WILTON, CT — A Wilton chef will be competing to be named “Master of ‘Cue” when the fifth season of “BBQ Brawl” drops on Food Network on July 8 at 9 p.m.
Hugh Mangum, a former professional drummer, is the founder/pitmaster of Mighty Quinn’sin NYC. Since opening in 2011, the restaurant has spread into fifteen locations around the world, including Dubai and Taiwan, on a mission to become the “Chipotle of barbeque.”
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When Patch last left Mangum, he had just filed with Wilton P&Z to open Rise Doughnuts at 28 Center Street during the height of COVID. Since then, the bakery has become “a runaway freight train,” according to the chef, who said he and his wife are “potentially opening our second location this year by end-of-year.”
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Despite having become somewhat of a Food Network mainstay — he was a champion on “Chopped” and a judge on “Beat Bobby Flay” and “Fire Masters” — Mangum said he had to go through the casting process for “BBQ Brawl” just like anyone else.
The show is an elimination competition, shot this season in Texas, where “smoky brisket is the star,” according to the Brawl website. Bobby Flay will be among the celebrity culinary captains leading their teams in the 10-episode grill-off.
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See Also: 4th Of July Grilling Tips From CT’s Top BBQ Joints
The new season debuts at a time when Americans’ “passion for cooking outdoors is likely at an all-time high,” according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association. The most popular grilling day continues to be Fourth of July, when 54 percent of owners grilled out. HPBA analysts predict that, despite inflation continuing to turn up the heat on household food purchases, home cooks will lean into more affordable grilling options rather than give up the grill.
“Whether you are a gentleman wearing a three-piece suit, a powerful businesswoman, or you are someone who works a nine to five, or is a trash worker, or a janitor or a teacher, everybody can sit at the table and eat barbecue.” Mangum said. “Everyone can get behind it and get into it and get dirty. And it’s beautiful.”
According to annual HPBA surveys, 80 percent of all homeowners and 70 percent of all households in the U.S. own at least a grill or smoker, matching the highest percentage in the study’s history.
But ownership does not confer expertise.
Mangum said he thinks the average American weekend grill master “goes a little off the rails” when it comes to BBQ. Instead of focusing on all the sauces and rubs, the secret to a great BBQ is basic common sense:
“Shop locally, buy quality over quantity, season the protein simply, tend your fire well, honor the food you’re cooking, and pay attention to it without fussing over it too much.”
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