Emily Detwiler talks about the future of the Kansas City Barbeque Society (plus top news & events)
As one of the largest organizations of its kind, the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) plays a central role in barbecue competitions and education globally. Founded in 1985, the nonprofit today has more than 19,000 members worldwide and sanctions more than 400 events per year.
Emily Detwiler, previously the Director of Marketing at Smithfield Foods and a business professional with 15 years of experience, took over as CEO of KCBS in August 2019. In that short time, Detwiler has helped usher in a new era at the organization.
Detwiler spoke to us recently about everything related to KCBS and what is next for the organization. This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.
KCBS CEO Emily Detwiler poses with BBQ legend Ardie Davis at the 2019 American Royal.
Sean Ludwig: Thank you so much for speaking with us. Let’s start by addressing one of the top news stories around the globe right now — coronavirus. As one of the largest organizations that sanctions and hosts barbecue events globally, are you concerned about the impact of coronavirus on KCBS events in 2020?
Emily Detwiler: Yes, it is something we are closely watching globally and across the U.S. We’re working on a formal response. At the end of the day, most of the events we sanction are not our events, so we will work to support the organizers of these events and we will of course follow through on CDC guidelines. We will be updating the membership as it develops, and I would encourage organizers to reach out to KCBS and include us in their planning discussions.
SL: Are there any events you know of that have been canceled or postponed?
ED: There have been a few in Costa Rica, and we are monitoring several [future events] in Italy. What we are hearing so far is that some organizers are considering postponing until a future time. There is such strong interest in barbecue that there is a desire to have the event even if it has to be held at a later time that is safer.
SL: Moving on to more fun things, what’s your experience been like the first seven months as CEO?
ED: We have been experiencing a lot of positive momentum lately and we’re continuing to see our membership grow. We had good momentum following the election of the new board of directors. And we’ve had a lot of fun opportunities to do new types of events and contests in the past few months, including Party for a Cause. Those types of events have been fun and helping us grow awareness outside of traditional work we do with contests.
SL: 2020 started in a bit of a weird place for KCBS with a highly negative article by KCUR on the organization saying it was “in turmoil.” What was your response to it?
ED: It’s unfortunate the article ran with it being so one-sided and it was surprising that they ran the story as it was. There were definitely factual mistruths and … some of the true facts were made to sound like they were sensationalized to tell a specific side of the story. We published our own response. The way some of the things were written made it seem like the sky was falling and that is not true. We certainly have some challenges ahead but we’re working through it.
SL: What was the response from KCBS members about that story?
ED: To be honest, the feedback from the members was very strong. We had a lot of people writing in to say that there was a lot more to the story than what was being presented. We saw membership increase significantly in the two to three weeks following the article. Obviously we didn’t like the fact that it was written but it actually ended up having a positive outcome.
Emily Detwiler with the KCBS family at the 2019 American Royal.
SL: Looking ahead, what are your top priorities for 2020?
ED: We need to put strategies in place to help us attract a younger audience. Our membership is a passionate and engaged membership, which is fantastic, so we need to protect that base. But we also need to create new incentives and new types of events to get the younger audience involved. We know that’s the future, and we need to pair up existing members and new members from a mentorship perspective. On another note, we are also working to put a solid growth business plan in place. It’s an objective of mine to drive growth into the future.
SL: What are some of the biggest events that are currently planned for 2020?
ED: The first one is bringing back the KCBS World Invitational, which we’ll be announcing details about very soon. We are also working on engagement with backyard teams and incorporating them into other events, which you’ll see at the American Royal Backyard BBQ on March 21. And the American Royal in September is always big and is a great opportunity to engage with KCBS judges.
SL: Speaking of judges, the KCBS community was incredibly sad last week following the passing of judge and volunteer Craig Layman. What was your reaction to the news?
ED: It was devastating. I have fond memories of Craig even from my days at Smithfield, because when we were getting ready to set the Guiness World Record for the world’s largest grilling lesson, and Craig volunteered to help us. I worked with him several more times and he was so welcoming. He would drop anything he was doing to help anybody and I never saw him without a smile on his face. He had a true spirit of helping others.
