Fire. Flavor. Legacy.

From the piT

After the Smoke Clears

Some of my earliest memories are of family cooking outside. Sauce simmering on the stove. Relatives gathered close. When the grill or smoker was going, we knew it was going to be a good day. At some point, it stopped being just family tradition and became something I wanted to master. I didn’t just want to cook good food, I wanted to understand the craft.

Curiosity turned into discipline. I began studying, taking classes, asking questions and putting in the work. That work eventually led me to competition barbecue.

Competition BBQ raised my standards and sharpened my palate, but it also gave me something more meaningful: it helped me find my tribe. I’ve been fortunate to earn ribbons and trophies and to cook at some of the biggest contests in the country. In 2023, I was honored to earn the Reserve Grand Champion title at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue.

No matter where I compete, Minnesota is home. There are serious cooks here, unbound by stereotypes, who care deeply about the craft, the culture and raising the bar. I’m proud to stand among them.

Machete Boys BBQ exists for people who want to do the same. Whether you’re a backyard dad ready to stop guessing, a young competitor chasing your first call or a cook studying the craft and looking to go deeper, there’s something here for you.

Barbecue isn’t only about trophies or titles. It’s about service. Food is how I give back, through education, through partnerships with Steak for Sheepdogs and Hometown Heroes and through showing up for my community. BBQ gives me a way to serve.

After the smoke clears, what will remain are the recipes, a few videos, a competition playbook or two and my daughter watching it all unfold. I hope she sees what it looks like to mean it.