Smoke and Fire Festival, Maldon, Essex
This three-day extravaganza of BBQ, bourbon, and live music, drew thousands of live-fire enthusiasts to Maldon, with the star turn the presence of American barbecue legend Tuffy Stone.
A six-time world champion pitmaster, Stone, from Virginia, USA, is known for his attention to detail and love for cooking with fire, making him one of the world’s most respected authorities on grilling and BBQ and earning him the nickname The Professor.
Other BBQ luminaries at Maldon included Jay Beaumont from Meatstock, Australia, Marcus Bawdon and Matthew Burgess.
The Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) competition was dominated by Hog and Beyond, while Bullet Brothers took home the SCA Steak trophy. Smoke and Fire also hosted the Great British Open Freestyle BBQ Championships, won by The Wonky Donkeys, ahead of Kamado UK and The Brisket Box.
