Wise Guys BBQ

From a gas station kitchen in South Carolina to the bright lights of Food Network, Chris Williams has built an incredible career in barbecue. In this episode of the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, we're joined by the founder of Roy's Grille to talk about family, food, competition BBQ, Gullah Geechee culture, and the determination it takes to build a successful barbecue restaurant.

Chris grew up in rural Olar, South Carolina, learning to cook from his grandmother and developing a passion for food that would eventually change his life.

What started as a small restaurant inside a gas station became Roy's Grille, a South Carolina BBQ destination known for its creative cooking, Southern hospitality, and unforgettable flavors.

Along the way, Chris earned a second-place finish at the World Food Championships and made his way to Food Network's Pitmasters.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE:

🥩 How Chris Williams started Roy's Grille inside a gas station

🔥 Growing up in rural South Carolina and learning to cook from family

🏆 Competing at the World Food Championships

📺 The journey to Food Network's Pitmasters

🍖 The difference between cooking barbecue and becoming a true pitmaster

🌎 Gullah Geechee culture and its influence on Southern cooking

🍗 South Carolina BBQ traditions, regional flavors, and sauces

👨‍🍳 How Chris developed his signature Carolina Korean dish

❤️ The family legacy and work ethic behind Roy's Grille

💡 Lessons in entrepreneurship, perseverance, and building a successful restaurant

Whether you're a backyard BBQ enthusiast, competition pitmaster, restaurant owner, or simply someone who loves a great success story, Chris Williams brings plenty of inspiration, laughs, and barbecue knowledge to the table.

🎙️ ABOUT WISE GUYS BBQ

Wise Guys BBQ brings together pitmasters, chefs, barbecue legends, and passionate food lovers to share their stories, cooking techniques, and experiences. From competition barbecue to backyard grilling, we're all about great food and the people behind it.

🔥 Subscribe for more BBQ podcasts, pitmaster interviews, BBQ recipes, and competition cooking tips!

🌐 Visit us: https://wiseguysbbq.com

🔔 Subscribe to Wise Guys BBQ and join the family!

💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Would you ever expect to find a great steak or award-winning barbecue inside a gas station? Let us know in the comments!

#ChrisWilliams #RoysGrille #WiseGuysBBQ #BBQPodcast #SouthCarolinaBBQ #Pitmaster #FoodNetwork #GullahGeechee

What happens when a computer programmer decides to “hack” barbecue? You get Harry Soo, the legendary pitmaster behind Slap Yo’ Daddy BBQ.

Harry joins the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast to share the incredible story of how a simple bucket-list challenge turned into a championship barbecue career, hundreds of trophies, an appearance on BBQ Pitmasters, and a lifetime dedicated to teaching others the art of barbecue.

Harry breaks down how he approached brisket like a computer programmer using a “brute force attack,” cooking it over and over while documenting everything from smoke and wood to moisture, bark, temperature, and tenderness.

🔥 In this episode:

🥩 How Harry Soo accidentally got into competition BBQ

🏆 The story behind the Slap Yo’ Daddy BBQ name

📺 How a random phone call landed him on BBQ Pitmasters

🔥 Harry’s four “tribes” of barbecue: ultra low and slow, low and slow, hot and fast, and ultra hot and fast

🥩 Why brisket became one of his favorite competition meats

🧠 How his background in technology changed the way he approaches barbecue

🏆 Why Harry donated hundreds of his BBQ trophies

🌎 What teaching barbecue around the world taught him

❤️ His philosophy of feeding, serving, teaching, and giving back

Harry also explains why there isn’t just one “correct” way to cook barbecue and why techniques should change depending on whether you’re a backyard cook, competition pitmaster, restaurant owner, or caterer.

This conversation goes far beyond barbecue. Harry shares lessons about humility, fear, failure, kindness, and why he believes the later stages of life should be about giving your knowledge away.

Pull up a chair and meet one of the most fascinating personalities in barbecue.

#HarrySoo #SlapYoDaddyBBQ #BBQPodcast #CompetitionBBQ #Brisket #BBQPitmasters #WiseGuysBBQ

What does it take to go from a home cook learning barbecue through YouTube videos to becoming a five-time Canadian BBQ champion?

