BBQ Therapy

What happens when the uniform comes off—but the mission doesn’t?

On this episode of BBQ Therapy, Tavis Bryant sits down with Ty Cobb, Matt Johnson, and Al Herro, the three veterans behind the Triple Threat Vets Podcast, for a conversation about military transition, purpose, service, resilience, and the power of listening to other people's stories.

Triple Threat Vets has built a platform around long-form conversations with veterans, active-duty service members, first responders, entrepreneurs, authors, leaders, and people from all walks of life.

With more than 150 episodes behind them, these three veterans have heard hundreds of stories about service, sacrifice, transition, success, failure, and finding purpose after the uniform.

In this conversation, we go beyond simply asking what it means to leave the military.

We talk about what happens to your identity when the structure and mission you've known for years suddenly change. We discuss the challenges of civilian life, finding purpose, building trust with guests, and what three veterans have learned by sitting across the microphone from so many different people.

We also talk about the craft of interviewing—how you get someone to open up, the difference between asking questions and actually listening, and the moments when an interview becomes something completely different than you expected.

And the conversation takes on an even deeper meaning when we discuss the Danny Dietz World Championship, the importance of competing in an event that honors a fellow service member, and what it means to carry Danny's name into the BBQ world.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE:
• Life after the military
• The challenges of transitioning to civilian life
• Finding purpose after service
• The origins of Triple Threat Vets
• Building a podcast around authentic conversations
• What more than 150 interviews have taught them
• The difference between interviewing and listening
• Building trust with difficult or guarded guests
• Lessons they've learned from veterans and first responders
• The challenges of running a podcast behind the scenes
• Their most memorable conversations
• Resilience and the common threads between people's stories
• The Danny Dietz World Championship
• Honoring a fellow service member through BBQ competition
• Service, sacrifice, purpose, and what comes next

This episode steps outside the traditional BBQ conversation, but the connection is still there.

Because whether you're standing behind a smoker, serving in the military, building a business, competing, or simply trying to figure out what's next, the same questions come up:

What is your next mission?

What have you learned from the people around you?

And what are you going to do with the next chapter?

Join us for a conversation with Ty Cobb, Matt Johnson, and Al Herro of Triple Threat Vets.

This is BBQ Therapy.

Listen. Learn. Get Inspired.

🎙️ Hosted by Tavis Bryant
🔥 BBQ Therapy Podcast
🌐 www.bbqtherapypodcast.com

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How much do you really know about the history of American barbecue?

Most of us know the regions.

Texas.

Kansas City.

Memphis.

The Carolinas.

We know the meats, the sauces, the smokers, and the traditions.

But how many of us actually know the people and cultures that shaped the barbecue we know today?

On this episode of the BBQ Therapy Podcast, I sit down with Jim Auchmutey, award-winning journalist and author of Smokelore, for a deep conversation about the history, culture, people, and stories behind American barbecue.

Jim has spent years researching barbecue and talking with pitmasters, historians, families, and communities across the country.

And what he discovered is that barbecue history is about much more than food.

It's about America.

We begin with Jim's career as a journalist and explore what first drew him toward barbecue history. We talk about his grandfather's influence, the questions that led him into this research, and the moment he realized that he wasn't simply researching a food tradition—he was uncovering stories about people, identity, culture, and American history.

We also explore the stories that almost disappeared.

Why do we remember barbecue regions so well but often forget the people who built those traditions?

How does a journalist separate family stories and barbecue folklore from documented history?

And what happens when the story you've been told for generations doesn't quite match the historical record?

Then we get into some of barbecue's biggest debates.

Who invented barbecue?

Does barbecue actually belong to one region?

Which cultures and communities deserve more recognition?

And why is trying to identify a single person or place as the "inventor" of barbecue probably the wrong way to understand its history?

Jim also explains why barbecue has such a unique ability to bring people together.

From family reunions and church events to neighborhood gatherings and competition BBQ, barbecue has always seemed to create an environment where people sit down, talk, share stories, and connect.

We discuss why that happens—and why people may remember who they shared the barbecue with long after they forget exactly what they ate.

The conversation then moves into modern barbecue.

