Finally. It’s our turn!

Those of us in the food media proudly serve as judges throughout the year at events where top chefs battle it out in heated competition. But the tables were turned this weekend when local food journalists were the ones competing in the kitchen as area chefs sat in judgment over us. And we captured all the energy on this live broadcast from the Tucson Food Media Pulled Pork and Cocktail Throwdown, featuring pork butts from Beeler’s Pure Pork!

All the competitors and judges for the epic throwdown

Guests on the show included representatives of the three teams: On the Menu Live (Matt Russell, Scot Litteer and Brian Thacker), 520 Eats (Jamie Rice, James Blue, and Chris Cohen), and Tucson Foodie (Adam Lehrman and Jackie Tran). We also interviewed the judges to get their perspectives on the competition: Chef Travis Peters of The Parish, Chef Ben Caballero of HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery, Butcher Ben Forbes of Forbes Meat Company, and Chef Daniel Thomas of BIRD Modern Provisions & Bar.

On the Menu Live’s winning dish: griddled corn cake with Hatch chiles, hickory-smoked pork butt with a Tennessee whiskey and vinegar sauce, fried pickles, chiltepin dust, and a smoked paprika crema

The judges announced the winners live on the show…Best Dish went to On the Menu Live and Best Cocktail went to 520 Eats. Can’t wait for next year’s event!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:45 — 37.6MB)