A FAMOUS DAVE'S ALL-STAR BBQ SERIES NEAR YOU! FULL SCHEDULE HERE...
https://worldfoodchampionships.com/allstars

NEXT UP...

INTERVIEW with pitmaster Garrett Manning (Get IT Proper BBQ) - GRAND CHAMPION at the Rancho Cucamonga, CA contest at Famous Dave's.

Follow BBQ CRITIC on Facebook and watch for more stories on the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series and BBQ CRITIC APPROVED products and restaurants!

https://www.facebook.com/bbqcritics

EVENT PHOTOS

GRAND CHAMPION INTERVIEW: RYAN PANG - FAMOUS DAVE'S ALL STAR BBQ SERIES (FRESNO, CA)

6/23/2025

FRESNO, CA (BBQ CRITIC) - Ryan Pang (Old Greenwood BBQ) is the second team to win a 2025 Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que of America All-Star BBQ Series this time in Fresno, CA (May 31). Pang has an impressive culinary background in Food Sport and business.

Old Greenwood BBQ is not just Pang's team name, it's the name of the restaurant he owns in Sunnyvale, CA, and he has a food truck. Pang said, "We got like a 5000 sq ft patio and a full bar. We're kind of tucked away on a little 9 hole golf course that's sunken in an old rock quarry. So you go down there and there's palm trees. It's an escape from Silicon Valley."

Pang graduated with HONORS from The Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY) and awarded the coveted SERVICE AWARD. This along with his experience as a Professional Private Chef and an Award Winning BBQ Pitmaster gives him a solid foundation from which he can work.

Sanctioned by the World Food Championships (WFC) this organization encourages creativity in Food Sport making the Famous Dave's contest the perfect environment for Pang to shine. He had a lot to say about his turn-ins. Let's start with chicken...

CHICKEN

"We turned in SMOKED CHICKEN BALLOTINE with green curry forcemeat inside with Mangos and Serrano," said Pang. "We served a Crispy Chicken Skin with a Mango Salad on it. I was trying to give judges something OUT-OF-THE-BOX, something that was more refreshing than just meat."

Speaking of boxes, the WFC switched from Styrofoam turn-in boxes to all Silver Platters. Pang said, "It was much better they moved it all to platters." Now all cooks can have this OUT-OF-THE-BOX experience, capturing the attention of WFC judges. It's a beautiful change!

Pang continues, "We smoked it to about 155 F and then we glazed it until it reached 175 F and sliced it into medallions. Brushed some Mango Balsamic on it and had the other glaze on the outside."

This chicken platter earned a 2nd place win!

RIBS

"We did an ASIAN CHAR SIU RIB," said Pang. It had a char siu barbecue sauce and five-spice, and we spritzed it with a Shaoxing Wine (almost tastes like sherry wine). We served that with a Spicy Peanut Slaw. It was super cherry red, a different kind of flavor."

A Fortune Cookie came on every plate. When Famous Dave Anderson came around after judging, Pang asked, "How did you like the one with the Fortune cookie?" Dave responded, "Oh! Oh! I saved my fortune! Hold on!" Dave pulled it out of his wallet and they read it.

Photo Courtesy, Famous Dave Anderson

Pang adds, "We were thinking about using tweezers and stuffing our own fortunes in there, but we didn't."

Now that is a fun idea! If it was me, I might put a message in every Fortune Cookie that read: "You will judge awesome barbecue at every contest! Your lucky numbers for this platter are 10 10 10."

Pang's Rib platter came in 1st Place. No custom-made Fortune Cookie message needed for this win!

WILD CARD

"We did a trio of wagyu beef flap meat and called it WAGYU FROM AROUND THE WORLD."

This is one of the most creative Wild Card platters I have seen as a World Food Championships E.A.T. Certified judge. Usually we see a sweet dessert, but once again Pang steps OUT-OF-THE-BOX and takes a different, creative route.

Now it's time for the WFC judges to go on a worldwide culinary trip. Each judge plate has three samples representing three countries including Mexico, America and Asia. This is where Pang really begins to shine.

MEXICO
"First off was Mexico." Pang said. "The meat was Carne Asada flavored. I took some Avocados, smashed it smooth. We took some diced Jicama and marinated it in taco seasoning and Tajin. We mixed that into the Avocado. There is no seasoning or any flavor besides just the Avocado, so the flavor from the Jicama and the stretch spices really picked up."

This Avocado fusion really sounds delicious!

Pang continued, "We put that into a ring mold and placed Pico De Gallo on top. Then we put the Carne Asada flavored steak (seared HOT & FAST) and added pickles, red onions, serrano and micro cilantro."

Man, I bet this was one smooth tasting and festive dish.

AMERICA
"The center was America which was meat and potatoes. Fingerling Potatoes and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes were pan cooked over an open fire, said Pang. "The meat was rubbed with a black charcoal rub and a Huckleberry Balsamic. I made a Huckleberry flavored demi-glace. Then we put crispy roasted Oyster Mushrooms on top."

The color on this screams beef! Oh how I would love to dig my fork into this one. Definitely makes America proud!

ASIA
"The third dish we went to Asia," said Pang. "I used all the trimming side pieces from the flap meat and made like a Mongolian Beef. We cooked that right in a wok and right on the screaming hot coals! In Chinese it's called a fire-cooked aroma."

Well this American thinks the aroma and taste from all three representations would have been amazing. Pang's creative culinary skills, paying attention to detail and making a unique set of flavors is what drove this dish to a 1st Place win.

FANTASTIC job, Ryan Pang!

GOLDEN TICKET

Congrats to Ryan Pang (Old Greenwood BBQ) for winning Grand Champion, and Michael Rojas (Me and Mom's BBQ) for winning the RESERVE GRAND and PEOPLE'S CHOICE.

In addition to their share of the $5000 prize purse, they each received a Golden Ticket to the 2025 World Barbecue Championships in Indianapolis October 16 - 19, 2025.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Pang said, "All the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ series events have been really good. The giveaways and Dave being there. That's one of the biggest things is people get to see Dave."

Agreed, and it's always an honor for me when I get a chance to judge with Dave at one of these events. Dave's passion for the WFC is unwavering.

