Smoke Ring Syndicate

We are thrilled to announce that the legendary seven-time world champion, Mark Lambert, is joining us for the kickoff of 2025! You may recognize him from the hit show "Old School with Mark and Ashley" or from his inspiring presence at Cook Church, with Faith and Fires. And let's not forget about his barbecue knowledge at his shop. But do you know the full story behind his journey in the world of barbecue? Join us as we uncover where Mark Lambert started his barbecue journey and where he is headed next. Get ready for this weeks episode with the man, the myth, the legend - Mark Lambert!

Mark Lambert is a legendary figure in the world of barbecue, having won the prestigious titles repeatedly,world BBQ champion. His expertise in the art of grilling and smoking meats has made him a household name in the barbecue community. Lambert is known for his signature rubs and sauces, which are essential components in creating mouth-watering dishes that are bursting with flavor.

Lambert's rubs and sauces are carefully crafted using a combination of herbs, spices, and seasonings that have been perfected over years of experimentation and refinement around 20 years. These products are designed to enhance the natural flavors of meats and create a delicious crust that locks in moisture and flavors. Whether you're grilling chicken, ribs, brisket, or pork, Lambert's rubs and sauces are sure to take your BBQ game to the next level.

In addition to his success on the competition circuit, Lambert has also shared his expertise with aspiring pitmasters through his BBQ classes and content creation. His passion for barbecue and dedication to helping others succeed in the world of competitive cooking have earned him a loyal following of fans and students. Lambert's rubs and sauces are not just condiments – they are a testament to his commitment to excellence in all aspects of BBQ and BBQ philanthropy.

Kenneth Cunningham of North Texas BBQ Addicts gave us an insight into his world as a bbq content creator and brand ambassador in the bbq world. Kenneth, wasn’t born into bbq with a rib over a rattle as a baby and didn’t grow up along side a bbq mentor family member or that community. He did however start a group of bbq lovers based in North Texas with a certain level of commitment to the Que. An addiction that would blossom into the 300,000+ BBQ addicts in North Texas & all over the world. Building an accidental sounding board allowed Kenneth to cut his teeth on great bbq habits and in four short years left his “day job” for one that most can only dream of. This BBQ Lifestyle podcast shoots to explain and share the dream into reality that Kenneth has accomplished. From brand ambassadorships to catering to a bbq rub and content creation you’ll have to get up pretty early if you plan to catch up to this guy. If you like bbq he has a great platform to teach you the ways of the flame. https://www.ntxbbqaddict.com/ #NTBA #SmokeRingSyndicate

Go grab a snack. It’s time to eat digitally!! This is the second year we’ve done our digital cookbook. A tasty helping of BBQers, sauciers, caterers and even a digital marketing manager joined us this year with DELICIOUS recipes and stories from around their holiday tables. From having to make three and hour pans of the dish to perfect 180 competitive scores these recipes are amazing. Very proud to have these folks as mentors and friends. You will need a snack before you start this episode!! The second helping is gunna be delicious! #SmokeRingSyndicate #BBQ #ThePeoplesPitmaster #LeeAnnWhippen #NickCooksBBQ #MikeSilverstein #UncleStevesShake #BillOakley

Rub & Sauce entrepreneur?

Get ready to fire up the grill and tantalize your taste buds in this sizzling episode of The Smoke Ring Syndicate. This week, we're joined by the mastermind behind Uncle Steve’s Shake, a Texas-born BBQ rub and seasoning company that's taking the culinary world by storm. From humble beginnings in a home kitchen to securing spots on the shelves of Buc-ee’s and major online retailers, Uncle Steve's journey is nothing short of inspiring.

Join us as we dive into the secrets behind crafting the perfect BBQ rub, the challenges and triumphs of breaking into the competitive retail market, and the thrill of scoring big wins on the BBQ competition trail. Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a backyard grilling enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights and tips that will elevate your BBQ game to the next level.

