James Cruse was the breakout star of Brisket King NYC 2021. He brought New Orleans flair to the event and earned second place overall for his delicious brisket with cajun dirty rice. Since then, James won first place in the rib division at Memphis in May, second place in barbecue at the World Food Championships and left his position at Central City Barbecue to get back into sales, this time for a spice company. We caught up with James to see how he’s been over the past year, hear more about his new position and talk about what he takes away from the competitive barbecue world. James will be joining us again for Brisket King NYC 2022 where he plans on taking home the top prize. Get your tickets now!

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One person we can always count on to bring the party to Food Karma Project’s events is Mario Chape, better known as Big Papa Smoke’m. His classic Puerto Rican dishes pack punches of flavor that always make them event favorites. We talked to Mario about how he started cooking, his business philosophy and the secrets of the Caja China, a box shaped grill used to cook a whole pig that is extra popular around the holidays. Check out Big Papa Smoke’m’s website if you’re interested in having Mario cook for you.

[Read more…] about Mario Chape Knows the Secrets Are in the Details

Chef Irwin Sánchez of Under the Volcano in Midtown Manhattan is a very interesting guy. During the pandemic, he pivoted from cooking bar burgers in Brooklyn to running his own Pueblan food pop up in Queens called Tlaxcal Kitchen. The poet and language scholar gets to the root of traditional Mexican dishes through their etymology with delectable results. You can try his cooking at Under the Volcano or purchase a ticket to Bowl of ‘Zole for a taste of his off-menu special pozole.

[Read more…] about Getting to the Roots of Mexican Food with Chef Irwin Sánchez

Yara Herrera has been cooking for over a decade, but her first job as Chef de Cuisine came only recently at the new plant-based restaurant Xilonen in Brooklyn. Her Mexican heritage and reverence for sustainable cooking and eating practices made her a perfect fit for the new spot. She will be cooking up a vegan pozole for Bowl of ‘Zole on October 23rd, but before that she talked with us about her background, her cooking philosophy and sharing the food she ate growing up with the world.

[Read more…] about Yara Herrera Teases Her Vegan Pozole Verde before Bowl of ‘Zole 2021

Angelo Competiello was born into the food business. His father owned a beloved Italian specialty store, and Angelo carried on the tradition, opening his own shop at just 25 years old. He’s nurtured his passion for food and cooking over the years and will be bringing his talents to Pig Island. Get your tickets now and start dreaming of a slice of his signature porchetta pizza!

[Read more…] about Angelo Competiello Plans for a Lifetime in the Pork Business

Lynn Wells learned to cook by spending time in the kitchen with her mother, never realizing that the tips and tricks she picked up there would lead to her career. After years in the nutrition department of a North Carolina hospital system, she’s now a personal chef who combines her interests in healthy, local and international food with the southern classics she grew up on. She will be competing at Pig Island 2021 on pitmaster Matthew Deaton’s all-star team of chefs – get your tickets here to taste some of her southern cooking in New York.

[Read more…] about Thyme Well Spent with Lynn Wells