SL: We’ve been seeing a lot of barbecue interest internationally in the past few years. Are you working to build a larger international presence?
ED: We have been working to build a better link between our international outreach team and our board to bridge that gap. We think there’s going to be more opportunity internationally, and we’ve heard feedback that international teams want to be on similar ground for our Team of the Year program.
SL: One last question: Will KCBS be involved with the just-announced Kansas City BBQ Festival at the end of May?
ED: Yes! The role KCBS is going to play is our members will be able to do some fundraising and help some of the pitmasters who will be cooking. We'll be able to help run individual stations and we'll have the opportunity to talk about KCBS during the event. This gives our members new ways to get involved in something other than traditional contests and gives them the chance to be elbow-to-elbow with phenomenal pitmasters from KC and across the country.
Thank you to Emily for the interview and for outlining the next phase of KCBS for our readers. We look forward to attending more KCBS events and seeing how the organization evolves during the next few years.
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ)
Co-Founder, The Smoke Sheet
Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:
A huge new BBQ festival will debut in Kansas City’s Power & Light District in late May.
The Kansas City Power & Light District will soon host its biggest festival yet — the two-day Kansas City BBQ Festival. From the creators of the Denver BBQ Festival and Q in the Lou in St Louis, this event will feature great food from top pitmasters in Kansas City and beyond. Restaurants represented will include Joe’s, Slap’s, Jones Bar-B-Q, Plowboys, Pappy’s Smokehouse, Sugarfire Smokehouse, Ubon’s BBQ, The Shed, and more. The event is notable as Kansas City does not host many BBQ festivals despite being a capital for barbecue nationally.
The incredible team at Operation BBQ Relief was deployed recently to Nashville in support of families who were devastated by an EF-3 tornado there. Since deploying, Operation BBQ Relief has provided close to 50,000 meals to families, first responders, and organizations in Nashville.
Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn writes that the new Teddy’s BBQ in Weslaco (South Texas) is boldly serving Central Texas-style barbecue, with excellent house-made sausages, brisket, ribs, and tortillas.
Vaughn also recently wrote about the T-Ghost BBQ food truck in Texas’s Lower Rio Grande Valley, which serves “silky, tender shredded barbacoa with a nice dose of smoke flavor.”
225 Magazine has profiled the growing barbecue scene in Baton Rouge, writing that the city has “converted its innate appreciation for big flavors and its homegrown grilling skills into a thriving new barbecue landscape.”
Los Angeles pitmaster Kevin Bludso of Bludso’s Bar & Que was spotlighted recently by Tableside Magazine. Bludso talks about his unique history as someone who has faced discrimination and hardships but nonetheless prevailed in the barbecue world.
J.C. Reid of the Houston Chronicle writes that during the past few years, many pitmasters have “invested in the ultimate toy of the mobile barbecue purveyor: Colossal, trailer-mounted smokers meant to make an impression and feed the masses.”
The Kansas City Barbeque Society has named Brian Harvey as its new Director of Marketing and Partnerships. He will be responsible for developing and implementing new marketing programs and cultivating relationships with partners.
Popular mayonnaise company Duke’s is entering the barbecue sauce market with a new line of ‘Duke’s Southern Sauces’ set to hit grocery stores this month. Flavors will include Alabama-Style White BBQ Sauce, Georgia Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce, Tennessee Smoke & Whiskey BBQ Sauce, Hickory Moonshine BBQ Sauce and Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce.
Brisket Love BBQ is set to open in Legacy Hall in Plano, Texas this week, according to Eater Dallas. Smoked meats will include brisket, pulled pork, and jalapeno cheddar sausage, along with a variety of sandwiches as well as cherry homemade slushies.
Big Bobby’s BBQ has moved from food truck to brick-and-mortar restaurant in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The restaurant features Detroit-style pit barbecue and made-from-scratch side dishes.
During election coverage, NBC news anchor Brian Williams found himself embroiled in another controversy of his own making, this time by boldly proclaiming that Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, Texas was the best barbecue joint in the state.