Famous Dave Anderson summed this contest up best in a recent Facebook post (see photo below): "Here I am with Harry Soo awarding Old Greenwood Barbecue Team Grand Champion and several 1st place finishes! For the second year in a row, this team has turned in really amazing creative BBQ dishes that were incredibly tasty and just plain fun to see come across our judges table. Congrats to this amazing, passionate team!" - Famous Dave Anderson.

Pang's intricate recipes and his high level of expertise, precision and artistry in cooking led him to a Grand Champion win. The World Food Championship's innovation in Food Sport helped pave a path for Pang (and others) to reach their full creative potential.

By the way, if you are in the Sunnyvale, CA area, go check out Ryan Pang's restaurant and experience his food for yourself. OLD GREENWOOD BBQ: 1010 S Wolfe Rd Sunnyvale, CA 94086. https://oldgreenwoodbbq.com/

Herb Kane
BBQ Critic
World Food Championships
E.A.T. Certified Judge

WINNERS

For full list of winners, go here:
https://worldfoodchampionships.com/2025-FD02-fresno

NEXT UP!

INTERVIEW with pitmaster Marty Marlow - Grand Champion at the Colorado Springs, CO contest. Follow BBQ CRITIC on Facebook and watch for more stories on the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series!

Want to attend a Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series event near you? Click here for full schedule: https://worldfoodchampionships.com/allstars

PHOTOS

GRAND CHAMPION INTERVIEW: FAMOUS DAVE'S ALL-STAR BBQ SERIES - INDIANAPOLIS, IN

6/4/2025

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (BBQ CRITIC) - Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que of America All-Star BBQ Series kicked off it's third season on May 3rd, 2025 in Indianapolis (sanctioned by the World Food Championships - WFC). I caught up with pitmaster Randall Bowman (Deep South Smokers) who won the Grand Champion.

WFC is the premier food sport competition globally and Bowman has been involved with this top notch organization since the beginning when it started in Vegas in 2012. He ran Kitchen Arena at the WFC for six years. participated in cooking demos, etc. Bowman has competed for over twenty-five years, and now takes on about five contests a year.

I talked with Bowman about his turn-ins at this contest and the exciting changes WFC made to make the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series stand out even more in the world of BBQ competitions. First up is chicken

CHICKEN

"We did chicken tacos. It was a BBQ chicken breast with homemade Pico de Gallo, within a avocado cilantro lime dressing on the inside," said Bowman.

Wait a minute. This chicken turn-in came on a silver platter? Last year, the chicken (and ribs) came to the judges in Styrofoam boxes like we see at most other BBQ contests. Only the Wild Card turn-in was presented on a silver platter.

When I judged the Famous Dave's event the previous two years, I must admit the chicken box entries were the usual carbon copy of drum sticks, wings, breasts or thighs we see at most contests. Not anymore!

WFC, the innovative leader in Food Sport, stepped up the creativity level for cooks by requiring all entries on a silver platter. This new vision unleashes the cook's creativity by allowing them the freedom to fuse together a unique flavor profile using various ingredients and the required meat.

Bowman said he focused on BBQ flavors. "We used BBQ rub on the guacamole spread and Pico de Gallo. The chicken was smoked. Rub and sauce layered on."

This entry looks fantastic and I think using chicken in tacos allows for a wide range of flavor profiles. The placement with peppers made the platter pop.

Bowman gave his thoughts on the Styrofoam box to silver platter change. "I really like the silver platters because I think it creates the ability to be much more creative. I am not taking away from anybody who is successful with the Styrofoam box. Those guys are very talented pitmasters," said Bowman.

This chicken platter earned him a 2nd place win.

Bowman concluded, "Can you imagine if you turned in chicken tacos in another sanctioned BBQ event? You'd get hammered!" Probably disqualified as well. Next up is RIBS....

RIBS

"Ribs were St Louis cut ribs," said Bowman. "We did not wrap and did not use an overly, overly sweet sauce."

Okay, now Bowman is cooking outside the usual competition box, perhaps because there is no longer a box involved.

Famous Dave Anderson was the true inspiration for his rib cook. He said Dave likes to leave the membrane on the back of ribs and go for the charbroiled flavor profile. Bowman recently read a Facebook post by Dave on how you can make great BBQ without wrapping the meat.

"He's 100 percent right," said Bowman. "That's just not what you find at a normal competition. It's a shame because the average guy at home doesn't wrap. So I thought well I am going to give Dave what he wants and see how it goes."

That's exactly what Bowman did...

"We did a hotter and faster cook because it was a short timeframe. We did no wrap ribs!"

No wrap ribs wrapped up a 2nd place win. Very nice! Next up, the WILD CARD...

WILD CARD

"I made a Praline Pecan Caramel Cheesecake. I made that because of the years of seeing these Famous Dave's contests and how they work. Something sweet at the end always does well. Cheesecake is pretty hot right now and has been the last two years."

Bowman is correct. Oh man, when I judged cheesecake at a Famous Dave's event, it was pure heaven. This is one mouth watering example of a cheesecake entry. Bowman's roots in Georgia inspired him to add the pecan element, and this cheesecake cook did not come without its challenges, though.

"Cheesecake on a smoker is not an easy ordeal." said Bowman. "Using a cooler to try to chill it, and those kinds of things, is definitely a challenge. It wasn't as good as I would have liked it to be. Not as good if I was in a commercial kitchen. But I was happy with it for sure."

Bowman's Wild Card cheesecake entry nailed a sweet 2nd place.

GOLDEN TICKET

This was one consistent cook for Randall Bowman that earned him a GRAND CHAMPION! Congrats to Dave White for winning RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION & PEOPLE'S CHOICE! Grand and Reserve Champions of each contest will receive a waived entry Golden Ticket to the 2025 World Barbecue Championships in Indianapolis October 16 - 19, 2025.

FINAL THOUGHTS

When you give cooks the freedom to be inventive with their entries, you also excite the judges by giving them the thrill of trying something new and creative.

I spoke briefly with Famous Dave Anderson after he judged this contest and he said, "Judging the WFC is refreshing and you look forward to all the turn ins with eager anticipation!"

World Food Championships and the Famous Dave's of America All-Star BBQ Series excites both cooks and judges with a creative flair that signals both groups to come back again and again.