YouTube.

Instagram.

TikTok.

Television.

Celebrity pitmasters.

Competition BBQ.

Has technology helped preserve barbecue traditions, or has it changed the culture in ways we don't fully recognize?

Jim also shares his experience as a historical consultant for The American Barbecue Showdown and what television can—and cannot—capture about barbecue culture.

This is not simply a conversation about how barbecue is cooked.

It's a conversation about where barbecue came from, who shaped it, why those stories matter, and what we risk losing if we forget them.

Because behind every smokehouse, family recipe, competition pit, and backyard cookout is a story.

And Jim Auchmutey has spent years finding those stories.

🔥 This is BBQ Therapy.

Everything BBQ. The smoke. The stories. The people. And the history behind the pit.

Subscribe to BBQ Therapy Podcast for more conversations with the people preserving, shaping, and evolving the world of barbecue.

Join the conversation:

💬 What's one thing you thought you knew about BBQ history that turned out to be wrong?

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📲 Share this episode with someone who loves barbecue history

Todd Johns didn’t just win the American Royal. He built a legacy.

In 2009, Todd Johns and Pork Pullin’ Plowboys won the American Royal Open Grand Championship—one of the defining moments of his competition BBQ career.

But winning the trophy was only part of the story.

Todd went on to build Plowboys BBQ, create some of the most recognized rubs in barbecue, enter the restaurant business, cook at Arrowhead Stadium, work with Yoder Smokers, and help shape the barbecue industry in ways that extend far beyond the competition circuit.

On this episode of the BBQ Therapy Podcast, we go behind the trophies and the products to talk about what it actually takes to build something that lasts.

Todd takes us back to his early days after moving to Kansas City, discovering barbecue, competing with Pork Pullin’ Plowboys, and learning through the losses that eventually prepared him for the American Royal.

We talk about the moment he became the 2009 American Royal Open Grand Champion, what winning actually changed, and why success can create an entirely new set of challenges.

Then we get into the business behind Plowboys BBQ.

Todd explains how a competition BBQ side project became a legitimate business, how Yardbird came to life, the development of Bovine Bold, Sweet 180, Jerk, and Fin & Feather, and what he learned about building a brand that people trust.

We also explore the restaurant chapter, including what it was like taking Plowboys BBQ from competition tables into the restaurant world and eventually into Arrowhead Stadium.

And then comes reinvention.

After years of competition, product development, and entrepreneurship, Todd found another path with Yoder Smokers. We discuss how his perspective on barbecue has changed, where he sees the industry going, and what today's younger pitmasters can learn from someone who has spent more than two decades inside the business.

But ultimately, this conversation isn't about rubs, smokers, restaurants, or trophies.

It's about obsession, risk, reinvention, failure, success, and legacy.

If you've ever wondered what happens after you win, this is the conversation.

Because the championship may be the moment everybody remembers.

But building something that lasts is the real test.

🔥 This is BBQ Therapy.

Everything BBQ. The smoke. The stories. The people. And the lessons behind the pit.

Subscribe to BBQ Therapy Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping the world of barbecue.

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**sorry for the Audio Issues outside event**

What does it take to turn a family recipe into one of the most recognizable names in barbecue?

On this episode of BBQ Therapy, Tavis Bryant sits down with Dave “Sweet Baby Ray” Raymond at NBBQA’s Nashville Fire & Flavor for the story behind the name, the sauce, and the business.

Before Sweet Baby Ray’s became a nationally recognized barbecue brand, it started with family, a nickname, a love of barbecue, and a sauce that would eventually make a major impression at the 1985 Mike Royko Ribfest.

Dave finished second out of hundreds of entries—and that moment helped reveal that the sauce might have a future far beyond the backyard.

But creating a great sauce is only part of the story.

Dave talks about the importance of branding, relationships, passion, execution, belief and recognizing an opportunity when it appears. He also shares what he learned about turning a barbecue product into a business and building a brand that could stand on its own.

