‘It’s like David and Goliath.’ A little team could triumph at Qlathe BBQ competition

Although there’s still a chill in the air, you may be considering firing up the grills and smokers. In fact, it’s likely a necessity if you’re a member of one of the 72 teams set to compete in this weekend’s Qlathe BBQ Championship at Lone Elm Park.

Teams will come from as far as Colorado and Oklahoma, but many hail from the metro area.

“It’s crazy, because there’s a big populace of people that compete right here in Olathe,” said Chris Stewart, special events coordinator for the city of Olathe. “I think that’s one of the reasons why this competition has really exploded.”

It will all come down to who makes the best chicken, ribs, pork and brisket tonight and Saturday — and there’s a fair amount of prize money on the line. The top 10 in each category get cash prizes ranging from $50 to $500. The top three overall will take home prizes, too, with the grand champion netting $1,500.

The prize money comes both from the $225 per team entry fee and from sponsors American Fire BBQ, Moosejaw and Proud Souls Barbecue and Provisions.

In order to bestow those prizes, a group of 84 trained and certified judges from the Kansas City Barbecue Society will be running the show, tasting and ranking each entry with a double blind system to ensure fairness.

“You’re not just going off, ‘Hey, this tastes good.’ There are certain things they’re looking for, and that’s why they go through the (certification) classes,” Stewart said.

It’s one of the bigger events sanctioned by the society, which stages competitions worldwide. You might know the society for its season finale competition at the American Royal.

Last year’s Qlathe leaders, Slaps BBQ and Fergolicious, are returning, but up to 30 new teams will compete, too. Not being from a well-established team doesn’t mean you can’t take top honors.

“Watching the big teams not winning and the little guys winning, that’s always a shocker. It’s like David and Goliath. Every once in a while, one of these sleeper teams comes in and knocks one of the big boys out of place,” said Forrest Bruce, contest representative for the Kansas City Barbecue Society.

Society members haven’t had any trouble attracting competitors. The list of teams has been full since the end of December, and 12 teams are still on the waiting list.

“For a lot of these guys, it’s the very first competition of the year. They’ve got all these great toys over the winter, and they’re ready to use them,” Stewart said.

When it comes to the barbecue teams themselves, there’s no single formula. Stewart estimated that competitors range in age from young cooks in their 20s to experienced chefs in their 70s. They’re cooking on everything from classic wood-burning smokers to pellet grills and beyond.

The day before the competition, everyone’s very sociable.

“Friday night sounds like a party’s going on everywhere. Saturday morning, you could hear a pin drop. Everyone dials it in,” Stewart said.

Although the contest isn’t really a spectator sport, if you are a barbecue enthusiast, Friday night is the time to show up and mingle. Just don’t expect to get to taste any barbecue.

“If you’re a smoking enthusiast, you’re going to get a lot of tips on Friday night talking to the contestants, but it gets cold quick out there. Usually by the sun going down around 7 p.m., people really get the heck out of there,” Stewart said.

Most of them will compete in all four categories. Timing is critical, because each variety of meat takes a different cooking time, and competitors face hard deadlines. If they miss one, there’s no late entry.

Competitors also don’t want to be in a rush, because that can tempt disaster.

“I’ve seen people get really close to the thing and trip and fall, and it all ends up on the floor,” Stewart said. “One time I remember seeing him (a chef) probably 20 feet of the turn-in, and he tripped, and it went everywhere.”

For information about the event, visit olatheks.gov/government/parks-recreation/special-events/qlathe-bbq-championship

This story was originally published March 15, 2023 at 6:00 AM.