Bowman summed it up best: "I love World Food Championships and I always thought the concept was fabulous. Mike McCloud (coming from the BBQ competition world) took everything he learned and made it bigger and better."

I wholeheartedly agree, Randall Bowman. WFC and the Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que of America All-Star BBQ Series are BBQ CRITIC APPROVED!

Herb Kane
BBQ CRITIC

Mike McCloud (Founder, World Food Championships) and "Famous" Dave Anderson - Indianapolis, IN

WINNERS

For full list of winners, go here:
https://worldfoodchampionships.com/2025-FD01-indianapolis

NEXT UP...

INTERVIEW with pitmaster Ryan Pang - Grand Champion at the Fresno, CA contest. Follow BBQ CRITIC on Facebook and watch for more stories on the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series!

Plan to attend a Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series event near you. Click here for full schedule: https://worldfoodchampionships.com/allstars

PHOTO GALLERY

2024 FAMOUS DAVE'S ALL-STAR BBQ SERIES - MINNETONKA, MN

8/9/2024

MINNETONKA, MN (BBQ CRITIC)

This will be my second year judging the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series in Minnetonka, MN. The Famous Dave's restaurant here is a great place to hold the event. A gorgeous location, too!

You can kick back on the restaurant's outdoor wrap around porch overlooking a pond and a water fountain. The ambiance is a peaceful, tranquil setting.

Famous Dave's management and employees are extremely welcoming to all judges and cook teams. I walked around and greeted the cooks setting up in the parking lot. The teams are not only preparing their contest food, they are smoking chicken wings to hand out to the public for FREE. This family friendly event is a Saturday treat for the community.

All the cooks are passionate about their craft, eager to serve the public and especially the World Food Championship (WFC) judges. AKA, Me!

BBQ CRITIC with Arlie Bragg, World Food Championship Contest Rep.

WFC Contest Rep, Arlie Bragg, gathered us all together for a quick review on judging. Right after that, I inducted Famous Dave Anderson into the BBQ CRITIC HALL OF FAME and gave him a plaque.

When I give out a plaque to a business or individual connected to BBQ, I do so because they affected me personally in some way shape or form. Dave did just that.

I met Dave at the original Famous Dave's in Hayward, WI in 2014. A few months later, this beautiful, historic restaurant burnt to the ground. It was a sad day for Famous Dave Anderson and all the people who love this location.

I wanted to make sure no one ever forgets where Dave started his first Famous Dave's store, the launching pad to a skyrocketing BBQ business. You can read the whole story by clicking on the photo below of Dave and I holding the plaque... FULL STORY...

RIBS & CHICKEN

It is now time to judge BBQ! The ribs and chicken turn ins were above and beyond. Some of the best I have had all year.

One thing I am still training myself do is really pay attention to the EXECUTION score. It is very different from a KCBS contest, and allows the cook to expand their creativity by telling us exactly what to look for in their competition box.

If the flavor and ingredients described by the cook are missing, then the EXECUTION score will be lower. I like this because we know what the cook is trying to achieve, and what we judges should expect.

What I like about WFC scoring is that a cook can say the ribs are "spicy." In a regular KCBS or other contest setting, the judge just might score down because the judge doesn't like "spicy." Well with the World Food Championships, if the cook purposely gave us meat that is "spicy," they get awarded for it , NOT SCORED DOWN. I love this!

WFC Contest Rep, Arlie Bragg, presenting the turn-in boxes to the judges

WFC thinks outside the box when it comes to a competition turn-in box. Their innovation in the scoring process encourages creativity, setting it apart from many other competitions. It's a welcome change, indeed

WILD CARD

My favorite part, folks - THE WILD CARD! This is the category where a competition cook can really shine by creating any dish they desire.

Today was a great day because everything was different. Just feast your eyes on the WILD CARD turn-ins presented to us on a Silver Platter. There's no other way!

The cook will walk up to our table and give us a really brief presentation on what we judges should expect to taste. This cook/judge interactivity makes judging a lot more interesting and exciting.

RACK SHACK BBQ won this category and nailed the EXECUTION score, the TASTE score and the APPEARANCE score. At the end of the day, Rack Shack's pitmaster, Wade Brelje, achieved a perfect 100 score. Everything about this dish was absolutely phenomenal. Wade described his turn in (see top middle photo below) as follows:

"Indulge in this Banana Pudding Smoked Cheesecake topped with root beer caviar and a banana bread tuile." - Wade Brelje

THE WINNERS

GRAND CHAMPION
VIDEO INTERVIEW

RESERVE GRAND
VIDEO INTERVIEW

WILD CARD & PEOPLE'S CHOICE
INTERVIEW

THE GOLDEN TICKET

In addition to the team's share of the $5000 prize purse, the Grand Champion and the Reserve Grand Champion winners take home the GOLDEN TICKET to compete in the 2024 World Barbecue Championships in Indianapolis, Nov. 8 - 12, 2024.

TRAVELING TO CONTESTS

When I travel to BBQ contests and I am ready to head home, I look for two things: Ice Cream or a White Castles. I do not have a White Castle in Iowa, so when I am out of state, I always search for one to bring back a stash of hamburgers to eat for later.

It's a family tradition for me and White Castle is where my love for food began as a kid. IT WAS MY VERY FIRST FOOD CRAVING. Luckily there are plenty of White Castles in Minnesota, so I grabbed a case of 20 burgers and headed home. Oh, yeah!

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Minnetonka, MN Famous Dave's restaurant is really an awesome place to visit and eat up Dave's made from scratch recipes. Of course, this day was special and people flocked in to sample free wings and take part in all the activities. An overall great time.

The People's Choice was won by Rack Shack BBQ. He handed out 100 wings and received 98 votes. That is absolutely amazing!

When we had just finished judging, a customer walked by our judge table and asked us, "Who won?" There was a brief moment of silence and I said, "We did!"

Famous Dave Anderson responded, "Good answer!"

- BBQ CRITIC

2024 FAMOUS DAVE'S ALL-STAR BBQ SERIES - COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

7/17/2024

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (BBQ CRITIC) - When Jacob Gavin lost his catering work due to COVID lockdowns and quarantines, he later started working at Proud Souls Barbecue & Provisions in Denver, Colorado. Today he is General Manager of the Denver store. This interest in BBQ helped Gavin pave a path to competing at the 2024 Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series in Colorado Springs, CO.

