Teams have broken camp. Cookers are back in storage. The pungent smell of cooked barbecue no longer wafts in the air.
The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is over for the year. But the memories remain.
Ryan Prewitt traveled from New Orleans to Memphis for the event. And, for a change, he didn’t have to wear a white chef’s jacket or stand inside a kitchen.
Prewitt is owner and executive chef of the prestigious Pêche Seafood Grill in New Orleans.
He’s also a member of Peg Leg Porkers.
“It was great,” Prewitt says. “It was wonderful. It had been a couple of years since I spent a lot of time in Downtown Memphis. Seeing the way it’s developed is fantastic.”
He stayed at the Central Station Hotel. “The South Main area felt great.”
The trip was worth it. “I just love barbecue festivals. I think they are a unique slice of life. And the scene at the Memphis in May barbecue festival is unlike anything else. The sense of camaraderie, the joy everyone brings to it is just fantastic. I was really looking forward to it, especially after taking last year off.”
Roland Shapley is used to big crowds. He’s one of the founders of the Stumbling Santa Pub Crawl, a Porter-Leath fundraiser that draws big crowds of people dressed as Santa and other holiday personalities.
He’s also a member of BBQ Republic.
But Shapley, who now lives in Birmingham, was away from people for a long time. “I was sequestered for the last 15 to 16 months,” he says. “Only me and my two dogs. It’s great to get out and interact with people I haven’t seen in over a year.”
Memphis in May executive director Jim Holt reflected on this year’s event: “After a two-year absence, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest returned to Tom Lee Park last week and everyone was thrilled to be back at the riverfront for Memphis in May. It was a bit smaller than normal. We hit capacity three of the four days, which shows the incredible popularity of the event.
“We thank everyone who worked within established guidelines to ensure safety for all attending. We are out of Tom Lee Park next year due to construction, but we look forward to returning to the riverfront two years from now in 2023 for this much loved and iconic Memphis event.”
This year’s winners:
Grand Champion was Myron Mixon’s Jack’s Old South. The team, which competed in the Whole Hog Category, set a new record for the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest by taking the top honor for the fifth time.
Bluff City Smokers came in first place in ribs. Central City BBQ and Blues Hog took first place in shoulder with Jack’s Old South taking top honors in the whole hog category.
A total of 136 competition cooking teams vied for $142,350 in cash prizes. Complete winners can be found at memphisinmay.org.