BBQ Brawl
BBQ Brawl is an American cooking reality competition television series that airs on Food Network.
Production
The first three seasons were filmed at the Star Hill Ranch in Austin, Texas, while the fourth season was filmed at Long Branchs Saloon & Farms Half Moon Bay, California.The first season aired from August 1 to August 22, 2019; and it was presented by chefs Bobby Flay and Michael Symon. Chefs Moe Cason, Chris Lilly and Amy Mills served as judges. It began with eight barbecue chefs in the pilot episode, who were then divided into two teams that were each headed by Flay and Symon. At the end of each episode, one chef from each team was eliminated. The winner in the season finale was awarded the title "Master of 'Cue", which was in turn the name of their subsequent series on FoodNetwork.com.
The second season added chef and former football player Eddie Jackson as a team captain alongside Flay and Symon. Chefs Rodney Scott and Brooke Williamson were added in as the new judges along with television personality Carson Kressley. It aired from June 14 to August 9, 2021.
The third season consisting of eight episodes brought in chefs Jet Tila and Anne Burrell as new captains alongside Flay. It aired from May 9 to June 27, 2022.
In April 2023 Symon revealed that the show was filming a fourth season, but he would not be returning. In June 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that it would premiere on July 10, 2023 with a 90-minute special episode and Sunny Anderson would serve as a captain alongside Flay and Burrell.
In September 2023, Food Network renewed the show for a fifth season which premiered on July 8, 2024. The show returned to Texas for the fifth season, with Michael Voltaggio serving as a captain alongside Flay and Anderson.
In April 2025, TheWrap reported that the sixth season would feature two new chefs, namely Maneet Chauhan and Antonia Lofaso, serving as captains alongside Flay. The season premiered on June 1, 2025.
Contestants
Season 1
SourceWinner
- Lee Ann Whippen - Tampa, Florida
Runner-up
- Susie Bulloch - Lehi, Utah
Eliminated
- Joe Pearce - Kansas City, Missouri
- Kevin Bludso - Compton, California
- Carey Bringle - Nashville, Tennessee
- George "Tuffy" Stone - Richmond, Virginia
- Phil Johnson - Phoenix, Arizona
- Lynnae Oxley-Loupe - Battle Ground, Washington
Season 2
Winner
- Erica Blaire Roby - Dayton, Ohio
Runners-up
- Ara Malekian - Richmond, Texas
- David Sandusky - St. Louis, Missouri
Eliminated
- Christina Fitzgerald - St. Louis, Missouri
- Max Hardy - Detroit, Michigan
- Megan Day - Lee's Summit, Missouri
- Brendan Lamb - Roanoke, Texas
- Terry Matthews - Phoenix, Arizona
- Lu Holter - Hudson, Wisconsin
- Taylor Carroll - Atlanta, Georgia
- Christopher Prieto - Knightdale, North Carolina
- Brittani Bo Baker
- Tampa, FloridaSeason 3
Winner
- Rashad Jones
- Ocala, FloridaRunners-up
- Don Nguyen
- Houston, Texas - Winnie Yee-Lakhani
- Fullerton, CaliforniaEliminated
- James Cruse - New Orleans, Louisiana
- Tony Froyan
- Maplewood, New Jersey - Michelle Wallace
- Houston, Texas - Matt Roth - Austin, Texas
- Sunny Moody
- Nashville, Tennessee - Tina Cannon - Atlanta, Georgia
Season 4
Winner
- Dominique Leach
- Chicago, IllinoisRunners-up
- Chuck Matto
- Vallejo, California - Harold Villarosa
- San Francisco, CaliforniaEliminated
- Kate Neville - Los Angeles, California
- Robert Smith
- Hempstead, Texas - Chris Williams
- Louisville, Kentucky - Larissa Da Costa
- Los Angeles, California - Christie Vanover - Las Vegas, Nevada
- Brian Duffy
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Ami Cisneros
- San Diego, California - Ippy Aiona - Kamuela, Hawaii
- Chris Binotto
- Venice Beach, CaliforniaSeason 5
Winner
- Erica Barrett - Atlanta, Georgia
Runners-up
- Bruce Kalman - Las Vegas, Nevada
- Hugh Mangum - New York City, New York
Eliminated
- Noah Sims
- Epworth, Georgia - Shannon Snell
- Gainesville, Florida - Andrea Nicholson
- Toronto, Ontario - Logan Sandoval
- Simi Valley, California - Ray Lampe - St. Petersburg, Florida
- Elena Terry - Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
- Flora Kamimura
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii - Ashley Turner
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Sam Cruz
- Miami, FloridaSeason 6
Winner
- Kyle Bryner
- Dillard, GeorgiaRunners-up
- Tyler Anderson - Hartford, Connecticut
- Brad Leighninger - Branson, Missouri
Eliminated
- Tim Van Doren - Alabaster, Alabama
- Arturo Ramon - Wimberley, Texas
- Alexandra Donnadio - Hillsborough, New Jersey
- Jason Dady - San Antonio, Texas
- Aarthi Sampath - New York City, New York
- Rosalie Bradford Pareja - Clearwater, Florida
- Thyron Mathews - Oelwein, Iowa
- Greg Gatlin - Houston, Texas
- Orchid Paulmeier - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Contestant progress
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Episodes
Season 1 (2019)
Season 2 (2021)
Season 3 (2022)
| No. | Title | Original air date | Rating | Viewers |
| 1 | " 'Cue the Introductions " | 0.2 | 0.88 | |
| 2 | "BBQ Games" | 0.2 | 0.87 | |
| 3 | "Backyard BBQ" | 0.2 | 0.95 | |
| 4 | "Throwback BBQ" | 0.2 | 0.83 | |
| 5 | "You Gotta Beef with Me?!" | 0.2 | 0.93 | |
| 6 | "Not Your Average 'Cue" | 0.1 | 0.79 | |
| 7 | "Social Media Connection" | 0.2 | 0.84 | |
| 8 | "Impress Us" | 0.2 | 0.96 |
Season 4 (2023)
| No. | Title | Original air date |
| 1 | "Welcome to California!" | |
| 2 | "2nd Annual BBQ Games" | July 17, 2023 |
| 3 | "Fisherman's Wharf War" | July 24, 2023 |
| 4 | "Hurts So Good" | July 31, 2023 |
| 5 | "Takin' It to the Next Level" | August 7, 2023 |
| 6 | "Live Fire, Live Wire" | August 14, 2023 |
| 7 | "Fancy Schmancy" | August 21, 2023 |
| 8 | "Triple Rib Showdown" | August 28, 2023 |
| 9 | "A Trip Down Memory Lane" | September 4, 2023 |
| 10 | "Impress Us" | September 4, 2023 |