 ELPASO, TX (BBQ CRITIC): When Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series Grand Champion winner, Sean Hill, first fell in love with BBQ 6 years ago, he decided to enter a small barbecue contest and the rest is history. "It was a small backyard style comp and we won almost every category. We were hooked," said Sean. "We tried our hand at a few IBCA competitions and quickly found out there was a huge difference in backyard and true competitive BBQ." Sean's love for BBQ transitioned to a catering business, and he competed on a limited basis. Then something beautiful happened in Rockwall, TX (Sean's home). "Three years ago my BBQ life changed. I left coaching football to start our school's first high school competition BBQ team. For the last three years I have coached high school BBQ. This year, we took first place and the title of 2023 Grand Champion in the state of Texas."  Left to right - Ryan Weideman, Amby Saenz, coach Sean Hill, Larson Trast and Jackson Jeffus of 205 Pitmasters Team Smoke. GRAND CHAMPION! What a fantastic achievement! You know when I was in High School, I competed in football, track and gymnastics. If I had caught the aroma of smoked meat during a BBQ team practice, I may have grabbed my football and ran a 100 meter dash ending with a front flip right into the practice area! However, no high school BBQ team existed during my tenure as a student. This is a really cool thing Sean Hill has started. I hope high school BBQ competition spreads like wildfire across our United States of America, and the world. For a more in-depth look at Coach Hills' High School BBQ journey, check out this ESPN story: https://www.espn.com/moresports/story/_/id/37740321/inside-world-texas-high-school-barbecue-state-championship Coaching high school BBQ is a dream come true, but Sean got the urge to compete again. "Just like a former athlete that talks about their glory days, I got an itch to compete. When the opportunity to be apart of the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series presented itself, I jumped at the opportunity," said Sean. This would be Texas Moonswiner's first World Food Championships (WFC) contest featuring the EAT™ methodology (a scoring system that allows any dish to be judged consistently using three key criteria: Execution, Appearance and Taste). For a quick lesson on the EAT™ methodology click here: https://worldfoodchampionships.com/EAT_METHOD  THE TURN-INSTexas Moonswiners cook was a successful one, indeed. They cooked up chicken thighs, and sweet and spicy St. Louis style ribs.
 TOP 3 CHICKEN WINNERS1 Peter Armendariz (Texas Revolution) 2 Sean Hill (Texas Moonswiners) 3 Jon Barton (Barton BBQ) TOP 3 RIBS WINNERS1 Jon Barton (Barton BBQ) 2 Peter Armendariz (Texas Revolution) 3 Sean Hill (Texas Moonswiners) THE SILVER PLATTER |
 All-Star Promo |  Rack of Lamb |  Pork Ribs |  Chicken Wings |
Pitmaster Stephen Nieto (Stevo's BBQ) won the Reserve Grand and is taking home a trophy with $1,500 cash winnings and a Golden Ticket to the WFC. Nieto is from the Vegas area and his restaurant, Stevo's Smoke House Kitchen, is located in Henderson, NV. The company website has a tagline that reads, "Disabled Veteran Owned and Operated."
A passion for cooking began over 30 years ago for Nieto. When he joined the military, he travelled the world learning a variety of cuisines from different chefs. Unfortunately, later on he developed PTSD.
The Nevada BBQ Association quotes Nieto on their website, "PTSD got the best of me for a while, sleeping on the street, depression and such, but I got my mojo back, cooking for the base and being a part of Nevada Barbecue and competing," he said. "God is good to me."
Sounds like his wife, Veronica, is also good to him. The restaurant website quotes Nieto, "With my wife Veronica by my side, we bring a dream team of some of the best BBQ and all cuisine this side of the country."
Thank you for your service, Stephen Nieto, and congrats on your Reserve Grand Champion. May your business continue to be blessed with success. No matter what, you are a true champion of life itself
A passion for cooking began over 30 years ago for Nieto. When he joined the military, he travelled the world learning a variety of cuisines from different chefs. Unfortunately, later on he developed PTSD.
The Nevada BBQ Association quotes Nieto on their website, "PTSD got the best of me for a while, sleeping on the street, depression and such, but I got my mojo back, cooking for the base and being a part of Nevada Barbecue and competing," he said. "God is good to me."
Sounds like his wife, Veronica, is also good to him. The restaurant website quotes Nieto, "With my wife Veronica by my side, we bring a dream team of some of the best BBQ and all cuisine this side of the country."