Terry Folsom from Brenham, Texas has a smoker that is 76 feet long and weighs 40 tons, requiring an 18-wheeler to haul it around. It also has a firebox in the shape of Texas.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
This short film from Eater highlights Alabama’s Archibald family.
Watch: Open Fire BBQ at Archibald's in Alabama — Eater
In Northport, Alabama, the family-owned, family-run Archibald’s BBQ has been feeding the local community its signature pit-smoked ribs and sliced pork butt for 55 years. In this short film by Wes Wages, Armosa Films, and the Southern Foodways Alliance, the family behind Archibald’s — George Archibald Jr., his sister Paulette Washington, and her son Woodrow Washington — take center stage. Watch here.
Listen: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Pitmaster Ed Mitchell — Gravy
Ed Mitchell’s name has come to be synonymous with Eastern North Carolina wood-smoked whole-hog barbecue. From Wilson, North Carolina, he grew up smoking hogs and has tried to continue that tradition, using old techniques and traditionally farm-raised pigs. But almost since the start, Ed Mitchell’s barbeque journey has not been a straight line—business relationships, racism, and smoke have all shaped his rollercoaster ride. Reporter Wilson Sayre is our guide in looking at those twists and turns. Listen to the episode here.
Read: The Carnivore Cookbook — by Maria Emmerich and Craig Emmerich
Keto meets carnivore in this revolutionary new book by revered cookbook author and low-carb pioneer Maria Emmerich. The Carnivore Cookbook explores what our bodies were really designed to digest and gives compelling evidence that we were designed to be primarily meat-eaters. The book includes more than 100 tasty meat-focused recipes featuring innovative ways to add flavor and variety. There are even carnivore meal plans with grocery lists to make the diet easy to follow. Buy it here.
NOTE: The Meatstock Music and Barbecue Festival in Melbourne as well as several other BBQ events have been postponed or canceled at the last minute due to coronavirus concerns. We have maintained their listings here for this week but linked to the cancellation notices for more information. We will continue to update our event listings during the next few weeks as the situation progresses.
March 14-15, 2020: Meatstock Music and Barbecue Festival (Melbourne edition) — Melbourne, Australia
Meatstock returns for its fourth year with a typically stacked line-up of barbecue enthusiasts and bands. The sell-out, two-day event brings big-name American pitmasters Down Under; sees 50 teams from across Melbourne go head-to-head over the coals to be crowned the city’s best barbequers; and features live music, food trucks and pop-up bars. This year, American pitmasters Moe Cason, Wayne Mueller from Louie Mueller Barbecue, and Ronnie Evans and Philip Moseley from Blue Oak BBQ will be putting on demonstrations. POSTPONED TO AUGUST - MORE INFO HERE.
March 20-21, 2020: The American Royal Backyard BBQ & Steak Cookoff — Kansas City, Missouri
The American Royal Backyard BBQ and Steak Cook-Off allows participants to get a taste of what barbecue competitions are all about at a lower entry level and a portion of the cost. Join us March 20-21, 2020 at the American Royal Complex for this new BBQ event! CANCELED.
March 27-28, 2020: Hogs for the Cause — New Orleans, Louisiana
Hogs for the Cause returns as the largest, tastiest BBQ festival in New Orleans. The city welcomes numerous local and regional BBQ masters and the best backyard chefs to compete in seven categories: Whole Hog, Ribs, Pork Butt/Shoulder, Porkpourri, Sauce, Fan Favorite, and Fundraising Champion. The barbecue festival is a two-day event full of music, local beer, and fundraising. CANCELED - MORE INFO HERE.
March 27-28, 2020: Suncoast BBQ & Bluegrass Bash — Venice, Florida
Since 2010, the Suncoast BBQ & Bluegrass Bash has established itself as a destination for the best barbecue competition and bluegrass entertainment in Southwest Florida. It is the signature fund-raiser for the Suncoast Foundation for Handicapped Children (SFHC). More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will feature a large Florida BBQ Association competition, lots of live music, parties, cornhole tournament, family fun, and more. POSTPONED.
