Auschar’s Rob Hodges recently visited the American Royal BBQ, the world’s largest BBQ contest held in Kansas City. The food festival, which has been dubbed “The World Series of Barbecue”, welcomed Rob with open arms as he learnt the “ins and outs” from three people who are fountains of knowledge on the BBQ competition scene and barbecuing in general.

With the support of John Ryan, an Aussie barbecue enthusiast and sanctioned Kansas City Barbecue Society judge currently living in Kansas City, Carolyn Wells Executive Director of the Kansas City Barbecue Society and her friend Bob Carruthers, Rob gained invaluable knowledge and enjoyed the festivities in the home of American BBQ.

During the two days of the festival, over 500 hundred teams competed across four contents. There was also a chance to check out a barbecue trade expo. For all you grill geeks out there, if this doesn’t sound like fun, we don’t know what does!

Rob described the event as ‘like nothing you have ever seen before. The strict competition rules, the judging practices and certification of judges all make this BBQ competition scene one like no other’. Check out some photos from the event here.