Thank you for your service, Stephen Nieto, and congrats on your Reserve Grand Champion. May your business continue to be blessed with success. No matter what, you are a true champion of life itself
RESERVE GRAND - Stephen Nieto (Steveo's BBQ)
 CHICKEN ENTRY - Stevo's BBQ |  RIBS ENTRY - Stevo's BBQ |  WILDCARD - Stevo's BBQ |
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What's really cool is that all the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series contests are open to the general public. What can you expect? Ah, now we are getting to the fun part for the average BBQ fan. Not only will you get a chance to watch a Celebrity Pitmaster go head-to-head with other BBQ All-Stars, you can look forward to the following:
1) FREE BBQ WINGS (for first 200 attendees).
2) FREE Kurvball Original BBQ Whiskey Samples and swag.
3) Chance to win a FREE Gateway Drum Smoker.
4) Meet Famous Dave Anderson (only at select dates)
5) You can also grab more food right there at Famous Dave's!
1) FREE BBQ WINGS (for first 200 attendees).
2) FREE Kurvball Original BBQ Whiskey Samples and swag.
3) Chance to win a FREE Gateway Drum Smoker.
4) Meet Famous Dave Anderson (only at select dates)
5) You can also grab more food right there at Famous Dave's!
VIDEO CLIP
Here is a warm Las Vegas welcome from Mike McCloud (President & CEO, WFC) and Famous Dave himself , both showing their excitement for this series..
WFC SANCTIONED
WFC utilizes their own proprietary "Licensed to E.A.T." judging methodology, a system that encourages pitmasters to be inventive. This gives cooks the opportunity to really wow the judges. Grand Champion winner, Al Lino and his wife Tiffany, accomplished this in a major way.
Rio Smoke took 1st Place in all categories: CHICKEN, RIBS, and WILDCARD.
That WILDCARD category really has me intrigued as a KCBS Master BBQ judge. I just became a certified WFC "Licensed to E.A.T." Judge this year and will be judging the Sioux City, IA contest this July 22nd. It will be my first WFC sanctioned event, so it will be refreshing to experience something new. I will reflect my thoughts on the WFC judging process in a future column..
In a recent interview with BBQ CRITIC, Al Lino discussed his WILDCARD entry, "We were very excited for the WILDCARD. It really gave us the opportunity to express ourselves and show our capabilities. We prepared a frenched rack of lamb for the judges."
The WILDCARD is anything the team wants to cook and is presented to the judges on a Silver Platter while the cook verbally describes what they created and what to expect. "I had contemplated back and forth for weeks on what to say," said Lino. "I knew I had to be true and keep the judges intrigued; I did just that."
I'm thinking this Silver Platter presentation (and the cook's pitch to the judges) would make a BBQ judge feel like royalty, along with a great sense of responsibility to be as focused and fair as possible, That's the way every judge should operate at a contest, regardless of the sanctioning body. I believe they do.
Rio Smoke took 1st Place in all categories: CHICKEN, RIBS, and WILDCARD.
That WILDCARD category really has me intrigued as a KCBS Master BBQ judge. I just became a certified WFC "Licensed to E.A.T." Judge this year and will be judging the Sioux City, IA contest this July 22nd. It will be my first WFC sanctioned event, so it will be refreshing to experience something new. I will reflect my thoughts on the WFC judging process in a future column..
In a recent interview with BBQ CRITIC, Al Lino discussed his WILDCARD entry, "We were very excited for the WILDCARD. It really gave us the opportunity to express ourselves and show our capabilities. We prepared a frenched rack of lamb for the judges."
The WILDCARD is anything the team wants to cook and is presented to the judges on a Silver Platter while the cook verbally describes what they created and what to expect. "I had contemplated back and forth for weeks on what to say," said Lino. "I knew I had to be true and keep the judges intrigued; I did just that."
I'm thinking this Silver Platter presentation (and the cook's pitch to the judges) would make a BBQ judge feel like royalty, along with a great sense of responsibility to be as focused and fair as possible, That's the way every judge should operate at a contest, regardless of the sanctioning body. I believe they do.
BBQ Judges patiently wait for food turn-ins including Famous Dave Anderson himself (far left)
LINO'S "WILDCARD" PITCH TO THE JUDGES
“My name is Al Lino. I’m from Rio Hondo, Texas. My wife and I own a restaurant/catering business. We have a Valentine's event that we have hosted for the past three years and this dish continues to surpass expectations, so I would like to present it to you. The rack is post oak smoked that really compliments the gamey flavor, and is seasoned with our own blend of spices. Since we drove over 1,500 miles, we wanted to bring Texas to the plate so we created a BBQ sauce that consisted of in-season blackberries, pomegranate and ancho chili."