April 1-4, 2020: National Barbecue & Grilling Association Annual Conference — Louisville, Kentucky
The National Barbecue & Grilling Association (NBBQA) Annual Conference will be held at The Galt House Hotel. The conference gathers members and people from across the industry to network, learn, and participate in a variety of topics and activities around the Business of BBQ. Whether you are a product owner, run a restaurant, involved in media, or any other sector of BBQ, there are boundless opportunities to network, learn, and grow at the event. More info here.
April 5, 2020: 8th Annual Houston BBQ Festival — Houston, Texas
The 8th Annual Houston BBQ Festival will take place on Sunday, April 5th from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Humble Civic Center Arena Complex. The festival will feature Houston’s best barbecue joints all in one place, including Blood Bros BBQ, Brett's BBQ Shop, Buck's Barbeque, CorkScrew BBQ, Daddy Duncan's BBQ, Eaker Barbecue, and Feges BBQ. Read our to learn about the experience. More info here.
April 18, 2020: Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit 2020 — Brooklyn, New York
Mark your calendars for the Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit 2020 at Pig Beach NYC in Brooklyn. Following the successful 2019 version of the event, this will feature many of the top pitmasters from around the country serving up incredible food, including Tuffy Stone, Chris Lilly, Amy Mills, Sam Jones, Carey Bringle, Billy Durney, and more. Read about the 2019 Jeff Michner BBQ benefit here. More info on the 2020 edition here.
April 22, 2020: Brisket King NYC 2020 — Brooklyn, New York
If you love brisket, you won’t want to miss Brisket King NYC 2020 in April. More than 15 chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their take on brisket and pastrami. Early bird ticket sales are available now so get them before prices go up! Buy tickets here.
April 24-26, 2020: Austin Food and Wine Festival — Austin, Texas
The Austin Food + Wine Festival returns in April to spoil your palate with a handful of global and nationally renowned talent. This 3-day weekend in the culinary capital of Texas is the epitome of high spirits, with a packed schedule of hands-on grilling demos, tastings with top pitmasters, chefs, and sommeliers. Plus, there will be interactive demos and panels. More info here.
May 1-2, 2020: BBQ Fest On The Neuse — Kinston, North Carolina
The 39th annual BBQ Festival on the Neuse kicks off on Friday, May 3rd, in Kinston, North Carolina. More than 40,000 visitors are expected to attend the festival with over 100 teams cooking in the competition. The festival will include barbecue, food competitions, shopping, arts and crafts, wine garden, children’s activities and more. More info here.
May 2, 2020: Red Dirt BBQ Festival — Tyler, Texas
For six years, the Red Dirt BBQ & Music Festival has been one of the most unique food and music experiences in Texas. The sixth annual event returns to the brick streets of downtown Tyler, Texas. The event is currently sold out but some secondhand tickets may be available for purchase. More info here.
May 13-16, 2020: Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest — Memphis, Tennessee
This huge, four-day competition is held in Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis. Nearly 250 teams travel from around the world to compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $115,000 in prize money. The Contest draws more than 75,000 attendees, including teams from twenty-six states and six countries, from as far away as Japan and the Czech Republic to compete in the championship pork categories of Ribs, Shoulder, and Whole Hog, as well as the ancillary competitions of Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.” More info here.
See the full Smoke Sheet events calendar online here.
This recipe for iguana tacos from Grill Girl Robyn Lindars makes perfect use of the meat of a problematic invasive species.
Iguana Tacos with Aji Amarillo Crema by Grill Girl
For this week’s Recipe of the Week, we chose an exotic recipe that we never imagined we would feature in the newsletter — iguana tacos! Our friend Grill Girl Robyn Lindars developed this recipe as a way to utilize meat from the invasive Iguanas that are overpopulating Florida. She first dredged the meat in a flour mixture mixed with Cajun seasoning to add a touch of spice. Then they are paired with a Mexican Crema mixed with Aji Amarillo, a Peruvian Yellow Pepper paste, for South American Flavor. The tacos are finished with a drizzle of the Crema, lime juice, cabbage, and avocado for South American Flavor that pairs perfectly on this delicious white meat. View the recipe here.
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