Celebrity Pitmaster BBQ Showcase

Tickets are $40 and receive $10 Free Play

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Tyler Anderson

• Chef Tyler was born and raised in Southern California where he began his career in professional kitchens. Tyler has been fortunate to work throughout the country for some of the best Chefs in the business. His passion for his craft and locale are evident in his cooking style, which is inspired by simple quality goods and the culinary traditions of New England.
• Tyler has become a well known name in Connecticut, recognized for his numerous restaurants, generosity, and one of a kind sense of humor. His restaurants have garnered numerous statewide awards including best restaurant overall (ten times), three best new restaurant awards along with many more.
• Tyler has been nominated for the James Beard Best Chef Northeast award seven years in a row. He has also been named CT Chef of the Year. Tyler was a contestant on Season 15 of Top Chef, as well as on episodes of Chopped (in which he won) and Beat Bobby Flay. Tyler competed in Food Networks BBQ brawl, where he made the finale.
• Tyler and his team are extremely involved in philanthropic works and pride themselves on helping raise money for many local and national charities.

Brad Leighninger

• Brad Leighninger is the pitmaster and founder of Gettin’ Basted, with five restaurants across the Branson, Missouri area and more than 150 Grand and Reserve Grand Championships on the professional BBQ circuit.

• He’s a Jack Daniel’s BBQ World Champion, Memphis in May World Champion (overall, whole hog, and shoulder with Team Blues Hog), American Royal Reserve Grand Champion, King of the Smoker Grand Champion, and a four-time Kansas City BBQ Society Team of the Year World Champion — the only pitmaster in history to claim that title four times. Brad has been inducted into both the KCBS Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

• You’ve seen him on BBQ Brawl, BBQ USA with Michael Symon, BBQ Nation, and Guy’s Grocery Games, where he took home the bacon championship. As co-owner of The BBQ League, Brad teaches classes to aspiring cooks around the world — no secrets held back.

Matt Groark

• Matt Groark, known to millions as The Meat Teacher, is a Culinary Arts teacher, cookbook author, and one of the most influential voices in barbecue today. With more than 6 million followers across social media, Matt inspires home cooks through approachable recipes, live-fire cooking, and his passion for bringing people together around food.
• Matt has appeared on Next Level Chef, The Today Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, and is now a featured competitor on Food Network’s Pitmasters. Whether he’s in the classroom or behind the grill, his mission is to teach, entertain, and share unforgettable barbecue with audiences everywhere.

Phat Tabb

• Chef Tabb was born and raised in Idabel, OK.  He learned his love for the smoker in high school.  Chef Tabb decided to make a new start and moved to New Orleans, LA to work under the master himself, Chef Emeril Lagasse.  He became Executive Sous Chef at NOLA Restaurant, bringing his Oklahoma roots to meet New Orleans cuisine.In 2013, Tabb was a contestant on the Food Network’s Chopped, Destination America Deep Fry Masters , and took home the grand prize of winning both competition’. Tabb eventually moved back home to open his dream smoke shack, Phat Tabb’s BBQ which he has garnered multiple bbq reviews from Texas Monthly bbq writer Daniel Vaughn as one of the top texas bbq outside of texas. He has been featured on discover Oklahoma, Oklahoma today, and Oklahoma magazine. In 2024 Tabb was selected as a semifinalist for one of the most prestigious awards given in the culinary world, a James Beard nominations award for best Chef for the Southwest region