"I bought my first smoker and and started buying supplies from Proud Souls Barbecue & Provisions and quickly found myself working there," said Gavin. "I had always loved eating BBQ and started learning from guys like Tony Roberts & Dan Casey of Proud Souls Competition team; and Chris Webb of Bushmaster BBQ, who won the Famous Dave's in CO Springs last year."

Gavin's team is made up of just himself and girlfriend Suellen Cummings. Cummings could not make the Famous Dave's contest, so his buddy, Tres Morley, stepped in to help. He brought his daughter, Charlie.

"Charlie got a little taste of the competition BBQ world," said Gavin. "She's a little pitmaster in training and was handing out all of our People's Choice chicken wings to the public!"

This competition is sanctioned by the World Food Championships (WFC) and this is Gavin's first time competing in a WFC event. He normally competes in KCBS contests (Kansas City Barbecue Society), but decided to try something different and it turned out to be a success.

Gavin reflects, "I had gotten some tips from friends who had competed in the WFC in the past and decided to switch up some flavor profiles and really try and hit the execution of what I was cooking. I heard that was huge in these events. I almost went for more of a backyard BBQ profile to please the more celebrity judges."

THE CHICKEN

Gavin produced an absolutely gorgeous competition chicken box. "I thought the chicken turned out pretty well," said Gavin. "I was going for more of a KCBS style smoked chicken thigh (with a KC style sauce). It was super tender and juicy with just a kiss of smoke. I knew if my chicken was good today I would have a chance."

Gavin's chicken cook flew in at 2nd Place!

TOP 3 CHICKEN

1 Brian Guerrero (ChuchoQ)
2 Jacob Gavin (Ribs N Whiskey BBQ)
3 Marty Marlow (Rooster's Competition BBQ Team)

THE RIBS

Gavin was pleased with his rib cook. "The ribs were on point, juicy and bite off the bone just like I wanted." This is where Gavin stepped out of his normal KCBS approach and steered a different direction.

"I went for a backyard BBQ feel compared to my normal KCBS style," explains Gavin. "I didn't hit them with as much sauce as I normally would and let them cook slightly longer than my normal cook. Finished them with a Peach Habanero glaze that gave a sweet and backend heat profile."

This little adjustment brought big results - 1st Place in Ribs!

TOP 3 RIBS

1 Jacob Gavin (Ribs N Whiskey BBQ)
2 Brian Guerrero (ChuchoQ)
3 Tyler Mayhew (Meat Machine BBQ

THE SILVER PLATTER
(Wild Card)

Gavin's Wild Card was an A9 Australian Wagyu Brisket. "I wanted to show my versatility, and that I could adapt and get this brisket cooked in 5 hours hot and fast and still be tender, smoky, and delicious. I thought we accomplished this and then some. It tasted great and looked even better! We end up taking 4th in this category by a slim margin of decimal points."

TOP 3 WILD CARD

1 Marty Marlow (Rooster's Competition BBQ Team)
2 Rob Dopp (Rum Runner's BBQ)
3 Tyler Mayhew (Meat Machine BBQ)

Gavin reflects on his Grand Champion win, "To see the judges agree and crown me GC was the best feeling in the world! What was even cooler to see was one of my best friends Tyler Mayhew of Meat Machine BBQ got the Reserve Grand Championship and another Golden Ticket! We are both planning on coming out to Indy and competing in the World Food Championships!"

THE GOLDEN TICKET

GRAND CHAMPION winner Jacob Gavin (Ribs N Whiskey BBQ) and RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION Tyler Mayhew (Meat Machine BBQ) not only take home their share of the $5000 purse, but both teams receive a GOLDEN TICKET to compete at the WFC Barbecue Championships in Indianapolis, IN (Nov 8-12, 2024). Good luck to all!

Gavin concludes, "I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Famous Dave's WFC Qualifier in CO Springs! I think it was a great event that was run by amazing people. It drew a great crowd and I'd recommend it for any fellow cooks or just patrons looking to have a great time and eat some amazing BBQ!

You can find Jacob Gavin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ribsnwhiskeybbq/

If you are in the Denver, CO area, you will find Jacob Gavin (General Manager) at Proud Souls Barbecue & Provisions
https://www.proudsoulsbbq.com/

FINAL THOUGHTS

The more I write about the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series, the more excited I get. The World Food Championships really gives this contest an edge over other competitions. The Wild Card (presented on a Silver Platter) is a classy way to open up a creative vein that not only challenges the cooks, but offers a category that keeps things fresh and exciting for the judges.

I am already counting down the days when I will be judging two Famous Dave's All-Star competitions in August. Fun times ahead!

-- BBQ CRITIC

FAMOUS DAVE'S
All-Star BBQ Series Info

When you come to a Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series, it takes place right at a Famous Dave's restaurant. What's really cool is it's open to the general public. What can you expect? This is fun part!

Not only will you get a chance to watch celebrity pitmasters go head-to-head with other BBQ All-Stars, you can look forward to the following:

* FREE Entry
* FREE BBQ WINGS (while they last!).
* FREE Pepsi
* Meet Famous Dave Anderson (only at select dates)
* Much, much more!

So bring your family and friends to join in this CELEBRATION OF BBQ! Come to a Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series event near you!

For a complete list of locations, go here:
https://worldfoodchampionships.com/allstars

2024 FAMOUS DAVE'S ALL-STAR BBQ SERIES - LAS VEGAS, NV

6/12/2024

The Silver Platter (Wild Card) entry from Uncle Jesse's BBQ, (Photo Courtesy, Famous Dave Anderson)

LAS VEGAS,NV (BBQ CRITIC) - Congrats to UNCLE JESSE'S BBQ for winning the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series in Las Vegas, NV. Pitmaster, Nate Benson, is from American Fork, Utah, and that's where he fell in love with barbecue.

"I fell in love with BBQ the first time I tasted pulled pork cooked by one of Utah's premiere pitmasters, Fidel Astorga. It made me realize what good BBQ is and made me want to learn how to cook BBQ"

Nate's mother was his main inspiration in teaching him how to love to cook. "She was a great cook and made sure I had plenty of opportunities to cook...My mom used to tell me I should find a competition and enter it."