Tune in to discover how passion, perseverance, and a pinch of Texas flair can turn a homemade recipe into a nationwide sensation. Don't miss out on this flavorful conversation with Uncle Steve himself—your BBQ adventures will never be the same

Come chat with your Uncle Steve… Everyone’s favorite Uncle. Uncle Steve aka Steve Brown, Steve definitely paid his wifi bill… brief interruptions were and are a part but we’ll be back each time —stay tuned. Uncle Steve’s Shake the origin story coming to you here the ups and downs the process of building a business, the process of blending the actual rubs. We dove into Uncle Steve’s quest to get his product on the store shelves, in particular his journey to bring his shake to the biggest gas stations around. That’s right, Buc-ee’s shelves the first store front option for the shake… we chatted about his process and changes required to make it happen. Blending the exact science and how a small change in sourcing can change it all. The process of building a rub empire starts with a signature rub and builds from there, compounding rubs while seemingly an easy process holds so many more secrets and we got to dove deep into the brain of #UncleStevesShake founder and got so many helpful tips and tricks that I hadn’t thought about, which after we wrapped had me thinking I might take a swing at rubs one day again. I didn’t get the birthday cards growing up from Uncle Steve but I’m glad I’ve got him as bbq family now, and I hope you feel the same way after listening to this episode. Bring your notebook bc the class is in session. https://unclestevesshake.com

What’s in a name? Daryl Walker aka Sweetie has been in the bbq game for some time now. As a competitive bbq cook, as a backyard warrior, as a food truck operator, as a restaurateur, as a rub and sauce maker. He even did a little TV time for bbq. This makes him super well rounded as a Pitmaster but he remains the ultra humble guy in the room. Sweetie is also the guy that you know exactly how he feels. Especially when it’s a winning weekend, dancing, singing, hooting, passing out or shedding a bit of a tear as he makes his way to the top. His raw emotion is as real as it gets. It’s why the TV folks were after him to be on the show it’s why he is one of my favorite bbq guys. He is real, he is raw, he is talent. The real deal trying to make his family proud and doing a great job at it. Sweetie was one of my favorites to have on the show and I can’t lie talking to him gets you in your feelings too.

Humble. Gary Lanton and his lovely wife Dionn have been a big influence in the world of BBQ. We chatted about their journey in bbq from the roadside trailer kitchen onto the current location a brick and mortar store. Now taking ownership of a local breakfast icon of the area. But the big tv publishing of their bbq career didn’t even come up in our conversation. Which kind of surprised me since they had such public success and the TV fame as a tail wind. They used their power of taste in their local area to capitalize on the bbq need in the area without as seen on TV stickers and have been quite successful in the boots on the ground grinding and hustling bbq game. Along the way using his construction background to build the business’s building with his hand and skill. The truest form of blood sweat and tears. But bbq guys don’t cry. Gary and Dionn have been figureheads in the bbq restaurant industry, and now with a newly owned established location coming in and injecting their hard work and taste into it as well with a house made sausage that they created and will be a beacon of breakfast on the menu along side the 30 plus year biscuit recipe for another 30 years or more. We spoke about this and so much more if you are a restaurant owner or have ever been to one this is a great insider gaze into the restaurant world. https://dublinbbq.com TheSmokeRingSyndicate.com

We got to sit down with Nate Shaffer and chat about his BBQ restaurant. From Wiley McCrary founder of Wiley’s Championship Barbecue. He started with catering back inn the early 80s. Transitioning into competitive bbq. Winning countless awards and trophy’s. In 2005 Wiley, along with Janet his wife, fulfilled a lifelong dream and moved to Savannah, GA to make it their home and create a new business, their restaurant Wiley's Championship BBQ opening September 12, 2008. Fast forward to 2019 new owners Nate and Melinda Shaffer took over the reins from Wiley McCrary. After learning the business directly. Today, Nate and Melinda continue to rack up accolades and awards of a different kind, TV and internet awards; with highlights on Canadian Food Networks Big Food Bucket List and YouTube sensation Jolly with over 2.7 million view "Brits try BBQ for the First Time" with MasterChef Noah Simms sampling BBQ. It’s a hard life running a restaurant but Nate and his crew do it in stride and make it look easy.

