Not The Best Podcast

The VERY FIRST episode of Not The Best Podcast we ever recorded is officially OUT! I sat down with my buddy Frank Rechlin of iKandy Paintworks and iKandy Kar Kare, and man, this one was a blast! We’re taking it back to the days before cell phones, when we were running around the neighborhood pulling pranks, doing dumb stuff, and somehow surviving all the shenanigans we got ourselves into. 😂 And t...

We're hanging out at Memphis in May with our youngest guest yet, Rae “Lil Gringa” Barker! Don't let her age fool you, this girl is an absolute ALL-STAR! Fresh off her win at the Weber Kids Que, we talk about all the awesome things she's accomplished, her love for BBQ, and how she's already making a name for herself. Carla DiLorenzo joins me as we take a trip down memory lane, talking about growing...

I’m not entirely sure this episode should have been released. I sat down with my buddy Chef Binoto at Memphis in May for what was supposed to be a normal conversation. It was not. This may officially be the most unhinged episode of Not the Best Podcast yet. We somehow make our way from culinary experiences and life in the food world to tattoos, the definitive ranking of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Tu...

The episode features my friend, Eliseo from Fuegos del Norte in Germany, discussing his multicultural experience, meeting women, and the wine culture in Germany. We cover Eliseo's experiences growing up in Argentina, his family traditions, and the cultural significance of asado. The crux of it all, we explore the connections and friendships formed through barbecue.

This week on Not The Best Podcast , I’m joined by certified champ, Christie Vanover , better known as Girls Can Grill . Christie is a multi-Grand Champion pitmaster, and founder of Girls Can Grill. She’s also helped shape the sport beyond the cook site as a certified judge, competition organizer, and cofounder of the Live Fire Cooking Association. We get into everything from growing up in the coun...

This week on Not The Best Podcast , I sit down with one of the biggest personalities in live-fire cooking, Renzo Frias . We recorded this episode during FatOxFest while Renzo was in Arizona, with our good friend Juan De La Cruz joining us to help bridge the occasional language gap. Renzo's story is anything but ordinary. We dive into what it was like growing up as an Argentinian living in Peru, ho...

This one's been a long time coming. My buddy Mel Chmilar Jr. (Dark Side of the Grill) finally sat down with me, and somehow we managed to balance absolute chaos with one of the most real conversations we've had. If you know Mel, you know he's the guy screaming "FIRE IN THE HOLE!", cooking all over the world, and somehow turning every event into a party. But this episode isn't just about barbecue....

Episode 6 is live, and this one was a blast. I sat down with my buddy Randy Pauly, the head pitmaster for Buc-ee's. If you've ever been to a Buc-ee's, you know the barbecue is no joke... every location is cranking out hundreds of whole briskets every single day. Randy was in Arizona helping open the state's first Buc-ee's, so we took the opportunity to sit down and talk. And honestly, this isn't t...

This week on Not The Best Podcast, I sat down with my buddy Dave Williamson. Dave's a comedian, restaurant owner, festival organizer, husband, competitive bbqer, coach, mentor, dad, and somehow still finds time to do it all. We talked about everything from Vegas adventures and barbecue to building businesses, creating community, and balancing life when your schedule is packed. What I like about Da...

A conversation w my guy Al Frugoni, aka the king of open fire. Coming from Argentina, Al’s been a huge mentor and friend to me for years, so getting to sit down and really talk through his journey was special. We got into everything… how he made the jump from Argentina to the US, building businesses from the ground up, getting punched in the face by COVID, and still finding ways to adapt and keep...

In a world flooded with quick-and-easy meals, Uncle Chico reminds us of the power of slow-cooked tradition, good storytelling, and community. Most barbecue lovers and food adventurers are missing out if they haven’t heard Uncle Chico’s secret to turning simple bites into unforgettable experiences. In this episode, Rico, AKA Uncle Chico, spills the beans on everything from his secret barbecue tips...

Episode 2 kicks off with a recap of FatOxfest 2026, highlighting the community spirit, teamwork, and absolutley banger of a time we had. We cover a range of topics, including cultural food experiences, travel, time travel analogies, childhood cartoons, and cultural influences. Juan shares his culinary experiences from different cultures, we discuss the implications of time travel, and explore the...

Episode 1 is LIVE and we wasted ZERO time getting unhinged 😤🔥 Ty helps me kick it off with a Louisiana weekend recap... great food, bad decisions, and somehow we end up deep in the trenches of neighborhood beef. HOA smoke?? Oh yeah… we’re talking about it. Then I bring on my FIRST EVER guest, my guy Jared Babb. We go back to when we met at Memphis in May 3 years ago cooking with Al Frugoni. With...

Ty and unofficially kick things off by recapping our trip to the Houston Rodeo, sharing some laughs, and hanging out over some pizza. Just a laid-back conversation about the experience, a few good stories, and the kind of moments that turn into great memories.