In 2016, his mother passed away, and in 2017 he started competing. I am sure that made his mother smile in Heaven. "We have been competing regularly since then. Most of our competitions are in the Steak Cookoff Association," said Nate.

Nate and Miriam Benson (Uncle Jesse's BBQ)

Nate's team, UNCLE JESSE'S BBQ, is made up of him and his wife, Miriam Benson. They decided this year to enter the FAMOUS DAVE'S ALL-STAR BBQ SERIES, sanctioned by the World Food Championships (WFC). They are no strangers to WFC.

In 2021, the team competed at the World Food Championships and won 7th place in the Steak category. Nate said, "We really love the creativity and plating opportunities that come with the WFC. That was the main reason we wanted to compete in the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series."

Compete they did and they won! Here is the rundown on all their food.

THE CHICKEN

The team decided to cook CHICKEN LOLLIPOPS. "We seasoned with HEY GRILL HEY and DB180 rubs. They are awesome sponsors and friends of ours. We glazed it in our own signature homemade sauce. Our description was chicken lollipops glazed in a tomato based sauce."

Nate said the cook took longer than expected and they had to rush it. Though they did not feel the greatest about their turn in, the team nailed 1st PLACE in CHICKEN!

TOP 3 CHICKEN WINNERS

1 Benson Nate (Uncle Jesse's BBQ)
2 Barr Travis (All Up In My Grill BBQ)
3 Johnson Phil (Phil the grill)

THE RIBS

Nate said they felt really good about their rib cook. "We smoked our ribs until they had the perfect bite on them. They were also seasoned with HEY GRILL HEY and DB180 rubs. We finished them with our peach chipotle glaze."

Uncle Jesse's BBQ nailed a 2nd place win!

TOP 3 RIBS WINNERS

1 Dunyon Chris (SinBin BBQ)
2 Benson Nate (Uncle Jesse's BBQ)
3 Barr Travis (All Up In My Grill BBQ)

THE SILVER PLATTER
(Wild Card)

Here we go! BBQ CRITIC's favorite category. They called their Wild Card a LAS VEGAS SURF AND TURF. I was rather shocked when he gave the description.

Nate said, "It was a CREEKSTONE FARMS Tomahawk Prime Ribeye Steak, and a Charred Octopus Salad finished with a Limoncello Vinaigrette. When we were thinking about what we wanted to present, we wanted to do something special that showed elements that you do not see every day in BBQ."

You absolutely do not see Octopus at any BBQ contest. This was one original dish. WFC opens it up nicely for cooks to be creative and unique. This Wild Card entry is a great example of doing just that, and the team nailed a 1st place win!

TOP 3 WILD CARD WINNERS

1 Benson Nate (Uncle Jesse's BBQ)
2 Johnson Phil (Phil the grill)
3 Dunyon Chris (SinBin BBQ)

Uncle Jesse's BBQ won 1st Place WILD CARD, 1st Place CHICKEN and over-all GRAND CHAMPION!

The Wild Card peaked my curiosity so much, I had to reach out to Famous Dave Anderson himself (who was a judge at the Las Vegas event) to get his thoughts on this particular Wild Card turn-in.

Famous Dave said, "They did a great job on the Octopus. Very flavorful. and if I remember it was smokey and charred beautifully! Octopus properly prepared is very tasty."

Famous Dave Anderson (and other judges) judge the Wild Card from Uncle Jesse's BBQ.

"I was actually happy to see the Octopus. It demonstrates the width of creative recipe development by these Pitmasters, which makes this competition event a lot more interesting than your usual BBQ turn-in boxes." - FAMOUS DAVE ANDERSON

One of the highlights for Nate at this contest was to actually meet Dave. "Meeting Famous Dave Anderson was so incredible. I loved how he was so willing to give us honest feedback. He was just a real person and talking to him, you could tell he loves BBQ and wants creativity and identity to shine through in the way we cook."

"The way the competition was run was incredible. The event and restaurant staff always made us feel welcome and took care of us." - NATE BENSON

The contest did not go without challenges for the team. At one point there was a miscommunication regarding the clarification on some of the rules. Nate said, "We found out the clarification we had received was incorrect and had to re-strategize in the car travelling down. We had some grill issues during the competition. Also, the heat and wind made the competition difficult."

Despite running into a few obstacles, the team did not let that stand in the way of achieving success, and they had a great time doing it.

"It was really fun interacting with the public while we were cooking," Nate said. "We continually had people around watching us, asking questions, and taking pictures while we were cooking. This was honestly one of my favorite events I have ever cooked at. We need more events like this and I plan on making it an annual event."

You can find Nate on Instagram @UJBBQ and Facebook @UJBBQUtah and @nate.benson.96930.

THE GOLDEN TICKET

GRAND CHAMPION winner Nate Benson (Uncle Jesse's BBQ) and RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION Barr Travis (All Up In My Grill BBQ) not only take home their share of the $5000 purse, but both teams receive a GOLDEN TICKET to compete at the WFC Barbecue Championships in Indianapolis, IN (Nov 8-12, 2024). Good luck to all!

Special congrats to Samantha Haas (Central Cali Smokers) for winning the PEOPLE'S CHOICE. Samantha's Chicken Wings must have been delicious!

FINAL THOUGHTS

My final thoughts are still lingering on that Octopus Wild Card, and how creative Uncle Jesse's BBQ was in delivering something really unique to the judges.

The World Food Championships continues to grow, and I encourage my fellow BBQ judge friends to go online and get trained as a WFC judge and check out the JUDGING PROCESS. I also encourage all my cook friends to consider entering a WFC sanctioned event such as the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series. You will enjoy the creativity encouraged at WFC competitions.

While writing this column, I was munching on my all-time favorite pickles - Famous Dave's Sweet & Spicy PICKLE CHIPS. I love, love, love these pickles! They have been in my life for a long, long time.

Be watching for more Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series coverage and I will also be releasing some more cool stories from last year's events.

This Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series event in Las Vegas, NV is BBQ CRITIC APPROVED!

