Bobby Flay, Maneet Chauhan, and Brooke Williamson to lead new season of ‘BBQ Brawl’
Food Network’s high-stakes culinary competition “BBQ Brawl” is returning for a new season on Monday, May 11, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, featuring a fresh roster of pitmasters and a shake-up among the team captains.
Returning icons Bobby Flay and Maneet Chauhan will be joined by Brooke Williamson, who transitions from her previous role as a judge to a first-time team captain. The trio will head to Star Hill Ranch in Austin, Texas, to lead 12 elite pitmasters through a series of grueling fire-based challenges.
“BBQ season is here and this year’s Brawlers are some of the best we’ve ever seen,” said Betsy Ayala, President of Food Network. “Having Brooke join Bobby and Maneet as team captains brings a whole new dynamic to the Ranch – they are ultra-competitive and not afraid of a little good-natured trash talk.”
The nine-episode season kicks off with a supersized premiere where the competitors must showcase their signature flavors in a bowl. The winner of the initial challenge will earn the significant advantage of choosing their own team captain.
Judging the smoke and flame this year are Adrienne Cheatham, Rashad Jones, and Carson Kressley. Each week, the panel will evaluate the dishes to determine who stays and who is sent home. The competition culminates in a finale on July 6, where the final three pitmasters will face a gauntlet of unknown ingredients to earn the title of “Master of ‘Cue.”
The 12 competitors vying for the title represent a wide range of regional styles:
- Dakari Akorede (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Morgan Bolling (Boston, Mass.)
- Chris Farella (Fort Lee, N.J.)
- Raquel Fleetwood (Long Beach, Calif.)
- Torrece “T” Gregoire (Bristol, Va.)
- Vinny Mangual (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
- Edith Mattiuzzo (Udine, Italy)
- Tim McLaughlin (Dallas, Texas)
- Tung Nguyen (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
- Braunda Smith (San Antonio, Texas)
- Blake Stoker (Martin, Tenn.)
- Bob Trudnak (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Episodes will be available for streaming the day after their linear premiere on HBO Max. “BBQ Brawl” is produced by Rock Shrimp Productions.