On this episode of Wise Guys BBQ, Vin and Charlie sit down with Janice SmellaQue of SmellaQue BBQ, one of Canada’s most accomplished competition barbecue cooks. Janice shares how a barbecue trip through Texas, including a life-changing stop at Franklin Barbecue, inspired her and her husband to buy their first smoker and eventually jump headfirst into competition BBQ.

Janice takes us inside her journey through the competitive barbecue world, including cooking KCBS competitions, competing at the American Royal and Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue, and even winning a contest where her only goal was to successfully turn in all four meats.

She also talks about the science behind great barbecue, learning unfamiliar smokers on the fly, the challenges of cooking BBQ in Canada, open-fire cooking, Texas barbecue, and why getting outside your comfort zone can make you a better pitmaster.

🔥 In this episode:

🥩 How Texas barbecue started Janice’s BBQ obsession

🏆 Her journey to becoming a five-time Canadian BBQ champion

🔥 The hilarious story of winning brisket after thinking she burned it

💨 Learning competition BBQ through experimentation and repetition

🧪 The science and curiosity behind her cooking style

🇨🇦 What makes barbecue different in Canada

🍖 Her thoughts on Franklin Barbecue, Burnt Bean, 2M Smokehouse and Texas BBQ

🏆 Competing at the American Royal and Jack Daniel’s Invitational

🔥 Why stepping outside your comfort zone matters in barbecue

Whether you're a backyard cook, competition pitmaster, or just obsessed with great BBQ, Janice’s story is proof that curiosity, experimentation, and a competitive streak can take you a long way.

#competitionbbq #bbq #JackDanielsBBQ #WiseGuysBBQ #BBQPodcast #SmokedMeat #pitmaster

John from Grandpa Val’s joins the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast to share his unlikely journey from washing dishes in a New York City barbecue restaurant to becoming an executive pitmaster and competing on some of barbecue’s biggest stages.

John explains how he worked his way into the pits at John Brown Smokehouse, won New York’s King of Brisket competition, and eventually entered the world of competition BBQ with his uncle. After earning a Grand Championship at only their third contest, Grandpa Val’s developed into one of the most consistent teams on the Northeast barbecue circuit—eventually earning an invitation to The Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue.

In this episode, John breaks down:

Why competition barbecue requires flavor restraint

How regional preferences can influence BBQ judging

What certified and non-certified judges expect

Why tenderness and texture matter more than overpowering flavor

His strategy for competition chicken, ribs, pulled pork, and brisket

The unforgettable American Royal brisket call

Preparing for The Jack without regularly practicing

The best barbecue restaurants to visit in New York City

The family story behind the name Grandpa Val’s

Launching Grandpa Val’s Smoking Meats on Long Island

This conversation is packed with honest competition BBQ advice, New York barbecue stories, judging strategy, and lessons learned across more than 50 contests.

Subscribe to Wise Guys BBQ for more conversations with pitmasters, competition cooks, restaurant owners, and the people shaping barbecue culture.

0:00 The Origin of Grandpa Val

1:08 The Path to the Pit

3:00 First Competition Wins

4:54 Competing During a Global Shift

7:58 The Logistics of No-Practice Cooking

12:21 Regional Flavor Profiles

29:10 Future Projects and Catering

#CompetitionBBQ #GrandpaVals #WiseGuysBBQ #BBQPodcast #TheJack #AmericanRoyal #NewYorkBBQ #Pitmaster

Sterling Smith of Loot N’ Booty BBQ joins the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast to talk competition barbecue, championship chicken, BBQ rubs, and what it really takes to become a world champion pitmaster. From a disastrous backyard pork butt to the American Royal stage, Smitty’s story proves that great barbecue takes more than a secret seasoning.

A U.S. Navy veteran, former commercial banker, and 2022 World Food Barbecue Champion, Sterling shares how a workplace BBQ competition sparked an entirely new career. We discuss his perfect-score chicken at the American Royal Invitational, two American Royal Open Reserve Grand Championships, and the adjustment to his pork and brisket that helped turn a disappointing cook into a breakthrough finish.

Sterling also explains why preparation, repetition, and knowing how to recover when a cook goes wrong matter so much. Plus, hear how he tackled competition lamb in Australia, built the Loot N’ Booty BBQ seasoning brand, and found a passion for teaching backyard cooks around the world.

