Wise Guys Barbecue Podcast

What does it take to compete in more than 250 BBQ contests and build a respected name in the barbecue world? This week, the Wise Guys sit down with Richard Fergola, founder of Fergalicious BBQ, world-class pitmaster, educator, competition barbecue veteran, and creator of the Fergalicious line of BBQ rubs and sauces. Richard shares how he went from teaching special education and coaching championsh...

This week on the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Vin and Charlie are putting store-bought BBQ wing sauces to the test to find out which one belongs at your next backyard cookout. The guys taste and rate a lineup of sauces on chicken wings, including Sweet Baby Ray’s Garlic Parmesan, Kinder’s Gold BBQ Sauce, Sticky Fingers Honey BBQ, Japanese BBQ Sauce, and Nashville Heat. Some sauces bring the smoke, some...

This week on the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, we’re joined by Duce Raymond of Sweet Baby Ray’s Restaurants for an inside look at one of the most recognizable names in barbecue. Duce takes us behind the scenes of the Sweet Baby Ray’s story, from the family roots and legendary sauce name to the restaurant world, catering business, and what it takes to keep a BBQ brand growing. We talk about the early days...

100 episodes in, and we brought in the perfect guest: Al Frugoni, one of the biggest names in open fire cooking, Argentinian asado, and live fire BBQ. In this milestone episode of the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Vin and Charlie sit down with Al to talk about his journey from Argentina to Texas, how asado shaped the way he cooks, and why live fire cooking is becoming one of the most exciting movements i...

This week on the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, we sit down with Chunky BBQ after their huge Grand Am Invitational win and talk about what it really takes to compete at the highest level in barbecue. We get into the road to the 2027 BBQ World Cup, the pressure of cooking for a shot at $1,000,000, and why consistency is the difference between having a good cook and hearing your name called at awards. Chunk...

This week on the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Vin and Charlie catch up on everything happening in the Wise Guys BBQ world — and there is a lot going on. The guys talk about Wise Guys BBQ officially stepping into the competition BBQ scene at the upcoming Bristol BBQ Bash at Lake Compounce, where Tommy the Butcher, Tim Zettergren, and Bob Baumann will be representing the crew. They break down the nerves,...

This week on the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Vin, Charlie, and Bob from Big Bobby’s Q sit down with Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill — also known in this episode as The Pastrami Queen. Christie shares her journey from public relations and marketing to becoming one of the most recognized names in barbecue, grilling, and live fire cooking. The crew talks about how Girls Can Grill started, what it take...

In this episode of the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Vin, Charlie, and special guest Bob Bowman from Big Bobby’s Q sit down with Brian and Brandon Dwyer of The Barbecue Bus, a father-and-son competition BBQ team with a great story, plenty of wins, and no shortage of honest opinions. Brian and Brandon talk about how they got started in competition barbeque, the story behind the original BBQ Bus, and how t...

This week on the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Vin and Charlie are out of the studio and back in the kitchen for a fun, flavor-packed episode built around one big question: what can you make with leftover BBQ? Charlie digs into his “Bachelor Cookbook” and makes his Abudanza sandwich, a loaded leftover BBQ sandwich recipe made with smoked pulled pork, peppers, onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, pepperoni, mo...

New England barbeque is having a serious moment, and this week’s Wise Guys BBQ Podcast episode proves it. Jeff Kulacz from El Jefe joins Vin, Charlie, and Bob from Big Bobby’s Q to talk competition BBQ, the Grand American Barbecue Championship, NEBS, and what’s ahead for New England teams this season. The crew breaks down the action from the Grand Am in New Paltz, New York, where New England BBQ t...

The Wise Guys are back from Fort Worth, Texas, and this week’s podcast is all about the start of our Texas BBQ Safari. Vin, Chip, and Tommy the Butcher sit down to recap the trip, the travel chaos, and the Texas barbecue spots that lived up to the hype. In this episode, we talk about Goldie’s BBQ, Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, and Panther City BBQ, breaking down everything from brisket, beef ribs, ribs,...

Competition BBQ season is officially underway, and Jeremy Garrett from Campground Barbecue joins Wise Guys BBQ to break down what’s happening across the Northeast BBQ scene. In this episode, Vin and Bob Bowman from Big Bobby’s Q talk with Jeremy about the Southern New England Throwdown, the New Jersey Knockout, the return of the Grand Am, and why campground-style BBQ competitions bring a completel...

