Winners Announced at Inaugural Southeastern BBQ Showdown
June 20, 2024
The first-ever Southeastern BBQ Showdown (SEBBQSD) concluded at Segra Park with a spectacular display of culinary talent, drawing competing Chefs from across the nation including Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, and even as far as Japan. BBQ enthusiasts gathered to witness top pitmasters compete for prestigious titles and hefty prizes, showcasing their skills in a variety of categories on Lang BBQ Smokers.
Champions Barbecue Alliance(CBA) served as the sanctioning body for the food sport competition. “The Southeastern BBQ Showdown was an out of the park cookoff and event, from the event Emcee – Mark Conway, to the Host – Capital City/Lake Murray Country, and the Segra Park staff – as well as the community. You would have never thought that this was a first year event with all the many moving parts and all of the organization,” shared CBA Out of State Area Ambassador – Steven Pfeiffer. CBA Board of Director/Event Representative, Ronda Pfeiffer said, “It was a great privilege and honor that Champions BBQ Alliance was chosen to run the first part of the BBQ challenge. The Southeastern BBQ Showdown was a blast and one of our favorite events. We cannot wait to see what’s in store for next!”
Robert Smith and Brian Keen of First Class BBQ from Hempstead, Texas, took home the $10,000 cash prize, the title of Grand Champion, and a Golden Ticket to compete November 8-12, 2024 at the World Food Championships (WFC) in Indianapolis, IN! First Class BBQ dazzled the judges and audience alike with their exceptional skills and flavors. Known for their dedication to BBQ perfection, First Class BBQ showcased why they are a top contender in the competitive BBQ circuit.
When asked about his team’s win, Robert Smith said, “getting to come to South Carolina to cook and have a good time was great, but taking home the Grand Championship meant a lot to us. I really didn’t think we were going to do it, but it was definitely something special to get number 1. It was a hell of a day and we sure do appreciate all that went into it.”
Rounding out the top 5 are: 1st Place Reserved – Cool Hand Rooster (GA), 2nd Place – Rio Smoke (TX), 3rd Place – Smoke Central BBQ (SC), and 4th Place – Tail-Gater Hater (SC). In addition to the top 5 placements, additional awards were presented for “Best Booth” – Backwoods Bar-B-Que (TX), and “People’s Choice” – The Sue Chefs. A second Golden Ticket to the World Food Championships was awarded to Wagyu Boys (Japan) who traveled the farthest to the competition.
Judges: Mark Henry, Chef Brian Duffy, Mayor Daniel Rickenmann
The Champions Barbecue Alliance(CBA) is the sanctioning body for the Southeastern BBQ Showdown. Champions Barbecue Alliance is committed to providing a fair and consistent judging atmosphere that the BBQ competitor deserves while keeping the values of the sport in mind. CBA is made for cooks by cooks.
Judges: Mark Henry, Chef Brian Duffy, Judi Gatson
The Southeastern BBQ Showdown is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board. Learn more at southeasternbbqshowdown.com
Get ready to fire up your taste buds and dive into the ultimate BBQ competition at the Southeastern BBQ Showdown, June 14-15, 2024! This thrilling two-day event, hosted by Capital City/Lake Murray Country and held at Segra Park (home of the Columbia, S.C. Fireflies), is not your average cook-off—it’s a sizzling celebration of all things BBQ. Over the course of 2 days, chefs from around the Southeast will compete for the “Homeplate” grand prize. The event will include a vendor expo, shag music from Band of Oz, BBQ samples, a Multi-Grammy® award-winning Alabama concert, a fireworks finale, and much more!
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