|
FINAL PITMASTER ROSTERS SET FOR INAUGURAL SMITHFIELD CUP The new event will be staged Sunday, Oct. 13 from noon-5 p.m. on the grounds of Cape Fear Distillery as a select group of pitmasters from the Carolinas will prepare pork samplings from title sponsor Smithfield Foods, which operates the world’s largest pork processing plant in the world in nearby Tar Heel. Tickets to the unique culinary sampling experience can be purchased online at www.smithfieldcup.com. Kids 14-and-under are free with a paying adult, military (active and retired) discounted tickets are just $15 and an Early Entry Pig Out ticket gains entry to the event at 11 a.m. (one hour prior to general admission) and provides patrons with additional samples. Lewis Donald of Sweet Lew’s BBQ in Charlotte, N.C., will captain the North Carolina team and will be joined by Matthew Register of Southern Smoke BBQ in Garland, N.C., and Walt Munroe of Cruzers restaurant in Whiteville, N.C. Robbie Robinson of City Limits Barbecue in Columbia, S.C., will captain the South Carolina team and be joined by Dylan Cooke of Fork Grove Barbecue in Anderson, S.C., and Marvin Ross of Peculiar Pig Eats in Charleston, S.C. Each team will prepare chopped pork barbecue, ribs and burnt pork belly ends in their own BBQ style and sauce, along with a Southern side for patrons to sample. A People’s Choice vote will determine who takes home the coveted crystal Smithfield Cup trophy and state BBQ bragging rights for a year. “We’re thrilled to open our doors to Elizabethtown and share our rich heritage through one of our top attractions,” said Elizabethtown Town Manager Dane Rideout. “What better way to celebrate than with a showdown between BBQ masters from North Carolina and South Carolina? No matter who claims victory, attendees are in for a mouthwatering experience.” Donald of the North Carolina team is founder of the Carolina BBQ Festival in Charlotte and has been a pitmaster for the last three years at the prestigious Pinehurst Barbecue Festival. Donald’s 450-square-foot smokehouse is home to the only true smoker in all of Charlotte. It serves as the basis for Sweet Lew’s motto: “Cooked With Wood.” Register has appeared in publications such as Southern Living, Cast Iron Cooking, USA Today, Field & Family, Garden & Gun and Men’s Journal. In 2020, Saveur Magazine named Register’s Collard Chowder one of the 100 best recipes in America. Register has appeared on TV numerous times, including a cooking segment on The Today Show.
Cooke, once a traveling musician, opened Fork Grove Barbecue in 2023, which is known for its celebration of Texas-style barbecue. While Cooke, for the most part, has traded his guitar for a smoker, you can still find the pitmaster traveling to food festivals and events near and far to share the gospel of Southern-style barbecue. His motto is “Salt, Pepper, Smoke.” Ross is renowned for his expertise in whole hog barbeque, using traditional techniques passed down through five generations. His passion for authentic Southern BBQ and sustainable farming has made him a sought-after caterer, and his Charleston farm supplies meat to over 40 restaurants across Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Cape Fear Distillery, one of the event’s presenting sponsors, is now one of North Carolina’s leading distilleries, with 13 different liquor options in addition to an array of wine selections. Elizabethtown, with a charming downtown area, celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2023. The Bladen County town is located about an hour northwest of Wilmington and 35 miles south of Fayetteville and 20 minutes from Lumberton. The Smithfield Cup will be operated by Tarheel Festivals, who also recently staged the fourth annual Pinehurst Barbecue Festival over Labor Day weekend in the Village of Pinehurst. About Tarheel Festivals: The official event partner for the Pinehurst- Southern Pines-Aberdeen Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), Tarheel Festivals LLC also staged the fourth annual Pinehurst Barbecue Festival over Labor Day weekend and the sixth annual Festival D’Avion at the Moore Country Airport on Oct. 26, 2024. Contact Information: |
