NYC BBQ / Sean Ludwig

Thank you @underseasoned.bbqshow for including me on your list of most influential people in BBQ. It’s an honor to be listed among so many incredible pitmasters and media all-stars from all over the world. Founding @nycbbq and @thesmokesheet has taken me on amazing journeys and given me the chance to talk with the biggest names in BBQ. I love this community.

Thank you @kellyclarksonshow for inviting me on today! Had a blast meeting Kelly and @cedtheentertainer and getting to celebrate BBQ in front of a national audience. I still can’t believe Kelly called me on stage to be a taste tester! Will be sharing more about my experience in the next issue of @thesmokesheet newsletter and share clips when I have them. What a day!

Excited to share I’ll be making my national TV debut on Tuesday, May 12 on the @kellyclarksonshow . I was asked to be on a segment with @cedtheentertainer , who talked about his great new BBQ book with @anthonyanderson . This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up and grateful to Kelly and Cedric for giving me small, fun role on the episode that celebrates BBQ and grilling. More to share soon!

Brisket King NYC 2026 was a blast, with outstanding pitmasters and more creative dishes than we’ve ever seen. Three former winners of Brisket King (@smoke_sweats / @wildwoodsbbq / @juicy_lucy_bbq ) competed but long-time competitor @brothersbarbecue took home the crown with its top-notch brisket and perfect brisket bacon jam sandwich. Underdog @okcharleys deservingly won Runner Up for its brisket pastrami bahn mi. The great guys from Wildwoods BBQ won People’s Choice for their fine brisket and brisket burger. The @crossroadsque crew won Best Dish for its twist on a brisket Texas twinkie in a wonton. Everyone came to play and it showed. Plus, the rain held off. What a night. #bbq #nycbbq #brisketkingnyc #brisket #nycevents

You had to be here. The 6th annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit at @pigbeachqueens had so many good bites it would make your head spin. Congrats @sugarfiresmokehouse for winning Judge’s Choice for its perfect steak frites and @handsomedevilllc for winning People’s Choice for its amazing pastrami brisket. On top of raising money for the Jeff Michner Foundation, this year we also raised a glass for @bigbobgibsonbbq legend Don McLemore, who passed away recently. (THIS IS PART 2. CHECK OUT PART 1 FOR MORE HIGHLIGHTS!) #bbq #nycbbq #pigbeachnyc #nycevents #forchefjeff

The rain didn’t keep us down one bit. The Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit, as usual, was a smash success at @pigbeachqueens this past weekend. It featured an all-star lineup of chefs and pitmasters, all raising money for a great cause and to keep the spirit of Jeff with us. (THIS IS PART 1. SEE PART 2 FOR MORE HIGHLIGHTS!) #bbq #nycbbq #pigbeachnyc #forchefjeff #nyceats

Hey BBQ family: @pigbeachqueens is hosting 3 must-attend events in the next month. First off is the Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit on Sat, April 25 featuring pitmaster talent from all over the country and hosted by @bbqsnob . Second is @brisketkingnyc on Wed, April 29, featuring the best brisket you’ll eat this year, from 4 former Brisket King champs & more. Third is the @texasexesnyc Chili Cook-Off, a celebration of chili, queso, and Texas culture that is always a blast. Links to tickets in my bio and I hope to see you at all three! #bbq #nycbbq #nycevents #brisketkingnyc #pigbeachnyc

Barbecue events in NYC are kicking off in April. One of my all-time favorites is @brisketkingnyc , which will be held this year on April 29th at @pigbeachqueens . If you love brisket and want to support local BBQ, you need to show up! Get tickets at brisketking.com! #bbq #nycbbq #barbecue #brisketkingnyc