🔥 In this episode:

• The military mindset behind Sterling’s competition BBQ approach

• Turning chicken from a weak spot into a winning category

• How BBQ classes and shared knowledge have raised the competition

• A Celsius mix-up that nearly wrecked an Australian cook

• Smoking, wrapping, holding, and finishing meat

• Bringing competition-tested rubs into backyard BBQ and everyday cooking

• The family support behind building a barbecue business

Whether you’re learning to smoke meat, entering your first BBQ competition, or chasing more consistent results on your smoker, this conversation is packed with perspective from a pitmaster who has put in the work.

Subscribe to Wise Guys BBQ for more pitmaster interviews, barbecue conversations, and cooking inspiration. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a cook that went wrong? Tell us in the comments!

0:00 Intro

0:33 From Navy Service to BBQ Champion

2:05 The Price of Competition

3:18 Southern Roots and Kitchen Beginnings

5:06 Navy Life and Finding Home

7:24 The Military Mindset in BBQ

11:49 The Unexpected Banking Career

22:23 The 2014 American Royal Breakthrough

#WiseGuysBBQ #LootNBootyBBQ #BBQPodcast

Alexia DiGilio-Mancini of U Had Me at Kitchen joins the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast—and this one is pure Rhode Island.

Alexia takes us from her early days in the music business to building U Had Me at Kitchen, competing as Cook #63 on Food Network’s 100 Cooks, meeting and working with Terry Crews, and fighting her way into the Top 10.

We also get into the heart of Alexia’s cooking: her Italian-American family, Mama Mary, Christmas Eve traditions, Sunday gravy, and the recipes and memories behind her new cookbook, Bring Back Sunday Dinner.

Then Tommy the Butcher makes Alexia an offer she can't refuse: What happens when Italian-American cooking meets real barbecue?

That collaboration is coming.

How do you win Memphis in May two years in a row? Championship pitmaster Heath Riles joins the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast to break down the competition BBQ techniques, rib strategy, consistency, and mindset behind his historic back-to-back Memphis in May Grand Championships.

With more than 80 BBQ championships to his name, Heath Riles has spent decades competing against some of the best pitmasters in barbecue. In this episode, Heath takes us back to how he got started in competition BBQ in 1997, eventually built Heath Riles BBQ, and went from cooking dozens of competitions a year to growing one of the most recognizable brands in barbecue.

Heath also gets deep into the details of his championship rib program. He explains why his team cooks around 24 slabs at Memphis in May, why he personally seasons and checks every rack, how warming his butter bath keeps the ribs from being “cold shocked,” how he manages tenderness and timing, and the resting technique he uses before judging.

We also talk about the importance of building the right competition BBQ team, getting enough rest before the big cook, practicing for contests like the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue, live-fire cooking, growing a BBQ brand, creating cooking content, and what beginners really need to start making better barbecue at home.

Plus, Heath shares what keeps him motivated after decades in barbecue, what’s happening next with Heath Riles BBQ, and why you don’t need an expensive smoker to make great food.

Whether you’re into competition BBQ, Memphis in May, BBQ ribs, grilling, smoking meat, live-fire cooking, BBQ rubs and sauces, or just want to learn how one of the best pitmasters in the business approaches a cook, this episode is packed with insight.

🔥 Subscribe to Wise Guys BBQ for more BBQ podcasts, recipes, pitmaster interviews, competition barbecue, BBQ road trips, and backyard cooking.

#HeathRiles #MemphisInMay #CompetitionBBQ #BBQPodcast #WiseGuysBBQ

What if sausage isn’t just part of Texas BBQ… but one of the reasons Texas BBQ became what it is today?

On this episode of the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, we sit down with **Bill Dumas, better known as the Sausage Sensei**, for a deep dive into the history, science, creativity, and business of sausage.

Bill explains how the Bavarian and Bohemian meat markets of Central Texas helped shape the market-style barbecue we know today, why sausage became the “vehicle of economy” for BBQ restaurants, and how brisket trim can be transformed into something just as memorable as the brisket itself.

We also get into the science behind making great sausage, why Bill considers sausage an **edible art form**, and some of his wildest creations—including **peach cobbler sausage, jalapeño cheese sausage, the Ozzy Osbourne-inspired “Prince of Darkness,” a red, white & blue sausage, and even a seafood paella sausage made with redfish.**

Bill also shares his journey from working at **Smokey Denmark Smoked Meats** to developing the sausage program at **Brotherton’s Black Iron Barbecue**, teaching sausage classes around the world, appearing at Australia’s Meatstock festival, and building the next chapter of Sausage Sensei.

