Meet the acclaimed pitmasters featured at the Sugar River Fire & Smoke BBQ Festival!
THE PITMASTERS
MICHELLE WALLACE
Michelle Wallace is a renowned pitmaster, restaurateur, chef, and TV personality from Houston, Texas. In 2023 she opened her first restaurant B’tween Sandwich Co. and debuted on Top Chef: Wisconsin, endearing herself to our entire state.
RODNEY SCOTT
Rodney Scott is a James Beard Best Chef Award winner and is nationally acclaimed for his mastery of South Carolina–style whole-hog barbecue and signature Rodney’s Sauce. He is a New York Times Best Selling author.
ALI CLEM
Ali Clem is the chef and owner at Michelin-starred restaurant, la Barbecue, located in Austin and named one of Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Best BBQ Joints. Ali is the first-ever woman pitmaster to be awarded a Michelin Star.
David Bancroft
David Bancroft is the Chef and owner of Acre Restaurant and Bow & Arrow Barbecue in Auburn, Alabama and is a 5-time James Beard Semifinalist and Iron Chef Winner.
DAN FOX
Dan Fox cooked in top kitchens in Chicago, Austria, and France before founding Fox Heritage Farms. A three-time James Beard Award finalist and Chopped Champion, he is the executive chef at Heritage Tavern.
DON NGUYEN
Don Nguyen blends classic Texas barbecue with Vietnamese flavors, pairing expertly smoked brisket, beef ribs, and sausages. He was Runner-Up on Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl.”
Brian jupiter
Brian Jupiter is a leader in Chicago’s culinary scene. He is a 6-time James Beard Semifinalist, a 3-time Michelin Bib Gourmand, and a Food Network “Chopped Champion.” Jupiter is known for his restaurant, Frontier, and now serves as Corporate Executive Chef for Pioneer Tavern Group.
ELENA TERRY
Elena Terry is the Executive Chef/Founder of Wild Bearies. She is an Indigenous Foods Expert, and appeared on Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl” and Food Network’s “Chopped.” Terry is set to open a new restaurant, Tall Grass, this summer at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.
Meet our incredible Day One lineup of all your favorite local restaurants, bbq joints, pitmasters and chefs!
LOCAL LEGENDS
DAY ONE: LOCAL SMOKE
Smoky Soul BBQ, Chicago, IL; Beef Butter BBQ, Madison, WI; Fox Heritage BBQ, Madison, WI; Primal ‘Cue Barbecue Joint, Sun Prairie, WI; J’s BBQ, Ripon, WI; Hall of Fame Beef, Muscoda, WI; Seven Acre Dairy Company, Paoli, WI. Michelle Wallace, Houston, TX; Sweet Smoke BBQ, Milwaukee, WI; Pasqual’s Cantina, Verona, WI; Ático Lounge, Madison, WI; Sugar River Pizza, Verona, WI; Thirsty Goat, Fitchburg, WI; Bob’s Bitchin’ BBQ, Dodgeville, WI; Pink Heifer Saloon and Smokehouse, Monticello, WI; This is All Fabulous, Madison, WI