On August 2nd and 3rd, the first “World BBQ Championship” and BBQ Festival in the Eastern United States were held in New York by New Century and Great Events USA. The competition attracted 50 teams from 20 states across the US, showcasing the highest level of American barbecue. Professional judges from the prestigious barbecue certification organization, Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS), praised the event as being of world-class standard.
This competition has always been a closed event not open to the public, according to Pang Jin, the head of the organizing company New Century. However, in a unique twist, a “BBQ Festival” was held alongside the competition, which was free for spectators and featured award-winning teams cooking barbecue on site.
The first day saw certified and invited barbecue chefs, including 8 world champion teams, competing under the scrutiny of the most authoritative judges from the United States.
“We are honored to cooperate with the highly professional Great Events USA for the first time in the East Coast. We are pleased they chose us,” said Pang Jin. “Our location in Orange County boasts beautiful scenery, and we hope to make New Century a renowned event organizer by hosting a variety of family-friendly activities, enriching the local community and contributing to tourism and economic development efforts.”
The competition was held at the former site of a racecourse in Port Jervis, Orange County, New York, where New Century is currently based.
According to Jeremy Garrett, one of the co-organizers, this championship is not only a world-class event but also the only one of its kind held on the East Coast.
“We started this competition in 2017. Usually, such events are held in Tennessee, Kansas, or Texas, not on the East Coast. However, as the recent champions have predominantly come from the Northeast, we decided it was time to host the World Championship in this region,” said Garrett, who hails from Oklahoma. “We have been in close communication with all teams, and they are impressed by the professionalism and courtesy shown by the organizers and the venue.”
Participants from across the country began preparing their barbecue specialties early in the morning, presenting their best cuts of beef brisket, chicken thighs, pork ribs, and pork loin to the judges starting from 10 a.m.
Judges evaluated the barbecue based on appearance, taste, juiciness, tenderness, and overall impression. The top 15 entries in four categories and the top 10 overall were selected.
The overall champion of the competition, receiving a prize of $15,000, was the husband-wife duo from Smokey D’s BBQ in Iowa, Darren and Sherry Warth, who scored 711 out of a perfect 725. This marked their sixth participation in the competition.
“We are extremely excited, almost overwhelmed. We traveled all the way from Des Moines, Iowa, 1100 miles, just for that trophy. Money doesn’t matter to us, it’s all about that trophy,” said Warth, who had previously won another major prize in a barbecue competition in New York City.
Discussing the secret to winning the barbecue championship, Warth emphasized the importance of consistency.
“Don’t try to impress the judges, just focus on consistency. Whether it’s taste or tenderness, stay consistent throughout,” he said. “This is a highly competitive event, especially with teams from the East Coast. We had never competed on the East Coast before, but with the help of many friends from the Northeast, we made changes in our ribs, smokers, seasonings, sauces…we practically changed our entire original plan to win this competition, and it’s incredibly exciting!”
The participants invited to the competition on August 2nd were skilled barbecue enthusiasts from the United States, many of whom pursue barbecue as a hobby while having full-time jobs. For example, Chiles Cridlin from Virginia, who works in computer-related fields during the week and competes in barbecue contests on weekends. Over the past 6 years, he has won numerous awards, although this was his first time in New York.
“Judges look for outstanding yet ordinary barbecue. It can’t just be about the sauce; they need to taste the meat while ensuring it’s not too sweet or salty, but balanced,” explained Cridlin, while demonstrating detailed barbecue techniques and equipment to VIP guests, including Orange County Councilwoman Janet Sutherland. “We use fresh beef brisket imported from Australia, not the $300 kind. It’s not worth spending a morning participating in a competition with subpar meat, as it may be too lean or fatty.”
Cridlin shared with Epoch Times that his key to winning the competition is “attention to detail.”
“To achieve the perfect tenderness, I must remember every step. Whether making sauce, seasonings, or anything else, I weigh everything precisely, down to a quarter of an ounce or even a tenth of an ounce,” he said. “I strive for consistency. Since I can’t control the quality of the meat, there are variations in the brisket and chicken thighs, such as fat content, etc…so my approach also applies to other proteins I place in the smoker.”
In the end, Cridlin secured the 2nd spot in the pork category and the 10th position for chicken.
Participants from all over the United States, with various accents, often attended as a family, including couples, siblings, and multiple generations, highlighting the sense of family within the American barbecue culture.
Lynn Keltner and her spouse from Tennessee, competing for the first time in New York, under the team name “Rooters N Tooters,” claimed the 9th spot in the chicken category and the 13th overall.
“We flew here, carrying just two bags. Everything else was borrowed, from a trailer to a smoker and a canopy. The team generously helped us transport these items, so when we arrived, everything was set up perfectly. It truly feels like a ‘barbecue family,’ it’s amazing!” Keltner’s wife said, sharing their 30-year love of barbecue. “We cooked chicken, pork ribs, pork butt, and beef brisket. This is just a hobby for us; we both have full-time jobs, but the contest is fantastic. We wanted to win; our chicken was great, the brisket was fantastic, though ribs were our weakest, but even if we don’t win, we had a great time.”
Justin and his brother-in-law from the Sauce Em & Toss Em BBQ team from southern New Jersey, near Philadelphia, also registered KCBS barbecue competitors. They couldn’t recall how many awards they’ve won. One works as a plumber and the other as a salesman, and they participate in contests for the enjoyment it brings.
“Some people aim for the prize money, but we do it for fun. If you’re not having fun, it’s not worth it,” Justin expressed. “This place is like a family; these barbecue enthusiasts are my best friends, my second family.”
Indeed, as the organizers announced the winners of various awards at 5 p.m., each name called out was met with cheers from the audience, reflecting the camaraderie and spirit of the barbecue community.
One of the judges, Jeff Chambers from KCBS, noted that the competition featured highly experienced participants and top-tier skills.
“The competition ran smoothly, just as we had hoped. Some elite teams stood out, making this truly world-class in the barbecue industry,” he said. “We are looking forward to next year’s competition; the service here is excellent, and the staff is great. Overall, it was a fantastic experience.”
On August 2nd, the competition also offered a “VIP Experience” where select guests could enter the competition area with judges, observe the participants’ tools and processes, and taste the entries.
Mr. Tian, a Chinese VIP customer, expressed his unique experience after visiting the competition area.
“I went directly to their kitchen car to watch the whole process, what they used, how they cut different meats, marinate, inject, and finally package…you can ask any question you want,” Tian said. “The judging standards are very different from what we are accustomed to in everyday cooking. For us Chinese, we aim for melt-in-the-mouth tenderness, while the judges don’t want it too soft; Westerners still prefer taste, and the judges don’t want it overly sweet. And if the taste overpowers the meat, it’s a low score.”
The competition on August 3rd was the “New York State BBQ Championship,” a paid-entry event ($1,000), allowing anyone to compete. However, only those with a KCBS certification were eligible for the professional barbecue contest, attracting a large number of participants.
Co-organizer Garrett stated that the success of this competition had already led to planning for next year’s event.