Al Lino (RIO SMOKE): Frenched rack of Lamb - 1st Place
 RIO SMOKE |  RIO SMOKE |  RIO SMOKE |  The Valentine's dish mentioned in Lino's pitch to the judges. |
Very impressive platter, Al Lino. Cooks always have a way of making this stuff look easy, don't they? Well it's far from easy. Lino said, "We felt very confident with our other turn ins even though we were two thousand feet higher than back home. Our drum smokers were running a little behind schedule, but luckily the wife kept my head on straight and didn’t let it distract us."
 Lino's 1st Place RIBS |  Lino's 1st Place CHICKEN |
Lino said this event "ran like a well oiled machine, which made it very competitor friendly." Famous Dave himself came around and greeted every team. "He was very humble and talked about the old days when he use to compete. He also wanted to buy my lamb recipe," said Lino smiling. "Very nice gentlemen."
 |  |  |
Al and his wife, Tiffany, got into competing to help their BBQ & catering business - RIO SMOKE CATERING CO. Winning this contest meant the world to them and they hope it will continue. . Lino said, "A year and a half ago we started to compete and it wasn’t as easy as it seemed. This sport will really test your pride. Either you quit or keep grinding till you are a world champion!"
Lino believes that hard work, planning and execution will bring blessings from above. "We believe everything happens in His time. If we would have tried to go and compete in this series without the preparation and dedication we showed, He wouldn’t of allowed it. We believe that way in our business as well. We are going to make the Texas Top List for BBQ restaurants, but all in His time. Strive, drive and faith!"
Rio Smoke is leaving Las Vegas with a Grand Champion trophy; $2,500 in cash and a GOLDEN TICKET to the 2023 WFC Barbecue Championship. Congratulations! The long drive to Las Vegas was a gamble, but it paid off.
Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series is off to a good start!
Herb Kane
BBQ CRITIC
Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series is off to a good start!
Herb Kane
BBQ CRITIC
Editors Note:
This is the first competition review of the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series. BBQ Critic will be covering all contests in this series, so please watch for additional stories and news on the BBQ CRITIC Facebook page and website. I will be in person to cover the events at Addison, IL (July 8th), Sioux City, IA (July 22nd) and Minnetonka, MN (August 19th).
I would really appreciate readers sharing my reviews on your social media accounts and help spread the word about this new competition series. This is a really cool concept for Famous Dave's of America, and having the World Food Championships as the sanctioning body for this series is icing on the cake!
We encourage you to attend an event near you and take part in the fun activates. CLICK HERE for a list of locations and dates.
Thanks!
Herb Kane
BBQ CRITIC
I would really appreciate readers sharing my reviews on your social media accounts and help spread the word about this new competition series. This is a really cool concept for Famous Dave's of America, and having the World Food Championships as the sanctioning body for this series is icing on the cake!
We encourage you to attend an event near you and take part in the fun activates. CLICK HERE for a list of locations and dates.
Thanks!
Herb Kane
BBQ CRITIC
EVENT VIDEO
Brief video clips of the sights and sounds at Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series in Las Vegas, NV
PHOTOS
When I heard Famous Dave's of America (FDA) and World Food Championships (WFC) teamed up to create the new Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series contest, I got excited and wanted to participate. After a brief phone call with BBQ legend Famous Dave Anderson, things started to happen.
I am excited to announce BBQ CRITIC will be judging the Famous Dave's All-Star Series in Sioux City, IA (July 22nd) and help spread the word online. This is going to be a fun BBQ year for me.
Based in Cedar Rapids, IA, my BBQ journey began in 2008 when I became a Certified BBQ Judge (CBJ) with the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) with my friend Mike Hall. In just two years (2010), we both became a KCBS Master BBQ Judge.
We judged almost every weekend and ventured out to contests all over the midwest. We were on fire! We both simply loved BBQ, which fueled all our road trips.
Those early days left us with a lot of great memories and we developed life-long friendships with judges, cooks and contest organizers. What really kept my interest in competition BBQ was the camaraderie among cooks, judges and everyone involved. The mutual love for BBQ is our bond and it's contagious! New cooks and judges are getting on-board each year. Now it's time to spice things up.
Recently I became a "Licensed to E.A.T." certified judge with the World Food Championships. The food entries at the All-Star BBQ Series will be judged using the WFC proprietary E.A.T. Methodology and require a silver platter turn-in process (I will be writing more about the judging process later).
A press release stated, "Judging each event will be a group of local celebrities, Famous Dave’s franchise owners, and occasionally even Famous Dave Anderson himself, who started the franchise in Hayward, Wisconsin. Their expert opinions will be critical to choosing the winners..."