In this conversation, we go beyond the bottle and get into the business of barbecue.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE:
• The story behind the “Sweet Baby Ray” nickname
• The family origins of Sweet Baby Ray’s
• Chef Larry and the importance of family
• The 1985 Mike Royko Ribfest
• How a second-place finish changed the trajectory of the sauce
• Building a recognizable BBQ brand
• Why branding matters in the food business
• Turning a product into a business
• Belief, passion, execution, relationships and luck
• Knowing when to hold on and when to let something evolve
• Protecting a brand for the next generation
• Dave’s perspective on the Sweet Baby Ray’s legacy

This conversation is about much more than barbecue sauce.

It’s about recognizing an opportunity, building something people remember, and understanding that a great product is only the beginning.

Recorded at NBBQA Nashville Fire & Flavor.

This is BBQ Therapy.

Listen. Learn. Get Inspired.

🎙️ Hosted by Tavis Bryant
🔥 BBQ Therapy Podcast
🌐 www.bbqtherapypodcast.com

#BBQTherapy #SweetBabyRays #DaveRaymond #BBQ #Barbecue #BBQSauce #BBQBusiness #BBQEntrepreneur #NBBQA #NashvilleFireAndFlavor

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What happens when barbecue becomes bigger than the pit?

On this episode of BBQ Therapy, Tavis Bryant sits down with Famous Dave Anderson, founder of Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que, for a conversation about barbecue, entrepreneurship, branding, success, loss, and finding your way back to the thing that started it all.

Dave’s barbecue journey began with a childhood love of ribs in Chicago. That passion eventually led him to open the first Famous Dave’s restaurant in Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1994. From there, he built a barbecue brand that grew far beyond a single restaurant and became nationally recognized.

But building a major brand comes with a price.

In this conversation, Dave talks about the early days of Famous Dave’s, what he understood about branding, the challenges that came with rapid growth, and what happens when the business you built becomes much larger than you ever imagined.

We also get into the personal side of entrepreneurship.

What does success cost? What happens when you lose control of something you created? And after everything you've experienced, what keeps bringing you back to barbecue?

Recorded during the NBBQA Nashville Fire & Flavor event, this is a conversation about much more than barbecue. It’s about building something, protecting a vision, dealing with change, and understanding what really matters when the smoke clears.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE:
• Dave Anderson’s introduction to barbecue
• The origins of Famous Dave’s
• Building a national BBQ brand
• The importance of storytelling and branding
• Growing from one restaurant into a much larger business
• The challenges of protecting your original vision
• The personal cost of entrepreneurship
• Success, setbacks and resilience
• What barbecue means to Dave today
• Lessons for anyone trying to build a food or BBQ business

This is BBQ Therapy.

Listen. Learn. Get Inspired.

🎙️ Hosted by Tavis Bryant
🔥 BBQ Therapy Podcast
🌐 www.bbqtherapypodcast.com

#BBQTherapy #FamousDaves #DaveAnderson #BBQ #Barbecue #BBQBusiness #BBQEntrepreneur #NBBQA #NashvilleFireAndFlavor

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Most Americans think they're pretty good at barbecue. But what if the data says otherwise?

On this episode of the BBQ Therapy Podcast, I sit down with David Eaheart, Senior Director of Communications & Brand Marketing at Seaboard Foods and one of the driving forces behind the Prairie Fresh® State of BBQ Report.

David's journey into the food world is anything but ordinary.

He studied agricultural journalism and agribusiness, earned a culinary arts degree, became an award-winning pie competitor, won Best of Show at the American Pie Council National Pie Championships, created The Chestnut Pig, and built a career around helping people better understand food.

We start with David's personal journey and the experiences that shaped his approach to food, storytelling, communications, and leadership.

Then we get into the really interesting stuff.

The 2026 Prairie Fresh State of BBQ Report surveyed more than 1,500 American grillers and uncovered a fascinating disconnect between how confident people feel about their barbecue skills and what they actually know about cooking.

Americans are confident.

But confidence doesn't always equal competence.

We break down the BBQ Confidence Gap and explore why so many backyard cooks believe they're better at barbecue than their actual knowledge suggests.

Can you properly light charcoal?

Do you know your pork cuts?

Do you know the correct temperature for cooking pork?

