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KC Smoke & Flavor Master Series
Watch as the nation’s best pitmasters roll into Kansas City for a KCBS Master Series BBQ Competition like no other. Two days. Four categories. Endless smoke. Only one Grand Champion.
What is the Master Series?
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This isn’t backyard grilling — this is competition BBQ at the highest level. The Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) Master Series is the gold standard of BBQ competitions worldwide. Teams compete across four required categories:
- Chicken
- Pork Ribs
- Pork
- Brisket
Every box is judged blind by certified KCBS judges, ensuring the best BBQ wins — not the flashiest presentation.
The Competitors
Expect the field to be fierce: 50+ professional teams setting up rigs, tents, and smokers across the festival grounds. From decorated national champions to local legends, every pitmaster will bring their own flavor and fight for the title of Grand Champion of the Smoke & Flavor Master Series.
Why It’s Special in KC
Kansas City is already the BBQ capital of the world — and this event raises the bar. The Smoke & Flavor Master Series isn’t just another competition; it’s about bringing BBQ back to its roots in the historic West Bottoms.
Where else can you:
- See more than 50 teams firing up smokers across the cobblestone streets where KC’s food culture was born?
- Smell the smoke drifting through the same district that’s been fueling Kansas City’s working-class grit for over a century?
- Watch world-class pitmasters battle it out under KCBS rules, framed by the iconic bridges and industrial backdrop of the West Bottoms?
This competition doesn’t just celebrate BBQ — it restores it to the heart of Kansas City’s history and cements KC’s place as the ultimate BBQ destination.
The Experience for Patrons
Even though judging is official and boxes are sealed, spectators get a front-row seat to the action:
- Walk the competition rows and watch pitmasters in action.
- Learn techniques, see massive smokers up close, and feel the intensity.
- Join the awards ceremony where the winners are crowned.