KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nine local Kansas City barbecue restaurants will participate in the 'Kansas City Smoke Show' competition that will take place on the last day of the NFL Draft.
The event will be an all-day celebration featuring cooking competitions among the best pitmasters in the Kansas City area and a rib-eating contest to determine which restaurant is the king of Kansas City barbecue.
Many of the barbecue joints that are participating in the event were among the ones that KSHB 41 took a look at during the 2023 Kansas City BBQ Draft.
Fans attending the draft can get barbecue samples during the competition.
The event will be hosted by former Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz.
Below is a full list of each restaurant participating in the competition along with their respective pitmaster(s):
- Justin Easterwood and Chris Kent II, Chef J BBQ
- Bre Via & Brad Colter, Smoke N' Magic
- Andy Groneman, Smoke on Wheels
- Josh DeWitt and Jeremy Williams, JDQ BBQ
- Joe and Mike Pearce, Slaps BBQ
- Brandon Simpson, Jazzy's B's
- Megan Day, Burnt Finger BBQ
- Scott Umscheid, Scott's Kitchen and Catering at Hanger 29
- Dan Hathaway, Joe's KC BBQ
In addition, nine pitmasters will do demonstrations during the event. Here is the full list of the pitmasters in addition to the restaurant they represent.
- Jared Wolfe, Wolfepack BBQ
- Philip Thompson, Q39
- Andrew Miller, Arthur Bryant's BBQ
- Colin Shipley-Gates and George Gates, Gates Bar-B-Q
- Joe and Mike Pearce, Slaps BBQ
- Dan Hathaway, Joe's KC BBQ
- Ted Liberda, Buck Tui BBQ
- Rory Asher, Juan Beltran, Logan Gaspard and Josh Broderick, Jack Stack BBQ
- Justin Easterwood, Chef J BBQ
Five of the BBQ restaurants who are either participating in the competition or doing demonstrations— Q39, Chef J BBQ, Jazzy B BBQ, Scott's Kitchen, and Buck Tui— will also be among the 20 vendors for the NFL Draft weekend.
Here's the full list of food vendors that will be at the NFL Draft Experience all weekend:
- Baba's Pantry
- Bloom Baking Company
- Buck Tui BBQ
- Cheesy Street
- Chef J BBQ
- Donutology
- Hereford House
- Jazzy B's BBQ
- KC Mac N' Co.
- Lulu's Thai Noodle Shop
- Mission Taco Joint
- Poio Mexican BBQ
- Q39
- Rye
- Sauced
- Scimera's Italian Sausage
- Scott's Kitchen
- Smoak Craft Barbecue
- Taco Naco KC
- The Granfalloon
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