Chris Ayres of Zia Smoke BBQ

Matthew Hussey from Trinity, NC. I’m a full-time electrical equipment sales engineer, but when the workday ends, I dive headfirst into my real passion—cooking! I’m the guy behind "The Hungry Hussey" on YouTube, where I’ve been sharing my love for backyard grilling, smoking, and cooking since 2012. It all started in 2012 when I got my first Big Green Egg. That was the moment I became a certified “Egghead,” and I’ve been hooked ever since. I used to post my cooks on Instagram, but things kicked into high gear after a marketing firm reached out and suggested I check out Todd Toven on YouTube. I figured, “Hey, I can do that too,” and that’s how The Hungry Hussey was born on YouTube. Now, I’m all about showing regular folks how to make “Some Good Groceries” on everything from a 36" Pro Series Blackstone to a Lone Star Grillz offset smoker. If it can cook, griddle, or smoke food, I’m all in! My sidekick Maggie, our dog, is usually around making sure everything’s up to her standards too. When I’m not cooking, you can find me hanging out with my amazing wife Makenzie, our two kids Maryn and Mason, and our two dogs, Maggie and Molly. Life’s busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Looking forward to chatting and sharing some laughs, tips, and maybe even a few kitchen fails—because hey, they happen to the best of us!

We will discuss the recent changes to The Pitmasters Podcast, including new team members and their contributions to the show and BBQ community.

Jacqueline Wise, a Cordon Bleu trained professional chef, event designer, forager, and avid gardener, is passionate about hosting epic parties and creating delicious meals, especially those involving fire! With experience at The Ritz London, two Michelin Star restaurants, and Buckingham Palace, Jacqueline now runs several food businesses, including @Positivelydeliciousfood for Nomadic Fire-Cookery and Foraging School, @Kelmsleycatering for weddings, and 'Jacqueline Wise Chefs' for luxury fine-dining at home. She is known for her expertise in cooking game, seafood, hyper-seasonal and organic produce, and her focus on soil health and nutrition. Jacqueline has appeared on TV and BBC Radio, winning the Channel 4 show 'Win it cook it.' She is a member of Pasture for Life and The Sussex Wildlife Trust, and is passionate about educating people on sourcing and cooking meals, reducing food waste, and promoting mental and physical health, as well as the health of the planet, through good food. When not cooking, Jacqueline enjoys surfing, sailing, foraging, and gardening with her family near Chichester in West Sussex, England. She is known for her great sense of humor and loves to share food puns, jokes, and her contagious passion and energy as she aims to make a difference, one stomach at a time. We are excited to have Jacqueline join us; with over a decade of experience in BBQing for large gatherings, she will also share her insights on working in hospitality and balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship. Chef Jacqueline has a wealth of tips, tricks, and stories to ignite your passion for cooking!

Scott is a competition steak cook and occasional KCBS chicken cook from Shiocton, WI. He started participating in SCA competitions in 2019 and has since collected 22 1st-place wins and a World Championship. When he’s not out on the competition trail he enjoys cooking backyard BBQ at home with his wife Jessica and their 4 dogs & 3 cats.

You can often find John tailgating at home and away Jacksonville Jaguars games. He lives and breathes tailgating; it’s definitely a passion of his. Everything from planning the season's cooks based on opponents to loading the Traegers up in the truck at 6 am. He enjoys those fall Saturdays/Sundays bonding with friends and family over a delicious meal. More recently, he has dipped his toe into the competition scene here in Jax, where he has taken home 1st place in ribs, brisket, and sides. Learning the lay of the land from steak cook-offs to ancillaries holds me over until it’s time for football season

Kara, Is that BBQ Mom from Toronto, Canada. You can find her dancing around the kitchen and firing up her grills on the daily. She is a BBQ recipe developer and content creator for some of BBQs biggest names. Sharing her life as a mother of three with energy and a zest for life (pun intended) and BBQ.

Leigh Brandon has lived in Houston for 45 years. She works in Commercial Banking but when she's not banking, you can find her cooking, gardening, or fishing on the weekends. Living in Texas and being close to the Louisiana state line, her dishes are a mix of Southern and Tex-Mex to Cajun inspired. If you were to sit down at her dinner table on a Sunday afternoon, you would be met with Texas smoked brisket, fried Southern catfish, venison smoked sausage, or frog legs, Cajun crawfish dirty rice, fried green tomatoes & okra, or maybe a bowl of Tex-Mex charro beans with cilantro & onions. She loves working on her tamales orders during the Fall and Winter, and when she has help, she has catered a few BBQ events. Leigh is a “Plater” and enjoys showing her work, but the real excitement comes when she has filled someone’s belly, and they give a smile.

Troy is a father of 2 young kids, Back to back steak and ancillary champion of NZ 2022 and 2023, two time NZ BBQ Alliance Grand Champion, competes in Australia and the USA, runs a legendary bbq joint, 2 burger joints, a couple of food trucks, a catering business and a micro brewery. 

Smokin' Hoggz BBQ is a competition BBQ team from Abington, MA, formed in 2008. What started out as a hobby has turned into a small family business. We have created a line of rubs, sauces, and cookbooks for you to enjoy and share with your friends and family.

Jeremy Yoder is a barbecue enthusiast from Kentucky who loves to spend time smoking meat and enjoying the rewards of a long cook.