Hey everyone. Apologies for stepping away for a bit but it’s been a challenging past few months. I recently celebrated my 40th birthday and was thankful to enjoy some excellent BBQ from @bark_barbecue with my family. If you haven’t visited Bark, make sure you stop by and give them some love. But outside of my birthday (which also included 2+ hours of glorious karaoke at @babygrandnyc ), things have admittedly been hard. I’ve been searching for a full-time job after being laid off last year, and it’s been seriously stressful. Two hard-to-contain toddlers, random illnesses, a sick cat, snow that won’t leave, and rising fascism haven’t helped the mood either. Most of my barbecue effort has gone into producing @thesmokesheet , my national newsletter that has a larger audience than NYCBBQ. I am hoping to get back to showcasing the best barbecue and live-fire in NY, NJ, and CT this spring as the weather gets better and it’s easier to get the kids out. Special thanks to my awesome wife @stackach for valiantly supporting me and the fam during this crazy time. I know I’m not the only one feeling this moment, including many of my BBQ restaurant friends that are barely getting by OR my journalism friends that have been laid off in the name of “cost savings” OR my neighbors that are scared to drop their kids off at school. Many of us have this enormous weight but are trying not to show it. Looking ahead to the rest of 2026, I want to feel inspired and get people excited about new things. I want to tell stories of people, restaurants, and food that are underrepresented and show what makes this region special. Hit me up if you want to work on something, tell me about a wildly good meal you had, or are hiring for content roles. Let’s meet this moment with kindness and good vibes. I’ll see you soon. #bbq #barbecue #nycbbq #thesmokesheet

Absolutely humbled…. A screen grab from an article released by @nycbbq , that has me completely floored… What a crazy few days it has been! Thank you for the kind words, what a way to start a Friday! I can’t stop saying thank you to all involved with the Sauce King NYC, I hope someday soon I can raise a glass with you all! Cheers!!! 🍻 @saucekingnyc @foodkarmanyc @thesmokesheet @nycbbq @jimmypotsandpans @nickband1 @beer_sessions @heritage_radio And to anyone I can’t tag or forgot to… Cheers! 🍻 #bbq #bbqsauce #bbqlife #bbqnation #lowandslow #grilling #sauce #smallbatch #homemade #food #foodlover #foodblogger #foodstagram #foodbusiness #foodphotographer #smallbusiness #chicago #chicagobbq #chicagofood #jaxsauce #backjax

Saturday’s @holysmokeschs in Charleston was a master class in how to throw a barbecue festival. The event celebrated its fifth year with an unbeatable lineup of pitmaster and restaurant talent, great weather (minus a brief rain shower), and a wide open layout that gave attendees plenty of room to pig out and party. The food was nothing short of spectacular. Sone of my top bites of the day included: @kingbbqchs shrimp toast w/ egg yolk jam and caviar @blueoakbbq smoked shrimp, chicken, and sausage gumbo @hometeambbq lamb ribs w/ chili white sauce @holycityhog perfect whole hog & collards @ubonsbbq Eastern NC smoked fish stew @mooscraftbarbecue Texas-style brisket @foxbrosbarbq carne adada tostada @mamajeansbbq pork jowl taco on beef fat tortilla @hogandhominy tomahawk steak on focaccia w/ gremolata and many more! This is a special event that not only highlights the best in barbecue, it also raises a lot of money for @hogsforthecause . I would highly recommend it for barbecue lovers from all over the country and it’s a must-do if you live anywhere near Charleston. #bbq #charleston #bbqevent #holysmokes

This week, we celebrate seven years of The Smoke Sheet newsletter. We started this project because of our love of the barbecue community, and we continue to stay committed to bringing our readers a look at the national BBQ and grilling landscape each week. When we first launched The Smoke Sheet, we never would have imagined we would be able to connect with so many incredible people from the barbecue world. We’ve been fortunate enough to travel all across the country, eating at top-notch restaurants and chronicling the happenings of major events. All along the way, we’ve made many new friends and had many amazing experiences. Thank you again to our readers and supporters, who for the past seven years have made this possible. We look forward to sharing more stories from all sides of the barbecue community.