And how much of what you think you know about barbecue is actually based on fact versus something you simply heard along the way?

David and I also discuss some of the biggest misconceptions Americans have about pork, why people continue to avoid cooking it, and what the barbecue industry can do to make cooking pork easier and less intimidating.

But this conversation isn't just about statistics.

David explains why storytelling matters in the food industry, how his experience with award-winning pies influenced his career, and what he has learned from working behind the scenes at Seaboard Foods and Prairie Fresh.

We also talk about BBQ personality types, the future of backyard barbecue, and what everyday cooks can do to become better pitmasters.

Whether you're a competition pitmaster, backyard griller, weekend smoker, or someone who simply loves barbecue, this conversation will challenge some of the things you think you know about BBQ.

Because there's a big difference between thinking you're good at barbecue and actually understanding barbecue.

And the data is fascinating.

🔥 This is BBQ Therapy.

Everything BBQ. The smoke. The stories. The people. And the lessons behind the pit.

Subscribe to BBQ Therapy Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping barbecue, competition BBQ, backyard cooking, and the future of the industry.

Join the conversation:

💬 What's one BBQ myth you believed when you first started cooking?

👍 Like the video
🔔 Subscribe to BBQ Therapy
📲 Share this episode with your favorite backyard pitmaster

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Welcome to BBQ Therapy!BBQ Therapy is the show where pitmasters open up about their craft, their journey, and the power of barbecue to bring people together. Hosted by Tavis Bryant.

What happens behind every BBQ trophy?

The late nights.

The travel.

The missed family events.

The pressure.

The losses.

The celebrations.

And the people who stand beside the pitmaster through all of it.

On this episode of the BBQ Therapy Podcast, I sit down with Allie Kirkpatrick of Janky Leg BBQ for a conversation about the side of competition barbecue that rarely gets discussed.

When people talk about successful competition BBQ teams, they usually talk about the pitmaster, the trophies, the recipes, and the calls.

But Allie has experienced the journey from a completely different perspective.

She's been there for the early competition weekends, the long drives, the pressure, the heartbreaks, the victories—and one of the most unforgettable moments in Janky Leg BBQ history: the 2023 American Royal Open Grand Championship.

What makes that story even more remarkable is that Janky Leg initially believed they had finished fifth overall.

Days later, they discovered they were actually the Grand Champions.

We go behind that incredible moment and talk about what it felt like to experience it, what people still don't understand about what happened, and how the experience changed their perspective on competition barbecue.

But this conversation goes much deeper than the American Royal.

Allie opens up about what it's really like to build a life around competition BBQ while being married to someone who is intensely competitive.

We talk about partnership, communication, pressure, burnout, family, sacrifice, success, and the reality of supporting someone who is chasing a dream.

Because competition BBQ isn't just a competitor's commitment.

It's a family commitment.

Allie also shares her perspective on what most fans never see when they arrive at a competition and see the finished product.

The trophies are visible.

The work behind them isn't.

We talk about how barbecue has affected their marriage, what they've learned about communicating under pressure, how Allie helps Jordan process a bad weekend, and how she keeps him grounded after a great one.

And importantly, we get to know Allie herself.

Who is she outside of Janky Leg BBQ?

What brings her joy away from the competition trail?

What accomplishments is she proud of that have nothing to do with barbecue?

And after everything they've experienced, what does she believe makes all the sacrifices worthwhile?

This isn't just a conversation about competition barbecue.

It's about the people standing beside the dream.

Because sometimes the most important person at the pit isn't the person holding the tongs.

It's the person who stayed beside them through everything.

🔥 This is BBQ Therapy.

Everything BBQ. The smoke. The stories. The people. And the lessons behind the pit.

Subscribe to BBQ Therapy Podcast for more conversations with the people behind the barbecue.

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Most people experience competition barbecue from one side of the table. Michael McDearman has experienced almost all of them.

He's been a competitor chasing calls.

A restaurant owner serving customers.

A television personality on BBQ Pitmasters.

A brand representative working with companies and barbecue teams.

A KCBS Certified Barbecue Judge Instructor teaching the people who evaluate competition BBQ.

