Food Network star, award-winning restaurateur and chef Michael Symon will lead the channel’s new series ‘BBQ USA’, which will see him compete in barbecue competitions nationwide. The six-episode show will premiere July 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with weekly episodes also streaming on Discovery+.
The hour-long prime-time series will feature Symon speaking with and showcasing the talented cooks, grilling experts and cooking masters behind some of the world’s best barbecue, ribs and briskets of chicken. The New York Times best-selling author will also be talking to hardcore barbecue fans as he travels across the country to explore the art of barbecuing.
“Having the chance to travel the country and watch these ‘tail stars’ battle it out on the biggest BBQ stage was a dream come true,” Symon said in a statement. “I love a good old-fashioned culinary showdown. It doesn’t matter if it’s pork, chicken or ribs, there’s nothing better than stepping over the grill or smoker in the summer to show off your skills, while interacting with the base dedicated fan base that brings these barbecue contests to life.
Symon will travel to places such as Tifton, Georgia, home of the Rhythm & Ribs BBQ Festival, where 60 teams compete in a cooking contest for cash prizes. Further episodes will see the host travel to Texas’s Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off and Tennessee’s Memphis in May Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, where barbecue legends Myron Mixon and Melissa Cookston will seek to defend their championship titles. Viewers will also get a behind-the-scenes look at competitions taking place in Alabama, New Jersey and Kansas.
“Michael Symon is no stranger to cooking competitions, having competed in the toughest competitions known to a chef. And with his love of barbecuing, Michael hits the road to visit some of America’s best barbecue competitions, chatting with the passionate pit and grill masters who dedicate their lives to different styles of “cueing,” Jane Latman, President Home & Food Addition of content and streaming at Warner Bros. Discovery. “Michael is not only an award-winning, world-renowned chef admired by his peers, but also loved by fans, making him the perfect guide for viewers as he savors his way across the country.”
“BBQ USA” is produced by Simple Alien for Food Network and Discovery+.