Herb Kane
BBQ CRITIC

FAMOUS DAVE'S
All-Star BBQ Series Info

For a complete list of locations, go here:
https://worldfoodchampionships.com/allstars

2024 FAMOUS DAVE'S ALL-STAR BBQ SERIES - Fresno, CA

6/9/2024

FRESNO, CA (BBQ CRITIC) - Pitmaster Brian Padilla (NUT IN 2 IT BUT 2 Q IT) came from burning chicken in his own backyard to winning the 2024 Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series in Fresno, CA.

THE EARLY YEARS

Brian's journey began as a child: "As a young boy, I would watch my Dad and Nino grill Tri-tip, Burgers, Chicken and Hot Dogs." said Brian. Around age 12 (1982) Brian would start helping out. When he reached 13 or 14 years-old, he ran the grill.

"I burned a lot of meat before I got it down," said Brian. "But chicken was the tricky protein for me."

Brian's wife, Michelle, can attest to that and she came up with a plan. In the year 2000, she bought him a Weber grill for Father's Day. Brian remembers, "She told me it would be nice if I could BBQ chicken without it being burned or under cooked."

So he made it his misson to "get the chicken down as all the other porteins." By midsummer, he got it all figured out. A happy wife, a happy life - right Brian?

Then things started to heat up again in 2015. Michelle wasn't happy he entered California's largest KCBS event with over 103 pro teams, especially after coming in 87th place. The next year, however, they took 3rd place. I bet that put a smile on Michelle's face.

Brian said, "We had some great guys that would give me some tips. Steph Franklin and Venice Carrocci, both had great but simple tips that helped me along the way."

FAMOUS DAVE'S & WFC

Brian found out about the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series from another team and decided to sign up. This would be his first World Food Championships (WFC) sanctioned event. "This was a fun event, a little out of our element due to the fact we couldn't take our BBQ trailer. We cooked everything on my wife's Recteq pellet smoker."

Michelle has an awesome smoker. Now let's hear how the food turned out!

THE CHICKEN

This husband & wife team cooked up CHICKEN THIGHS. "We marinated it in my secret mix, seasoned it with some AP rub and a hint of Chipotle," said Brian. "Then glazed it with a peach habanero. it was off the chain."

Off the chain is right! Brian went from burning chicken in his own backyard to winning 1ST PLACE CHICKEN at the Famous Dave's All -Star BBQ Series. Love it!

Very nice job, Brian and Michelle!

TOP 3 CHICKEN WINNERS

1 Brian Padilla (Nutin 2it But 2 Q it)
2 Branden Slichter (Bakesfield Barbecue Company)
3 Michael Rojas (Me-and-Mom's)

THE RIBS

Brian came back again with the AP rub and added light cayenne pepper along with other "secret stuff." He said, "We wrap with a lot of sweet to cut the heat. Glaze with a light twang sweet sauce. Ribs were bomb, I was very happy with them."

The judges were also very happy with your ribs and awarded you a 1ST PLACE WIN! Tell me again, Brian. What is in that "Secret Stuff?"

TOP 3 RIBS WINNERS

1 Brian Padilla (Nutin 2it But 2 Q it)
2 Michael Rojas (Me-and-Mom's)
3 Branden Slichter (Bakesfield Barbecue Company)

THE SILVER PLATTER
(Wild Card)

BBQ CRITIC'S favorite category right here! However, for Brian and Michelle, it was a challenge. Brian said, "We never done anything like that."

This category really does set itself apart from other BBQ competitions by encouraging a team to be very creative with a dish of their own choice. I love judging the Wild Card. You never know what you're going to get.

The Wild Card truly is a challenge. Brian turned in Tri-tip and Mini Loaded Baked Potato. "It was really good, and we tried to keep it simple," said Brian. "After seeing what the other teams did we kind of knew they out did us on creativity."

TOP 3 WILD CARD

1 Michael Rojas (Me-and-Mom's)
2 Amanda Ortiz (AK47 BBQ)
3 Branden Slichter (Bakesfield Barbecue Company)

Based on your two 1ST PLACE categories in Chicken and Ribs (an area where you are very strong), I think if you both put together your creative juices and plan out a Wild Card for next year, I am confident you will rise above your 4TH PLACE win. That said, you still won GRAND CHAMPION and the GOLDEN TICKET!

THE GOLDEN TICKET

In addition to the team's share of the $5000 prize purse, the Grand Champion and the Reserve Grand Champion winners take home the GOLDEN TICKET to compete in the 2024 World Barbecue Championships in Indianapolis, Nov. 8 - 12, 2024.

Congrats to Michael Rojas (Me-and-Mom's) for the RESERVE GRAND and PEOPLE'S CHOICE!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Getting to the World Food Championships in November will present another challenge for the team. Putting together a budget for travel, getting time off and hauling the equipment there is a 4 day, one way drive. This team will do it, though.

Brian concludes, "Winning was such a great feeling! It proved hard work pays off. Overall it was and is a Great Event. I will sign up next year if they have it again."

I will be watching for your Wild Card next year, Brian!

Congrats to all who competed.

Herb
BBQ CRITIC

You can find Brian on Facebook
https://m.facebook.com/Nutin2itBut2Qit/m.facebook.com/Nutin2itBut2Qit/

FAMOUS DAVE'S
All-Star BBQ Series Info

For a complete list of locations, go here:
https://worldfoodchampionships.com/allstars

LATRYGUY - Alex Cottrell covers the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series at the Fresno, CA event! Check out the video!

Used with Permission. Thank you Alex Cottrell! - BBQ CRITIC

2024 Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series - San Jose, CA

6/7/2024

Photo Courtesy, Famous Dave Anderson - WILD CARD served on a Silver Platter by Isaac Gummo (Big Daddy's BBQ)

SAN JOSE, CA (BBQ CRITIC) - Three years-ago Isaac Gummo started competing in BBQ competitions. "I won my very first rib competition and never looked back," said Gummo.
Today he competed at the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series in San Jose, CA.

Though Gummo has never competed in a World Food Championships (WFC) sanctioned event before, he took home his share of the $5000 purse by winning the Grand Champion!

It all started with cooking steaks on a WEBER with his dad in the backyard for family and friends. Gummo said, "I'm inspired by my wife first and foremost, and then friends who turned family." Gummo has advanced way beyond cooking steaks and today prepared Chicken, Ribs and the Wild Card on the Silver Platter.