Usually I am inside a building or a pop up tent to judge BBQ at a contest. The judging at this event will be presented in an open, live presentation format that consumers and fans can watch. Now that will be a different setting - and fun!
"This is an exciting moment for Famous Dave’s of America," said Dallas Massey in a press release (VP of Marketing & Off-Premise for FDA). "Competition barbecue has always been an important part of our legacy and our Brand, with Famous Dave Anderson leading the way from our very beginning in 1994. Throughout our nearly 30-year history, we've found that competitions lead to innovation for our industry."
I first met Famous Dave Anderson in 2014 at the original Famous Dave's in Hayward, WI. I was excited to finally visit this place. I made a quick post on Facebook that I had just arrived and in just minutes Dave responded back, "I am on my way there!"
This was BBQ serendipity at its finest!
What a thrill it was to meet this legendary pitmaster by surprise at his own original restaurant (which sadly burnt down later that year). It was one gorgeous place located right on Round Lake. You can click on the link at the end of this column to read the full review. Below is a short video interview I did with Dave that very day..
I am excited to announce BBQ CRITIC will be judging the Famous Dave's All-Star Series in Sioux City, IA (July 22nd) and help spread the word online. This is going to be a fun BBQ year for me.
Based in Cedar Rapids, IA, my BBQ journey began in 2008 when I became a Certified BBQ Judge (CBJ) with the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) with my friend Mike Hall. In just two years (2010), we both became a KCBS Master BBQ Judge.
We judged almost every weekend and ventured out to contests all over the midwest. We were on fire! We both simply loved BBQ, which fueled all our road trips.
Those early days left us with a lot of great memories and we developed life-long friendships with judges, cooks and contest organizers. What really kept my interest in competition BBQ was the camaraderie among cooks, judges and everyone involved. The mutual love for BBQ is our bond and it's contagious! New cooks and judges are getting on-board each year. Now it's time to spice things up.
Recently I became a "Licensed to E.A.T." certified judge with the World Food Championships. The food entries at the All-Star BBQ Series will be judged using the WFC proprietary E.A.T. Methodology and require a silver platter turn-in process (I will be writing more about the judging process later).
A press release stated, "Judging each event will be a group of local celebrities, Famous Dave’s franchise owners, and occasionally even Famous Dave Anderson himself, who started the franchise in Hayward, Wisconsin. Their expert opinions will be critical to choosing the winners..."
Usually I am inside a building or a pop up tent to judge BBQ at a contest. The judging at this event will be presented in an open, live presentation format that consumers and fans can watch. Now that will be a different setting - and fun!
"This is an exciting moment for Famous Dave’s of America," said Dallas Massey in a press release (VP of Marketing & Off-Premise for FDA). "Competition barbecue has always been an important part of our legacy and our Brand, with Famous Dave Anderson leading the way from our very beginning in 1994. Throughout our nearly 30-year history, we've found that competitions lead to innovation for our industry."
I first met Famous Dave Anderson in 2014 at the original Famous Dave's in Hayward, WI. I was excited to finally visit this place. I made a quick post on Facebook that I had just arrived and in just minutes Dave responded back, "I am on my way there!"
This was BBQ serendipity at its finest!
What a thrill it was to meet this legendary pitmaster by surprise at his own original restaurant (which sadly burnt down later that year). It was one gorgeous place located right on Round Lake. You can click on the link at the end of this column to read the full review. Below is a short video interview I did with Dave that very day..
 BBQ CRITIC Herb Kane inside the original Famous Dave's (Hayward, WI) with America's Rib King Famous Dave Anderson |  Beautiful outdoor seating at the original Famous Dave's in Hayward, WI facing Round Lake. Gorgeous place! |
Dave recently introduced me to Dallas Massey, who then introduced me to Mike McCloud (President of WFC). This group of professionals are all on fire for this new BBQ series.
"This All-Star series will be a very exciting program for the world of Food Sport," said Mike McCloud, President of WFC. "Not only will it feature both celebrity and emerging pitmasters throughout the country, but it will be focused on educating and entertaining barbecue fans in a way that is unique and groundbreaking from a number of perspectives. From free food samples to pitmaster tips and techniques, barbecue fans will have the chance to improve their smoking skills by visiting one of these contests."
Clearly the partnership with Famous Dave's of America and the World Food Championships is a perfect match.
The World Food Championships is the highest stakes food competition in the world featuring a multi-day, live event culinary competition showcasing some of the world's best cooks who compete for food, fame and fortune. Combine that with Famous Dave's of America which has 117 locations in 31 states and two countries, including 29 company-owned and 98 franchise-operated restaurants. Famous Dave's is known for its on-premise real pit smokers, scratch-recipe cooking, and 700 national and regional awards for everything from Best Ribs to Best Barbecue Sauce to Best Cookbook. And of course there is Famous Dave Anderson himself who started it all. He will be judging some of contests. BAM!