Hold your Horses, you can’t rush perfection… With that we aren’t editing this episode; we’re just happy to be back with podcast episodes in general!

Cary Chasteen joins us for a competition bbq lifestyle. How 40 plus weeks on the road doing competitive bbq might wear you out. Kitty even be considered work for some folks… Cary grew up with the typical Sunday supper around the table and hog harvest time was a block pit feeding friends and neighbors. The competition world was introduced in the 2014-15 year range and quickly became something to chase, for Cary. Who himself now teaches bbq classes for both the competition world and the backyard bbq world. He attended several classes to cut the learning curve by years. Since then Cary has walked across many stages often and last plenty of times. Earning his way into all the big league competitions like The Jack, The Royal, MIM & plenty of other stages. All of which accomplished dragging his own wagon adorned in Hold Your Horses lettering, no coattail competitions for him. You can imagine a rigorous schedule like this doesn’t lend freetime easily, but loving the bbq lifestyle means teaching classes for the novice and the competitive side too.

Chef John Pannell stops by the Smoke Ring Syndicate for this weeks podcast episode. I’ve been patiently awaiting our schedules to align since our cook together for comedian Burt Kreischer’s tour with leading men and women of comedy. Even adding Jelly Roll to the list of recipients of the food. This week we dove into his early years peeling potatoes as a “sous chef” to his mother, and assisting his dad on the grill. John found his personal passion early in life with food. Working his way through restaurants eventually under a great French chef who encouraged him to take the next step into becoming a chef. Fresh out of Le Cordon Bleu he worked in nearly every world cuisine’s kitchens. Eventually landing back in Ga & with his business partner in tow they created a restaurant that captured the attention of local entrepreneur and fan of a great Philly cheese steak, Ray Carnes. Ray co-owns Recteq grills and frequently enjoyed Chef John’s creations. Even requesting to meet the chef to praise his work in food as a foodie himself. When the grill company announced they were looking for personality for their social media Chef John threw his hat in the ring. Unbeknown I him they had history in John’s restaurant, so Ray knew having that steak sandwich sculptor on staff was a great idea. Beginning as a part time endeavor Ray soon realized it wise to have such a majestic show pony for the grill company and captured Chef John. Building recipes around the grills, on air personality, cooking for celebrities, news casts and even movie sets and shows Chef John grew. His personal brand as well as the grill company’s chef de cuisine personality stroll hand in hand as the same food expert person. Authenticity is huge in Food based social media and his work on both his personal and Recteq content is seamless in the content space, allowing Chef/Pitmaster John to grow both. An important aspect if you’re going to be saddled with a branded saddle, you need to be the brand, or good with being the brands idea, or be with a company that allows you to be you on all fronts. Which lucky for Chef is option 3 with Recteq. Fresh off a TV program cook, gearing up for out of state cooking for the likes of Warren Sapp maybe even Coach Prime out in Colorado this fall. Chef John is living a dream many in the content creation world have aspirations for with the high caliber team in the folks at Recteq. Videography sound folks, marketing professionals and so much more for bouncing ideas tasting recipes and generally pushing the love of bbq to the world, what it’s all about. We could definitely do another hour or more but you just pulled up to your destination and it’s time to go to work.

83: Pearls in bbq.

Tina Cannon, a 29+ year veteran of the kitchen and bbq joins us at the pit. Checking boxes for food skills and techniques has been what drove her to learn as much as she could about bbq. From making charcoal in her upcoming whole hog block pit bbq class to making plates of perfection for the World Food Championship events. Unshakable. This ms has been on five different TV programs leading the way for herself to victory in some cases and lessons in others. All e-bike rocking a set of pearls as only Tina Cannon can, with a splash of bbq sauce likely. Catch her here in Atlanta Ga at one of her many upcoming events and classes. TinaCannonCooks.com

If you can’t come to Ga to learn you can at least experience her flavor with one of her 5 rubs & spice blends, or her Fresno chili pepper sauce, eat your heart out Bobby Flay…