Premiere Programming Alert - Pitmasters

WHAT: Pitmasters

WHERE/WHEN: Premieres Monday, July 13 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network and will stream the following day on HBO Max®.

WHO: Teams of the world's most elite pitmasters push live fire cooking to its limits as they compete in a non-stop week-long battle for BBQ glory in Food Network's all-new series, Pitmasters. Bold flavor, innovation and mastery of the pit is the name of the game as the teams showcase their unique culinary perspective for a legendary panel of judges including Andrew Zimmern, Jess Pryles, Moe Cason, and Ernest Servantes. From breaking down a whole hog to cooking and serving four essential BBQ proteins on a non-stop rolling schedule, only the most creative and persistent Pitmasters will survive and earn up to $50,000 in prize money. The clock is ticking, and the fight for fire and flavor is on!

In the premiere episode the teams will work to complete their first 'Big Burn' challenge where the Pitmasters will have nine hours to create a family-style BBQ platter featuring two proteins and at least one side that defines their BBQ style and culinary point of view. The Pitmasters will be feeding the judges and their competitors, so the pressure will be high. The challenge will be the ultimate intro, showcasing each team's flavors, techniques, and identity as they fight to move forward in the competition. While the Pitmasters are working away at the 'Big Burn' the judges surprise them with a twist - a challenge within a challenge - called a 'Flash Burn.' While keeping an eye on their 'Big Burn,' the teams will need to create a perfectly balanced one-bite BBQ dish in only 60 minutes. The team that can distill their flavors down to the best bite will win the first prize money of the competition.

The teams that will be competing on Pitmasters are Matt Groark (Medford, NJ) and Max McGibbon (Newark, DE); Esaul and Grecia Ramos (San Antonio, TX); Jeremy Yoder (Louisville, KY) and Al Frugoni (Boerne, TX); Ruben Santana (Boerne, TX) and Hector Garate (Charleston, SC); John Jackson and Connie DeSousa (Calgary, Canada); Jacob Scott (Thibodaux, LA) and Leslie Roark Scott (New Orleans, LA); Chris Williams (Columbia, SC) and Frank Miller (Columbia, SC); Susie Bulloch (St. George, UT) and Christie Vanover (Las Vegas, NV); and Reginald Jacob Howell (Tacoma, WA) and Denzel Johnson(Tacoma, WA).

Pitmasters is produced by Alfred Street Industries for Food Network.

DIGITAL/SOCIAL: Fans can visit FoodNetwork.com to follow the sunrise-to-sunset competition, plus get to know the pitmasters and the judges. Viewers can join the social conversation and share their takes on the hottest barbecue trends using #FNPitmasters.

Photos: Available Here courtesy of Food Network

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