Best of Kansas City barbecue? You can be the judge as NFL brings pitmasters head-to-head

Joseph Hernandez
·3 min read
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The best barbecue in Kansas City is a highly-coveted and perennially controversial claim. Everyone has their favorite spot that they proudly defend, and there are dozens to choose from.

On the final day of the NFL Draft, visitors and fans can judge some of the city’s best for themselves.

The KC Smoke Show will take place on the North Lawn of the National WWI Museum and Memorial on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors can stop by and watch at any time.

Pitmasters from across KC will shine a light on the city’s barbecue history and culture. And fans will get to taste samples from the best of the best.

Former Kansas City Chief Mitchell Schwartz, who was a part of the Super Bowl LIV-winning team, will host the day’s various events, including an official pitmaster competition, as well as pitmaster demonstrations.

What’s your favorite Kansas City barbecue restaurant? To whet your appetite, here’s a slab of ribs from Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que.
What’s your favorite Kansas City barbecue restaurant? To whet your appetite, here’s a slab of ribs from Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que.

Which Kansas City barbecue spots will be represented?

A mix of established restaurants and competition barbecue teams will join the scene at the NFL Draft Experience festival.

These pitmasters will be competing:

  • Justin Easterwood and Chris Kent II represent Chef J BBQ in the West Bottoms.

  • Bre Via and Brad Colter are here from Grain Valley for Smoke N’ Magic competition BBQ team.

  • Andy Groneman will represent the Smoke On Wheels competition team, which started over 20 years ago.

  • Josh DeWitt and Jeremy Williams are competing for JDQ BBQ, a Kansas City-based team that has award-winning barbecue rubs in over 30 stores nationwide.

  • Representing Slaps BBQ in Kansas City, Kansas are brothers Joe and Mike Pearce.

  • Brandon Simpson journeys all the way from Lee’s Summit to represent Jazzy B’s in the pitmaster showcase.

  • Megan Day is here to represent the competition barbecue team Burnt Finger BBQ. She was on the TODAY Show in February to show off her cooking techniques before the Super Bowl.

  • Scott’s Kitchen is represented by owner Scott Umschied, who started his competition career in 2009 back in his home of Platte City.

  • Dan Hathaway competes for Joe’s Kansas City BBQ. He’s the manager of the Kansas City BBQ Store and is a regular at barbecue competitions.

These pitmasters will be participating in demonstrations, which the NFL said is similar to what you would see on a cooking show:

Buck Tui BBQ, Chef J BBQ, Scott’s Kitchen and Q39 are some of the restaurants featured at the NFL Draft’s food hall that fans can purchase from.

You will need a ticket to watch the pitmaster showcase on Saturday. Here’s how you can get yours.