And he served as Series Director of the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour, giving him a behind-the-scenes view of some of the best competition barbecue teams in the country.

After more than 300 contests and decades inside the barbecue world, Michael has a perspective that very few people can match.

On this episode of the BBQ Therapy Podcast, we go far beyond how to cook a brisket.

We talk about what competition barbecue really looks like from the inside—and what Michael has learned from being a competitor, judge, teacher, television personality, restaurant owner, industry representative, and leader.

Michael takes us back to the beginning of his barbecue journey and the experiences that shaped the way he approaches food, leadership, teaching, and community.

We talk about his years as a competitor, the lessons he learned from losing, and what eventually separated great teams from teams that simply had talent.

We also go behind the scenes of BBQ Pitmasters and discuss what television got right—and what it couldn't possibly show viewers about the reality of competition barbecue.

Then we take a deep dive into the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour.

What was it actually like managing a national competition series?

What did competitors never see happening behind the scenes?

And what separated the consistently great teams from everyone else?

Michael also explains how becoming a judge and judge instructor changed the way he evaluates barbecue, the biggest misconceptions competitors have about judges, and what makes someone an exceptional BBQ judge.

But perhaps the most important part of the conversation is where Michael is going next.

After spending decades accumulating knowledge from every corner of the barbecue world, he created Stoking The Coalsto share that knowledge with the next generation of cooks.

We discuss why great barbecue doesn't have to be complicated, why backyard cooks often need better information rather than more information, the barbecue myths Michael has watched people believe for years, and what competition cooks can teach everyday backyard grillers.

This is a conversation about competition BBQ, leadership, education, evolution, and perspective.

Because when you've stood on nearly every side of the barbecue world, you start seeing the sport differently.

And Michael McDearman has seen a lot.

🔥 This is BBQ Therapy.

Everything BBQ. The smoke. The stories. The people. And the lessons behind the pit.

Subscribe to BBQ Therapy Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping the world of barbecue.

🔥 This week on the BBQ Therapy Podcast, we're joined by Jess and Joe Semack—the husband-and-wife team behind Motley Que, one of the most recognizable brands in competition barbecue.

Before the championship titles, award-winning products, packed cooking classes, and the honor of creating the "Best Sauce on the Planet," there were two people chasing a dream with nothing more than hard work, determination, and an obsession with great barbecue.

In this episode, Jess and Joe open up about what it really took to build Motley Que—from the long nights, financial risks, and sacrifices to creating a brand that's become synonymous with bold flavors and championship barbecue.

We also dive into the mindset behind "Feed Your Obsession," the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship, balancing marriage with business, earning respect in the competition BBQ world, and why authenticity has always been at the center of everything they do.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 The origin story of Motley Que
🔥 Building a business as husband and wife
🔥 Competition BBQ and the lessons learned from failure
🔥 Winning "Best Sauce on the Planet" at the American Royal
🔥 Developing championship rubs and sauces
🔥 The philosophy behind "Feed Your Obsession"
🔥 Entrepreneurship, branding, and staying authentic
🔥 The future of Motley Que and the legacy they hope to leave

Whether you're a competition pitmaster, backyard BBQ enthusiast, entrepreneur, or someone building a dream alongside your partner, this conversation is packed with honest insights, practical lessons, and incredible stories from one of barbecue's most respected teams.

👇 Tell us in the comments:
If you could create your own signature BBQ product, what would it be?

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• Like this video
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#BBQTherapy #MotleyQue #CompetitionBBQ #BBQPodcast #Pitmaster #AmericanRoyal #BBQBusiness #Entrepreneurship #FeedYourObsession #BBQLife

Tags

Jess Semack, Joe Semack, Motley Que, BBQ Therapy, BBQ Therapy Podcast, Competition BBQ, BBQ Podcast, American Royal, Best Sauce on the Planet, BBQ Rubs, BBQ Sauce, Championship BBQ, Pitmaster, KCBS, Canadian BBQ Society, Backyard BBQ, BBQ Business, Entrepreneurship, Feed Your Obsession, Smoked Meat, Grilling, Barbecue, BBQ Competition, Tavis Bryant