Myron Mixon
Mixon during a BBQ course in 2013
Born (1962-05-30) May 30, 1962 (age 61)
SpouseFaye Mixon
Culinary career
Cooking styleBarbecue
Television show(s)
Award(s) won
    • 5x World Championships
    • 220+ Grand Championships
Websitejacksoldsouth.com

Myron Mixon (born May 31, 1962) is an American celebrity chef and competitor on the competitive barbecue circuit. He is a five time barbecue World Champion and appeared as a judge on Destination America reality television show BBQ Pitmasters. He also appeared as a judge on the bbq show Smoked as well as the show BBQ Pit Wars. Due to the number of accolades he has achieved during his BBQ career, he has the nickname of "the winningest man in barbecue."

Career

Myron started in competitive barbecue in 1996 at a competition in Atlanta, Georgia.[1] He won first place in whole hog and third place in the pork shoulder competition.[2] He originally only took up competitive BBQ in order to promote his family's BBQ sauce which his parents, Gaye and Jack, had created.[3] His father taught him how to barbecue, and Myron named his BBQ company after him, calling it Jack's Old South.[1]

During the course of his career, Myron has won more than 180 BBQ grand championships[4] and over 1,700 BBQ trophies.[2] He has been named Grand Champion at the Memphis in May World Championship on five occasions: in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2016, and 2021.[2] Myron is a multi-time Big Pig Jig Grand Champion, having won it most recently in 2012, his third victory in a row. [5][6] He has so far failed to win the Jack Daniel's BBQ World Invitational, which he has described as the most prestigious competition in the BBQ circuit.[7] He was runner up in 2004, missing out on first place by 0.1 points,[8] and has come first in the whole hog competition there on three occasions.[2] His achievements have earned him the nickname "the winningest man in barbecue."[9]

Myron debuted on TLC's reality television show BBQ Pitmasters in its inaugural series as a contestant. Originally, it was a show that followed a number of BBQ chefs to several different BBQ competitions. Series two brought a change in format, with it becoming a competition-game show, and Mixon serving one of the three judges alongside Art Smith and Warren Sapp. Series three saw the series move to the Destination America cable TV channel and a slight change in the format. Mixon was the only judge who remained on the show, being joined by fellow BBQ chefs Aaron Franklin and Tuffy Stone.[9][10]

He signed a cookbook deal in 2010 with publishers Ballantine Books.[3] It was published in 2011, with Paula Deen providing the foreword.[11] In May 2012, he appeared on NBC's The Today Show in a BBQ cookoff against Pat Martin of Tennessee restaurant Martin's Bar-B-Que. Myron cooked a brisket recipe while Martin cooked "red neck tacos."[12]

Mixon was elected mayor of his hometown of Unadilla, Georgia, and was sworn in for a four-year term in January 2016.[13]

Published works

  • Smokin' with Myron Mixon – Myron Mixon, Alexander, Kelly (May 10, 2011) 192 pages New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 9780345528537
  • Everyday Barbecue: At Home with America's Favorite Pitmaster – Myron Mixon, Alexander, Kelly (May 7, 2013) 320 pages
  • Myron Mixon's BBQ Rules – Myron Mixon, Alexander, Kelly (April 19, 2016) 240 pages

Restaurants

In January 2017 Mixon, along with business partners Joe Corey, a certified BBQ judge, and Bill McFadden opened Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster BBQ in Alexandria Virginia. The restaurant features some of Myron’s famous menu items such as Jacks Peach BBQ Baked Beans, Baby Back Mac and Cheese, Dry Rubbed Wings, and many more of Myron’s favorites cooked up by head pitmaster John Bennett.

References

  1. ^ a b Mosthof, Mariella (June 8, 2012). "BBQ Guru Myron Mixon On Why 'Barbecue Is The Backbone Of America'". The Brasier. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d "Myron Mixon". Destination America. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Boog, Jason (October 26, 2010). "Myron Mixon Cooks Up BBQ Book Deal". Galleycat. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  4. ^ "Melissa Cookston Wins BBQ Pitmasters' Best Show Ever". Huffington Post. June 4, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  5. ^ "Big Pig Jig - THE RESULTS ARE IN". Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  6. ^ "Jack's Old South Awards". Jack's Old South. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  7. ^ "Unadilla Man Sets Off For International BBQ Competition". 41 WMGT. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  8. ^ Hendrix, Steve (April 1, 2007). "The Grill and the Glory". Washington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  9. ^ a b Shahin, Jim (May 29, 2012). "New 'BBQ Pitmasters' may smoke previous seasons". Washington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  10. ^ Shahin, Jim (June 5, 2012). "'BBQ Pitmasters' judges bring out the knives". Washington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  11. ^ "Smokin' with Myron Mixon". Random House. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  12. ^ "BBQ Cook-Off: Try 'red neck tacos,' smoked beef brisket". Today Food. May 6, 2012. Archived from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  13. ^ "Unadilla swears in new mayor". Cordele Dispatch. January 15, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2018.

External links