At Fat Plate BBQ, everything began with a passion for outdoor cooking. What began as a weekend hobby in our own backyard quickly turned into a passion for creating bold and creative flavors that help make your next cook your best cook. I first caught the BBQ bug over a decade and a half ago, after buying a used Primo Oval XL from Craigslist. Probably 35 different cookers later, Fat Plate BBQ was born. Somewhere in the middle of that timeline, I started competing in as many sanctioned and unsanctioned BBQ contests as I could find. Just as my competition journey was picking up, COVID hit and shut down most comps anywhere near me. My desire to continue scratching that BBQ itch manifested itself in a slightly different way. With a background in tech, I decided to use the pandemic caused downtime to start an online BBQ supply store: boostyourbbq.com. Boost Your BBQ put me in a unique position to work with highly successful teams and contacts from all across the country. I was able to use my knowledge of competition BBQ to source products, help others on their BBQ journey, and just straight up learn everything I could. At this time, the SCA had a heavy presence on the East Coast, and I started competing regularly there. Personal commitments started demanding more of my time. I was lucky enough to become a father of two kids that I wanted to spend more time with, but also my parents' health began to rapidly decline, so I sold Boost Your BBQ and took a step back from competing. My wife and I cater upon request using our line of seasonings we've spent years perfecting, and I never wanted anyone to run out of food or feel like the BBQ wasn't a good value, so we have become known for our large portion sizes (a big old fat plate of BBQ), so Fat Plate BBQ it was. Our line of seasonings have been developed from our competition recipes and feedback from highly successful KCBS teams. Fat Plate BBQ rubs have helped many teams win MULTIPLE GC's, RGC's, 180's and Golden Tickets. Our Beef Blanket rub was part of the recipe for the FIRST EVER DOUBLE PERFECT SCA scores (West Newton, PA). Our sponsored teams have placed highly at hundreds of KCBS competitions and the Jack. Fat Plate BBQ's main goal is to create killer flavor profiles that don't taste like everything else on the market. We go for creative and unique, but still "covering the bases" to achieve traditional flavor profiles. Our rubs compliment each other, and lend themselves well to layering flavors. Our soon to be released products, really raise the bar and fill the gaps in the rub and sauce categories and add to our unique offerings.

Let's talk about some BBQ topics that get people engaged on social media.

Chris Bentley of Bentley BBQ—Alabama-based pitmaster and content creator known for bold backyard BBQ, grills, smokers, and rotisserie cooking. From low-and-slow classics to hot-and-fast favorites (and even homemade ice cream), Bentley brings real-deal flavor and fire to everything he cooks.

Misty is a Seattle, Washington native with a love affair with meat. She shares her "Stories of a Seattle meat man's wife" on social platforms and may be better known as @SeattleButchersWife. Her marriage into a 3rd generation meat family was a kickstart for Misty's BBQ journey. Shifting from her long-time career in corporate retail through the pandemic, her passion for grilling became an obsession. Misty combines her creative and engaging talents with her love of smoke and meat. Her mission is to share her journey and to inspire more women to step up to the grill. From live fire to simple pellet grill cooks she's learned tips and tricks to share and has created mouthwatering pictures and videos on social media. When she's not at the grill you can find this backyard BBQ expert traveling or spending quality time with her butcher husband and their 3 children.

Dustin Jones, along with his wife Amanda and their two daughters, Addie and Anna Lois, make up a hardworking family from Mississippi who find joy in life's simple pleasures: good food, great company, and time spent together around the grill. What started as weekend cookouts and a bit of friendly competition soon evolved into something greater—Southern Char Seasonings, a family brand founded on faith, flavor, and tradition.

Dustin, a lifelong sales professional and competitive cook, built Southern Char through years of trial, tasting, and genuine passion. From our original Signature Blend to the bold new Garlic Butter Blend, every recipe is handcrafted, competition-tested, and perfected in the kitchen, designed to bring people together and make every meal memorable.

At the heart of Southern Char is a simple belief: do things the right way—with family, community, and heart. Whether you're in the backyard, at a cook-off, or gathered around the dinner table, we hope our seasonings add warmth, incredible flavor, and a touch of genuine Southern hospitality to every bite.

My name is Dylan Cromer. I am 31 years old and man, do I love to cook BBQ! I grew up eating BBQ quite a bit with my dad. I used to watch him cook Boston butts, leg quarter chickens, and ribs on the weekends, learning as much as I could in the process. I started cooking BBQ on my own around the age of 18 and have grown from there. I gained an interest in competition BBQ from the show BBQ Pitmasters. A friend reached out to me because he was starting a small competition association and told me that a guy was looking for a teammate. I jumped at the opportunity and learned all I could. I decided I was ready to start my own team, and Holy Smoke BBQ team came to life. I have been competing for three years now, with one grand championship, two first-place wins, and multiple top-10 finishes. My favorite category to cook is Boston butt!

The Kairos origin story began as the culmination of another journey. Over a decade ago I made the decision to source my meat directly from a rancher. We were going halves on a cow before your neighbor thought it was cool. The next step was a journey that took years of learning how to hunt, successfully harvesting my first big game animal and sharing the story with my friends and family.

KRAM Knives is named after my family: Kimberly, Ryan, Andrew, and Makayla. I started my company after my wife was injured at work, which led me to take care of her at home. One day, feeling bored, I walked into the garage, heated a piece of metal, and began hammering it. Eventually, the metal started taking the shape of a knife, so I added a handle. After that initial attempt, I thought to myself, "I can do better than this," and I made another knife.

I sold my first knife to a friend who had specific requirements, and he was genuinely surprised that I could create exactly what he wanted. In 2023, I attended my first show and managed to sell all but four of the knives I had made. By 2025, I invested in a heat treat oven, allowing me to start making stainless steel knives. I also began promoting my business on TikTok, which has helped me reach a wider audience.