THE CHICKEN

"I chose chicken drumsticks for my turn in," said Gummo. " I went with a sweet and savory barbecue sauce flavor. I smoke them on my TRAEGER pellet grill and felt I had a very strong cook."

I have seen drumsticks advance quite a bit over the years in competitions. In the early days, I remember very mediocre turn ins, and now cooks are taking drumsticks to a much higher level. Gummo's 2nd place win was fantastic!

TOP 3 CHICKEN WINNERS

1 Lopez Carlos (Los Mexi"Q"tioners)
2 Gummo Isaac (Big daddy’s bbq 89)
3 Pang Ryan (Old Greenwood BBQ)

THE RIBS

How fitting Gummo won his very first rib competition three years ago, and now he just won 1st place ribs at his first Famous Dave's All Star BBQ Series!.

Gummo reveals his tools of the trade: "I smoked my ribs on my GATEWAY drum smoker. Fueled my fire with JEALOUS DEVIL lump charcoal (using apple and hickory wood chunks). I season and glaze with the one and only HEATH RILES rubs and sauces."

"I felt my ribs had the perfect char, bone pull, and smoke flavor," added Gummo. "It was an all-around great cook!"

Certainly good enough for first place. You are making me jealous as a devil I could not be at this contest to taste those ribs. Congrats on this win!

TOP 3 RIB WINNERS

1 Gummo Isaac (Big daddy’s bbq 89)
2 Allen Carlton (Bone Sauce n Harmony)
3 Pang Ryan (Old Greenwood BBQ)

THE SILVER PLATTER
(WILD CARD)

This time Gummo cooked on his TRAEGER PRO 34 and served his food on a SILVER PLATTER. "My Wild Card entry was a Churro Cheesecake topped with cream cheese, whipped cream, fresh strawberries and a homemade caramel drizzle."

"We felt the judges would be tired of sampling different meats so we went a different route and chose dessert," said Gummo.

Sounds like a good strategy. I often look for ice cream immediately after judging a BBQ competition. Last year I judged amazing Wild Card entries ranging from desserts to very delicious meats. I believe WFC judges will judge fairly no matter what is presented to them. In this case, Gummo won! CONGRATS!

TOP 3 WILD CARD WINNERS

1 Gummo Isaac (Big daddy’s bbq 89)
2 Pang Ryan (Old Greenwood BBQ)
3 Lopez Carlos (Los Mexi"Q"tioners)

THE GOLDEN TICKET

Congrats to Pang Ryan (Old Greenwood BBQ) for winning the RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION. Pang and Gummo both receive a GOLDEN TICKET to the WFC Barbecue Championships in Indianapolis, IN (Nov 8-12, 2024). Good luck to all!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Gummo did back to back competitions this weekend and that was a challenge and yet he endured it. What a feeling it is when you put all the hard work into cooking a competition and you end up the Grand Champion. BAM!

This exposure allowed Gummo to get to know a lot of people in his city. He is very pleased with this well-organized event. will "almost definitely attend the competition again."

"I would like to thank Famous Dave Anderson and his whole staff for putting together an awesome competition," Gummo said. "It gives me and my barbecue team to possibly attend the World Food Championships."

That said, I would like to thank Famous Dave Anderson (Founder of Famous Dave's) and Mike McCloud (Founder of World Food Championships) for having the vision to put together an event that encourages a climate of creativity, and the ability to win larger prizes in this Food Sport. WFC is growing more and more each year and I encourage cooks and judges to get involved now.

When Famous Dave's of America and the World Food Championships partnered together to create the annual Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series, it was a marriage made in BBQ Heaven!

(Left to Right) Famous Dave Anderson and Mike McCloud. (Photo courtesy, Famous Dave Anderson)

Interviewing the Grand Champions of the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series is inspiring, indeed. Gets me more and more excited to judge another All-Star competition.

This Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series event is BBQ CRITIC APPROVED!

Herb Kane
BBQ CRITIC

WATCH LATRYGUY - Alex Cottrell covers San Jose comp!

Used with Permission. Thank you Alex Cottrell! - BBQ CRITIC

2024 Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series - Union Gap, WA

6/6/2024

UNION GAP, WA (BBQ CRITIC): Pit 71 pitmaster, Edgar Hargrow, just won a Grand Champion at the 2024 Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series in Union Gap, WA., This World Food Championships (WFC) sanctioned event was a very positive experience for him.

"Union Gap was our first time cooking at a WFC event," said Hargrow. "It was an awesome experience - a very fun cook and well ran."

This fun cook was a successful one!

Hargrow's love for BBQ started when growing up with his grandmother who he calls QUEEN OF THE GRILL. "She loved being out there cooking, and I loved eating the food."

This memory stayed with him and he later decided to get involved in BBQ competitions.

When Hargrow saw a competitor from the Portland, OR area on the BBQ Pitmasters TV show, he started looking into competing. "I found the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association (PNWBA). I went to see a comp in person, met awesome people and knew I was in love and wanted to do it!"

The Pit 71 team consists of Edgar and Chelsea Hargrow and her dad, Dan Schlenker and brother Blaine Schenker. This is the teams 3rd year in competition BBQ and now they have discovered WFC to showcase their food.

THE CHICKEN

Hargow described his chicken as Smoked Chicken Legs with a BBQ glaze recipe of orange marmalade, brown sugar and other spices. "The chicken cook went very well for us," said Hargrow. " We ended up taking 1st place in Chicken. With my kids and some family around I did not get to try a piece, but I could tell we hit the mark!"

TOP 3 CHICKEN WINNERS

1 Edgar Hargrow (Pit 71)
2 Evan Wiederspohn (Gladiator BBQ)
3 Mark Scott (Scott's Smokin Squad)

THE RIBS

Hargrow described his ribs as Sweet Smoked BBQ Ribs with a touch of vinegar and heat on the backend. "Ribs went well for us also. We ended up taking 3rd overall in ribs. I thought they were spot on!"

