Hot Takes

Let's talk about some BBQ topics that get people engaged on social media.

Chris Bentley of Bentley BBQ—Alabama-based pitmaster and content creator known for bold backyard BBQ, grills, smokers, and rotisserie cooking. From low-and-slow classics to hot-and-fast favorites (and even homemade ice cream), Bentley brings real-deal flavor and fire to everything he cooks.

Misty is a Seattle, Washington native with a love affair with meat. She shares her "Stories of a Seattle meat man's wife" on social platforms and may be better known as @SeattleButchersWife. Her marriage into a 3rd generation meat family was a kickstart for Misty's BBQ journey. Shifting from her long-time career in corporate retail through the pandemic, her passion for grilling became an obsession. Misty combines her creative and engaging talents with her love of smoke and meat. Her mission is to share her journey and to inspire more women to step up to the grill. From live fire to simple pellet grill cooks she's learned tips and tricks to share and has created mouthwatering pictures and videos on social media. When she's not at the grill you can find this backyard BBQ expert traveling or spending quality time with her butcher husband and their 3 children.

Tony Ramirez, also known as TFTI BBQ on social media, has spent nearly twenty years perfecting his backyard barbecue skills in the Bay Area, California. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Tony is self-taught, inspired by his Filipino and Cajun heritage, his beloved parents, and a passion for BBQ Pitmasters reruns, YouTube tutorials, and personal culinary experiments. What started in 2021 as a hobby of posting BBQ pictures and videos has since evolved into a full-time career, with Tony partnering with major brands like Miller Lite, Char-Griller, Reynolds Brands, and Tony Chachere's. His unique, approachable flavor combinations and techniques, which sometimes bend traditional barbecue "rules," have earned him a beloved spot in the live-fire BBQ community. Find him online on all major social media platforms as TFTI BBQ.

Jared Pullman started How Low Can You Slow back in 2016, with the goal to help everyday grill enthusiasts, make better barbecue in their own backyards. Since then, Jared has worked as a content creator and recipe developer, based primarily on Instagram. Jared is a native of New Zealand, which is where his barbecue journey began. Jared is now based in Boise Idaho and is the founder of the Idaho Barbecue Association-a group committed to building and growing the BBQ community in Idaho and surrounding areas. Jared has worked as an ambassador for brands including Wild Fork Foods, The National Turkey Federation & McCormicks Grillmates. He is a published author, a certified KCBS BBQ Judge and event organizer/wrangler.

Dustin Jones, along with his wife Amanda and their two daughters, Addie and Anna Lois, make up a hardworking family from Mississippi who find joy in life's simple pleasures: good food, great company, and time spent together around the grill. What started as weekend cookouts and a bit of friendly competition soon evolved into something greater—Southern Char Seasonings, a family brand founded on faith, flavor, and tradition. Dustin, a lifelong sales professional and competitive cook, built Southern Char through years of trial, tasting, and genuine passion. From our original Signature Blend to the bold new Garlic Butter Blend, every recipe is handcrafted, competition-tested, and perfected in the kitchen, designed to bring people together and make every meal memorable. At the heart of Southern Char is a simple belief: do things the right way—with family, community, and heart. Whether you're in the backyard, at a cook-off, or gathered around the dinner table, we hope our seasonings add warmth, incredible flavor, and a touch of genuine Southern hospitality to every bite.

My name is Dylan Cromer. I am 31 years old and man, do I love to cook BBQ! I grew up eating BBQ quite a bit with my dad. I used to watch him cook Boston butts, leg quarter chickens, and ribs on the weekends, learning as much as I could in the process. I started cooking BBQ on my own around the age of 18 and have grown from there. I gained an interest in competition BBQ from the show BBQ Pitmasters. A friend reached out to me because he was starting a small competition association and told me that a guy was looking for a teammate. I jumped at the opportunity and learned all I could. I decided I was ready to start my own team, and Holy Smoke BBQ team came to life. I have been competing for three years now, with one grand championship, two first-place wins, and multiple top-10 finishes. My favorite category to cook is Boston butt!

The Kairos origin story began as the culmination of another journey. Over a decade ago I made the decision to source my meat directly from a rancher. We were going halves on a cow before your neighbor thought it was cool. The next step was a journey that took years of learning how to hunt, successfully harvesting my first big game animal and sharing the story with my friends and family.

KRAM Knives is named after my family: Kimberly, Ryan, Andrew, and Makayla. I started my company after my wife was injured at work, which led me to take care of her at home. One day, feeling bored, I walked into the garage, heated a piece of metal, and began hammering it. Eventually, the metal started taking the shape of a knife, so I added a handle. After that initial attempt, I thought to myself, "I can do better than this," and I made another knife.  I sold my first knife to a friend who had specific requirements, and he was genuinely surprised that I could create exactly what he wanted. In 2023, I attended my first show and managed to sell all but four of the knives I had made. By 2025, I invested in a heat treat oven, allowing me to start making stainless steel knives. I also began promoting my business on TikTok, which has helped me reach a wider audience.

We started our journey in 2018 with our first competition at Tomato Days, where we earned a reserve grand champion title. From that moment on, we were hooked. Initially, there were four of us on the team, but as life got in the way, two members dropped out. However, Mitch and I continued to pursue our passion. Our first KCBS competition took place in Bullhead City, where we met Anthony. It was there that we realized just how much we still had to learn. While focusing on mastering the four meats, we also got involved with the SCA, where we found success. We received invitations to the world championships four times in a row, and Mitch performed well enough to advance to the next round. In 2024, we decided we were ready to fully commit to KCBS and set ambitious goals, including a desire to compete at The Jack. Despite facing setbacks, we persevered. Although we didn't receive an invitation last year, we continued to push ourselves harder. I told Mitch that all I wanted for our anniversary was to attend The Jack, and we achieved that dream. We had an amazing time, and this experience has only fueled our determination to return.