If you love **Texas BBQ, sausage making, barbecue history, meat science, or just hearing from someone who has dedicated his life to the craft**, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Learn professional barbecue techniques directly from experienced pitmasters. Get actionable advice on mastering barbecue cooking.

This conversation features experts from Wise Guys BBQ sharing their specialized approach to smoking meat. We break down the essential methods these pitmasters use to achieve consistent results, making this an ideal resource for anyone looking to refine their backyard cooking skills or understand the industry standards for great barbecue.

Whether you are a casual griller or working toward professional barbecue techniques, these insights provide a clear look at what separates good food from great food. We discuss the nuances of heat control, wood selection, and equipment management as practiced by the Wise Guys BBQ team. By applying this BBQ cooking tips knowledge, you can improve your next session at the smoker.

Subscribe for weekly pitmaster interviews and professional smoking meat advice, and comment which barbecue technique you want us to cover next.

#TexasBBQ #SausageMaking #BBQPodcast #podcast #sausage

Jeremy Yoder of Mad Scientist Barbecue joins the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast for a deep dive into barbecue science, live-fire cooking, offset smokers, brisket, pitmaster techniques, and the journey behind one of the most respected BBQ channels on YouTube.

Jeremy takes us back to the beginning—from buying a cheap grill as a high school powerlifter and studying biochemistry, to working as a teacher, starting a barbecue catering business, and eventually turning Mad Scientist Barbecue into a full-time career.

He also shares a story he says he’s never told publicly before about an early phone call with Yoder Smokers and why that interaction ultimately led him to choose a different offset smoker.

We also go behind the scenes of Jeremy’s grueling live-fire competition experience, where limited equipment, strict time constraints, homemade cooking setups, and very little sleep forced him to adapt on the fly.

Jeremy opens up about what he’s learned from some of the biggest names in barbecue, including Aaron Franklin, Evan LeRoy, Goldee’s Barbecue, Bar-A-BBQ, and his friend Al. He explains why Franklin Barbecue remains his personal gold standard for brisket and why the openness and transparency of the barbecue community has played such a major role in his own approach to teaching.

Plus, we get into:

🔥 How Jeremy uses science to understand better barbecue

🔥 The early days of Mad Scientist Barbecue

🔥 Why he doesn’t worry much about the YouTube algorithm

🔥 The untold Yoder Smokers story

🔥 Surviving an exhausting live-fire cooking competition

🔥 What makes great brisket his benchmark for barbecue

🔥 Cooking Basque cheesecake on a smoker

🔥 His upcoming trip to Lima, Peru for an international barbecue festival

🔥 Smoked ceviche, grilled guinea pig, and exploring Peruvian food

🔥 His upcoming scientific experiment comparing smoke from pellet grills, Weber Smokey Mountains, and offset smokers

🔥 Using laboratory equipment to measure what’s actually in barbecue smoke

🔥 Why great pitmasters are willing to share what they know

🔥 The barbecue creators and pitmasters Jeremy admires today

Whether you’re trying to improve your brisket, master an offset smoker, understand clean smoke, learn live-fire cooking, or simply want to hear the story behind Mad Scientist Barbecue, this conversation with Jeremy Yoder is packed with BBQ knowledge, stories, and plenty of laughs.

Subscribe to Wise Guys BBQ for more pitmaster interviews, barbecue science, BBQ recipes, competition barbecue, live-fire cooking, and conversations with the people shaping barbecue today.

#MadScientistBarbecue

In this episode of the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, hosts Vin Porcaro and Charlie Baldwin sit down with Susie Bulloch, the founder of Hey Grill Hey, one of the most recognized names in backyard barbecue.

What started as a passion for sharing recipes has grown into a nationally recognized BBQ brand featuring hundreds of recipes, award-winning sauces and rubs, online classes, a thriving community, and the bestselling cookbook Backyard BBQ Hero.

Join Vin and Charlie as they dive into Susie's incredible journey—from building a food blog into a BBQ empire to Pitmasters Food Network and becoming one of the most influential educators in outdoor cooking. They discuss recipe development, entrepreneurship, family, the evolution of Hey Grill Hey, the future of barbecue, and what it really takes to inspire millions of backyard pitmasters.

Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster, a weekend griller, or just getting started, this conversation is packed with inspiration, practical advice, and plenty of laughs.