TOP 3 RIB WINNERS

1 Chris Schnautz (Daddy and Me BBQ)
2 Evan Wiederspohn (Gladiator BBQ)
3 Edgar Hargrow (Pit 71)

THE SILVER PLATTER
(Wild Card)

This is BBQ Critic's favorite category to judge. The Silver Platter (Wild Card) is like opening a box of chocolates. Forrest Gump would love this because "you never what you're going to get!"

n the case of Hargrow, he turned in what he calls Dessert Hushpuppies. This is a Smoked Bread Pudding dipped in funnel cake batter and deep fried, topped with a Pecan Praline sauce and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Hargrow said, "The judges all seemed to enjoy our dish. They asked questions such as: Where did you come up with this dish? What was used in the Praline Sauce? We took 2nd in the Wild Card so it must have been pretty good!"

TOP 3 WILD CARD

1 Shawn Niles (Fat Legacy)
2 Edgar Hargrow (Pit 71)
3 Mark Scott (Scott's Smokin Squad)

The public part of the event allowed the team to interact with the people who simply love BBQ. Hargrow said, "It was an amazing experience and awesome turnout by the public. It was so awesome that we all ran out of Chicken WIngs to serve them!

THE GRAND CHAMPION

"Winning our very first GC (Grand Championship) at a Famous Dave's cook meant a lot! We do plan on attending WFC this fall." said Hargrow. "We are trying to network with people in the Indianapolis area to borrow some equipment to use. Being all the way in WA state we are not going to drive over, but fly in. "

Congrats to Evan Wiederspohn (Gladiator BBQ) for winning the Reserve Grand Champion and Shawn Niles (Fat Legacy) for the People's Choice. Congrats to all who competed at this contest and participated in all the fun. "Famous Dave" himself said in his Facebook post, "Congratulations to the Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que of America All-Star BBQ Series winners in UNION GAP!"

THE GOLDEN TICKET

IN SUMMARY

Hargrow concludes, "Overall we had a great time. Very well ran competition and an awesome staff at the restaurant. 'Famous' Dave Anderson himself was there and it was really cool getting to talk with him about BBQ, competition and things he is doing currently. Definitely wanting to cook another one of these events!"

You can find PIT 71 on Instagram @Pit_71_bbq

This is an exciting time to get involved with WFC via the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series. Whether you are a BBQ fan looking for the ultimate celebration of barbecue; or a pitmaster looking to compete in the next great competition, this is the place for you .

The Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series is BBQ CRITIC APPROVED!

Herb Kane
BBQ CRITIC

Photo Courtesy, Famous Dave Anderson

FAMOUS DAVE'S
All-Star BBQ Series Info

For a complete list of locations, go here:
https://worldfoodchampionships.com/allstars

June 06th, 2024

6/6/2024

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Herb Kane

Publisher, BBQCRITIC.COM

COMPETITION JUDGE

Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS):
Certified BBQ Judge (2008)
KCBS Master Judge (2010)
Certified KCBS Table Captain

KCBS Judge Certification Update Program (JCUP) Completed

World Food Championships (WFC)
Licensed to E.A.T Judge
(2023)

Iowa BBQ Society (IBS)
Judge of the Year 2021
Judge of the Year 2024

COMPETITION COOK
BBQCRITIC.COM
"A BBQ Judge Competition Cook Team."

Cooked with many Pro BBQ teams primarily Bubba-Q's (Ottumwa, IA)

FORMER PITMASTER

Red Hot & Blue BBQ
(Cedar Rapids, IA)

Dickey's BBQ Pit
(Cedar Rapids, IA)

Sanctioned by​World Food Championships

CHICKEN

RIBS

WILD CARD

GOLDEN TICKET

FINAL THOUGHTS

BBQ CRITIC APPROVED!

EVENT PHOTOS

CHICKEN

RIBS

WILD CARD

GOLDEN TICKET

FINAL THOUGHTS

WINNERS

NEXT UP!

PHOTOS

CHICKEN

RIBS

WILD CARD

GOLDEN TICKET

FINAL THOUGHTS

WINNERS

NEXT UP...

PHOTO GALLERY

MINNETONKA, MN (BBQ CRITIC)

RIBS & CHICKEN

WILD CARD

THE WINNERS

GRAND CHAMPIONVIDEO INTERVIEW

RESERVE GRAND ​VIDEO INTERVIEW

WILD CARD & PEOPLE'S CHOICE​INTERVIEW

THE GOLDEN TICKET

TRAVELING TO CONTESTS

FINAL THOUGHTS

THE CHICKEN

THE RIBS

THE SILVER PLATTER​(Wild Card)

THE GOLDEN TICKET

FINAL THOUGHTS

FAMOUS DAVE'SAll-Star BBQ Series Info

THE CHICKEN

THE RIBS

THE SILVER PLATTER​(Wild Card)

THE GOLDEN TICKET

FINAL THOUGHTS

FAMOUS DAVE'SAll-Star BBQ Series Info

THE EARLY YEARS

FAMOUS DAVE'S & WFC

THE CHICKEN

THE RIBS

THE SILVER PLATTER​(Wild Card)

THE GOLDEN TICKET

FINAL THOUGHTS

FAMOUS DAVE'SAll-Star BBQ Series Info

LATRYGUY - Alex Cottrell covers the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series at the Fresno, CA event! Check out the video!

THE CHICKEN

THE RIBS

THE SILVER PLATTER(WILD CARD)

THE GOLDEN TICKET

FINAL THOUGHTS

WATCH LATRYGUY - ​Alex Cottrell covers San Jose comp!

THE CHICKEN

TOP 3 CHICKEN WINNERS

THE RIBS

TOP 3 RIB WINNERS

THE SILVER PLATTER​(Wild Card)

TOP 3 WILD CARD

THE GRAND CHAMPION

THE GOLDEN TICKET

IN SUMMARY

FAMOUS DAVE'SAll-Star BBQ Series Info

Herb Kane

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(Wild Card)

FAMOUS DAVE'S
All-Star BBQ Series Info

THE SILVER PLATTER
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FAMOUS DAVE'S
All-Star BBQ Series Info

THE SILVER PLATTER
(Wild Card)

FAMOUS DAVE'S
All-Star BBQ Series Info

THE SILVER PLATTER
(WILD CARD)

WATCH LATRYGUY - Alex Cottrell covers San Jose comp!

THE SILVER PLATTER
(Wild Card)

FAMOUS DAVE'S
All-Star BBQ Series Info