Kathy and Tom Trainer from Inclusive Barbecue join the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast to talk competition barbecue, earning a golden ticket to the World Steak Cookoff, and what it takes to grow a major BBQ event in the Northeast. In this episode, we catch up with Kathy and Tom on their recent competition experiences, the nerves and excitement of cooking on a bigger stage, and how their August event in Main...

Competition barbeque season is here, and on this episode of Wise Guys BBQ, we sit down with Bill from Smoking Hoggz and Bob Baumann of Big Bobby’s Q to talk all things competition BBQ. From early contests in Lakeland, Florida and Urbana, to chasing World Barbecue Cup qualifiers, Bill breaks down what it takes to plan a full season on the road. We also get into Bill’s KCBS Barbecue Hall of Fame hon...

This week on the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Rich Yang — better known as Da BBQ Ninja — doesn’t just talk BBQ… he brings it to the table. Rich pulls up with a full spread and feeds the team his signature barbeque, giving the guys a firsthand taste of what makes his flavor profile stand out. From competition-style ribs to smoked rib tips, Asian sausage with lemongrass pork, and a loaded smoked baked pot...

This week on the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Vin and Chip map out the next big BBQ road trips for the Wise Guys crew. First up is Portland, Maine, where the team is getting ready to check out a creative barbecue spot blending traditional smoke with bold Southwestern and Mexican-inspired flavors. Then it’s time for the main event: a full Dallas-Fort Worth Texas BBQ tour packed with legendary stops, long...

Spring is finally here, and that means one thing: it’s Tony season. In this week’s Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Chip and Vin sit down with Tony Two Smokes to talk spring cook plans, thick-cut steaks, reverse searing, and what’s coming next once the grills are back in action. The crew also gets into live-fire cooking, Santa Maria grills, and why hands-on fire management brings a whole different energy to...

This week on the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Vin and Chip celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a fun conversation about corned beef, Irish traditions, and what makes this holiday such a big food day. The guys talk about Tommy’s recent corned beef cooks — including the brine, boiled dinner, and corned beef hash — and why corned beef has become such a St. Patrick’s Day staple. Along the way they dive into Ir...

This week on the Wise Guys Barbecue podcast, Vin and Bob sit down with Scott McDonald of Sticks and Stones BBQ to continue the discussion around recent conversations involving CBA, NEBS, and the competition BBQ community After last week’s episode with Matt Pereira, we wanted to continue the conversation and hear a different point of view from someone who is out there competing. Scott brings the co...

There’s been a lot of debate in the competition barbecue world lately, especially around Team of the Year (TOY) points, qualifiers, and how fairness is enforced when multiple sanctioning bodies are involved. To help clear the smoke, we’re joined by Matt Pereira, a competition organizer with the Championship Barbecue Alliance (CBA), to talk through what’s actually happening behind the scenes at CBA...

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by Chris Hatcher of Haches Barbecue, the Grand Champion of the Champions BBQ Alliance World Cookoff and the first competitor to officially qualify for the BBQ World Cup. Chris is an absolute grinder on the competition BBQ circuit, cooking an incredible 35–40 weekends a year. In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to compete — and w...

Vin and Chip are still licking their wounds after their team’s Super Bowl loss, so they head to the kitchen to cook their way through it. While a pot of soup simmers and grilled cheese sandwiches hit the pan, they talk through the game, the big moments, and everything that went down on Super Bowl Sunday. It’s a laid-back episode about making food, enjoying the process, and keeping things simple in...

On this week’s episode, Vin and Chip are talking all things local BBQ. They break down their recent Destination Q adventure to Bark’s BBQ and a few other must-visit spots around New England, sharing what stood out and what’s worth checking out. The conversation shifts to Super Bowl Sunday, where the guys talk about favorite game-day cooks, go-to BBQ dishes, and exactly what they’ll be making and e...

This week on the podcast, Vin and Bob sit down with the first competitors of the year to officially qualify for the BBQ World Cup Championship—and it all went down at the Slab O Rama BBQ Challenge. Fresh off their wins, AJ Garza of Gods Country BBQ (1st place) and Nate Benson & Brennon Nielson of Uncle Jessie's BBQ (2nd place) join the show to break down the competition, the pressure of cooking in...

This week, Vin and Chip step into dangerous territory — the kitchen. After watching a wave of viral omurice videos take over social media, they decide to try making the Japanese comfort-food classic themselves. Omurice looks simple: fried rice wrapped in a soft omelette and finished with ketchup. But as the internet has proven… it’s easy to mess up. Will their omurice turn out clean and smooth — o...