"This All-Star series will be a very exciting program for the world of Food Sport," said Mike McCloud, President of WFC. "Not only will it feature both celebrity and emerging pitmasters throughout the country, but it will be focused on educating and entertaining barbecue fans in a way that is unique and groundbreaking from a number of perspectives. From free food samples to pitmaster tips and techniques, barbecue fans will have the chance to improve their smoking skills by visiting one of these contests."
Clearly the partnership with Famous Dave's of America and the World Food Championships is a perfect match.
The World Food Championships is the highest stakes food competition in the world featuring a multi-day, live event culinary competition showcasing some of the world's best cooks who compete for food, fame and fortune. Combine that with Famous Dave's of America which has 117 locations in 31 states and two countries, including 29 company-owned and 98 franchise-operated restaurants. Famous Dave's is known for its on-premise real pit smokers, scratch-recipe cooking, and 700 national and regional awards for everything from Best Ribs to Best Barbecue Sauce to Best Cookbook. And of course there is Famous Dave Anderson himself who started it all. He will be judging some of contests. BAM!
The Competition
The All-Star BBQ Series will include 15 events across the nation, starting in May (Las Vegas, NV) and ending in late August (Taylor, MI).
Each contest will feature six barbecue teams, a $5,000 prize purse, and two golden tickets for the Grand Champion and the Reserve Grand Champion to move on to the WFC super event in November. Now this is very exciting.
Each contestant in the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series will have to create at least three entries at the contests, including Chicken, Pork Ribs, and a special Wild Card menu dish.
Each division will have a winner. Overall points from all categories will determine the Grand prize winners of the Golden Tickets.
Teams, sign up now! There are no entry fees! You will have to register your team at www.worldfoodchampionships.com/allstars in your respective region.
Vegas Blue Diamond, Las Vegas, NV (May 13th)
El Paso, TX (June 3rd)
Hermitage/Nashville, TN (June 10th)
Long Beach, CA (June 17th)
Pacific Northwest TBD (June 24th)
Addison, IL (July 8th)
Westland, MI (July 15)
Sioux City, IA (July 22)
Billings, MT (July 29)
Colorado TBD (Aug 5th)
San Jose, CA (Aug 12th)
Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Aug 19th)
Minnetonka, MN (Aug 19th)
Taylor, MI (Aug 26th)
Massey concluded, "We couldn’t be more excited to partner with the World Food Championships and hope to motivate great barbecue teams throughout the country. We expect to see a lot of innovative ideas that can possibly be integrated into our menu as we look to bring new and exciting culinary options to our guests."
I am excited BBQ CRITIC will be a participant in the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series . Thank you, Famous Dave Anderson, for your help in making this happen.
Herb
BBQ Critic
Each contest will feature six barbecue teams, a $5,000 prize purse, and two golden tickets for the Grand Champion and the Reserve Grand Champion to move on to the WFC super event in November. Now this is very exciting.
Each contestant in the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series will have to create at least three entries at the contests, including Chicken, Pork Ribs, and a special Wild Card menu dish.
Each division will have a winner. Overall points from all categories will determine the Grand prize winners of the Golden Tickets.
Teams, sign up now! There are no entry fees! You will have to register your team at www.worldfoodchampionships.com/allstars in your respective region.
Vegas Blue Diamond, Las Vegas, NV (May 13th)
El Paso, TX (June 3rd)
Hermitage/Nashville, TN (June 10th)
Long Beach, CA (June 17th)
Pacific Northwest TBD (June 24th)
Addison, IL (July 8th)
Westland, MI (July 15)
Sioux City, IA (July 22)
Billings, MT (July 29)
Colorado TBD (Aug 5th)
San Jose, CA (Aug 12th)
Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Aug 19th)
Minnetonka, MN (Aug 19th)
Taylor, MI (Aug 26th)
Massey concluded, "We couldn’t be more excited to partner with the World Food Championships and hope to motivate great barbecue teams throughout the country. We expect to see a lot of innovative ideas that can possibly be integrated into our menu as we look to bring new and exciting culinary options to our guests."
I am excited BBQ CRITIC will be a participant in the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series . Thank you, Famous Dave Anderson, for your help in making this happen.
Herb
BBQ Critic
Related Story
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
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)
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)
Red Hot & Blue BBQ
(Cedar Rapids, IA)
Dickey's BBQ Pit
(Cedar Rapids, IA)
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