The American Barbecue Showdown: Meet the Judges
Featuring the go back of BBQ legends Melissa Cookston and Kevin Bludso, it’s no wonder lovers are itching to be told extra about their qualifications.
Fire up the grill! Season 2 of The American Barbecue Showdown is finally streaming on Netflix after to start with debuting in 2020, and you won’t need to leave out it.
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Featuring the return of BBQ legends Melissa Cookston and Kevin Bludso as judges, it’s no surprise lovers are itching to learn more about their qualifications. And spoiler alert: These pitmasters have redefined the business. Let’s get into their backgrounds.
Melissa Cookston
If there’s something Melissa has mastered, it’s barbecue. Hailing from the Mississippi Delta, the Barbecue Showdown judge is the best feminine seven-time world barbecue champion. Not handiest that, but the television personality is an acclaimed entrepreneur inside the restaurant business.
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The World BBQ Champion opened Memphis BBQ Company in Horn Lake, Miss., in 2011 and has secured numerous accolades over the previous decade.
“We forged our reputation in the fires of the international’s toughest BBQ competitions,” the status quo’s website online reads. “Winning actually thousands of awards and 10 World Championships.”
Additionally, Melissa has authored two cookbooks, Smokin' in the Boy’s Room and Smokin’ Hot in the South.
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Aside from writing cookbooks and operating her eating place, Melissa has seemed in cooking displays, communicate presentations, and nationwide information. Not simplest that, however the Barbecue Showdown judge is a Food Network veteran.
The 55-year-old has additionally judged the fourth season of Destination America’s BBQ Pitmasters, alongside the first and second seasons of Netflix’s Barbecue Showdown. In 2015, Fox News named Melissa as one among the maximum influential BBQ pitmasters and personalities.
Philanthropy additionally performs a vital position in Melissa’s existence and career.
The Barbecue Showdown judge is the founding father of the World Junior BBQ League, a “nonprofit organization whose mission is to interact youngsters who're 14-18 years previous or enrolled in 9th – 12th-grade similar curriculum in barbecue competitions to show them beneficial life abilities.”
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Kevin Bludso
Like Melissa, Barbecue Showdown judge Kevin is a BBQ legend with an impressive resume. From Compton, Calif., the tv personality to begin with labored as a correctional officer sooner than opening his restaurant Bludso’s BBQ in 2008.
Describing himself as a “fourth generation pitmaster,” Kevin’s occupation has taken off since pivoting into the culinary business.
In 2022, the New York Times named the Barbecue Showdown pass judgement on’s first cookbook, Bludso’s BBQ Cookbook, considered one of the “Best Cookbooks of 2022.”
Additionally, Kevin has seemed in episodes of Bar Rescue and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, alongside internet hosting Season 1 of Barbecue Showdown with Melissa.
And in step with Kevin’s Instagram bio, the Netflix superstar has additionally secured a number of awards throughout his time-honored profession. In the previous, Kevin has won three Hoodie Awards for Best BBQ.
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Judging the 2nd season of Barbecue Showdown isn’t the simplest primary career milestone Kevin hit in 2023.
In April 2023, Eater published that Bludso’s BBQ is opening a brand new location in Santa Monica, Calif. in June 2023. Despite dwelling in Texas now, the eating place owner will split his time between Texas and California to supervise Bludso’s BBQ’s expansion.
Season 2 of The American Barbecue Showdown is now streaming on Netflix.
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