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

Source

Winner

Lee Ann Whippen - Tampa, Florida

Runner-up

Susie Bulloch - Lehi, Utah

Eliminated

Joe Pearce - Kansas City, MissouriKevin Bludso - Compton, CaliforniaCarey Bringle - Nashville, TennesseeGeorge "Tuffy" Stone - Richmond, VirginiaPhil Johnson - Phoenix, ArizonaLynnae Oxley-Loupe - Battle Ground, Washington

Season 2

Winner

Erica Blaire Roby - Dayton, Ohio

Runners-up

Ara Malekian - Richmond, TexasDavid Sandusky - St. Louis, Missouri

Eliminated

Christina Fitzgerald - St. Louis, MissouriMax Hardy - Detroit, MichiganMegan Day - Lee's Summit, MissouriBrendan Lamb - Roanoke, TexasTerry Matthews - Phoenix, ArizonaLu Holter - Hudson, WisconsinTaylor Carroll - Atlanta, GeorgiaChristopher Prieto - Knightdale, North CarolinaBrittani Bo Baker - Tampa, Florida

Season 3

Winner

Rashad Jones - Ocala, Florida

Runners-up

Don Nguyen - Houston, TexasWinnie Yee-Lakhani - Fullerton, California

Eliminated

James Cruse - New Orleans, LouisianaTony Froyan - Maplewood, New JerseyMichelle Wallace - Houston, TexasMatt Roth - Austin, TexasSunny Moody - Nashville, TennesseeTina Cannon - Atlanta, Georgia

Season 4

Winner

Dominique Leach - Chicago, Illinois

Runners-up

Chuck Matto - Vallejo, CaliforniaHarold Villarosa - San Francisco, California

Eliminated

Kate Neville - Los Angeles, CaliforniaRobert Smith - Hempstead, TexasChris Williams - Louisville, KentuckyLarissa Da Costa - Los Angeles, CaliforniaChristie Vanover - Las Vegas, NevadaBrian Duffy - Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaAmi Cisneros - San Diego, CaliforniaIppy Aiona - Kamuela, HawaiiChris Binotto - Venice Beach, California

Season 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, Florida

Season 6

Winner

Kyle Bryner - Dillard, Georgia

Runners-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

Episodes

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