Pig Beach’s Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit Celebrated Family and Food
The Jeff Michner Foundation BBQ Benefit featured tons of national barbecue talent. (Photo by Eric Vitale Photography)
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In 2018, the enormous Big Apple Barbecue Block Party left New York and never returned. The event was one of the largest annual barbecue festivals in the country, attracting nationally known pitmasters and hundreds of thousands of barbecue lovers.
No barbecue-focused event has gotten close to the size of the Block Party since it departed, but one has captured the feel — the Jeff Michner Foundation BBQ Benefit at Pig Beach. The event was held for its second time this past weekend at the new Pig Beach NYC location in Queens, New York, and featured a star-studded lineup of barbecue greats from around the country. It attracted more than 2,500 attendees, more than double the first time it was held.
The Jeff Michner Foundation BBQ Benefit was first hosted in 2019 and was created to honor the life and legacy of chef and pitmaster Jeff Michner. Michner was the pitmaster and executive chef at the first Pig Beach location in Brooklyn. He unexpectedly passed away following a sudden brain bleed in May 2018. At the age of 36, his death was tragic, and he left behind his wife Sara and 16-month-old daughter Hayes. Michner also left behind his Pig Beach family, where he was instrumental in putting the joint's barbecue on the map.
Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que served up delicious pastrami bacon dogs at the event. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
The first event was a huge success that set the blueprint for top-talent BBQ events post-Block Party. Due to the pandemic, the BBQ Benefit was finally held for its second time this past weekend with a similarly excellent lineup that included Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson BBQ, Tuffy Stone of Cool Smoke, Amy Mills of 17th St Barbecue, Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que, Grant Pinkerton of Pinkerton’s BBQ, Ed Randolph of Handsome Devil BBQ, and more.
Food highlights included Lilly’s BBQ gumbo, Stone’s ribeye steak, Mills’ whole hog, Durney’s pastrami bacon dog, Pinkerton’s brisket burnt ends, and Randolph’s smoked pastrami. The event also featured copious beverages and live music to keep the energy high.
Amy Mills of 17th St Barbecue brought incredible whole hog to the Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
While great food and fun were a big focus of the event, it also raised money for the Jeff Michner Foundation, which creates scholarships for culinary students and supports families managing loss and grief. More than $100,000 was raised for the Foundation and other causes.
The event celebrated the lives of barbecue pitmasters who have passed away and raised money for charity. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
To raise money for the Foundation, an online auction was held offering unique experiences such as Tuffy Stone or Tank Jackson of Holy City Hogs cooking for you. Money was also raised by selling $200 shots of Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year bourbon.
Tuffy Stone was an attraction for many with his grilled ribeye with bacon and brown butter. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
One thing that was evident as the event came to a close was the dedication of the barbecue community to rally for worthy causes. Pitmasters and barbecue personalities from the likes of Missouri, Texas, Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia, and more were represented, and all prepared stunningly good barbecue dishes.
Joey Machado of Texas Original Charcoal Company cooked up tasty BBQ pork tostadas. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
The Jeff Michner Foundation BBQ Benefit will no doubt be one of the must-attend NYC BBQ events for years to come. I’m already getting hungry thinking about next year.
If you want to see more highlights from the Benefit, check out the photos below.
Whole hog was a popular item at the Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit. (Photo by Eric Vitale Photography)
Sean Keever of Big Guns BBQ served a stunning porchetta. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Filling your platter and finding a seat was the right move at the Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit. (Photo by Eric Vitale Photography)
Smoked pastrami from Handsome Devil BBQ in the Hudson Valley was one of the top bites of the day. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Skip Steele of Que49 Smokehouse and Pappy's Smokehouse made tasty wings at the Jeff Michner Benefit. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
A closer look at the pastrami bacon dog from Hometown Bar-B-Que. (Photo by Eric Vitale Photography)
Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride of Pig Beach pose with Jeff Michner's portrait behind them. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Leslie Roark and Craig Verhage of Ubon's Barbecue always bring their A game. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
I had a blast at the Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit and can't wait for next year. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT (NEWS)
Red White and Que Smokehouse, one of the top BBQ joints in NJ, will be moving locations in May. It will be closing its current location on May 8.
Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:
Red White and Que Smokehouse, a veteran-owned BBQ joint that has regularly made best-in-New-Jersey lists, announced recently that it would be moving from its long-time location in Kearny to Green Brook. The current location is relatively tiny, so the owners wanted to move to Green Brook in order to have more dining space and more offerings for customers. According to co-owner Dan Misuraca, “the new space will be able to accommodate 50-plus customers indoors, which is exactly 50-plus customers more than it can accommodate in Kearny.” Its last day operating in Kearny will be May 8 (Mother’s Day), so be sure to get your last visit in this weekend. READ MORE.
Vegan barbecue operation Pure Grit BBQ will be officially opening its new location in Manhattan in May. VegNews interviewed founder Kerry Fitzmaurice about the opening. Fitzmaurice said NYC was the right place to introduce plant-based barbecue. “Barbecue is family. Whether it is gathering for a backyard barbecue or queuing up at your favorite local spot you’ll get friendly faces, delicious food, and lots of laughter,” Fitzmaurice told VegNews. “It is that sense of belonging that drove me to create Pure Grit BBQ: a space where everyone can pull up a chair.” READ MORE.
Kimchi Smoke, an excellent barbecue joint in Westwood, NJ that is known for its brisket and specialties, announced it will be opening a second location in Ridgewood, NJ. The new location will be called “Kimchi Smoke Fatcho Shack” and the original Westwood location will remain. READ MORE.
Tikkun BBQ, which has attracted acclaim for helping its Queens community, has been profiled by Good Morning America. The GMA team created a video profile that has been shared on various social media platforms. VIEW HERE.
Fink's Second BBQ Bus Tour is revving up to take barbecue lovers to four North Jersey spots to eat smoked meats and drink cold beer to their hearts' content. The event is set for June 12.. READ MORE.
Holy 'Que Smokehouse — a Texas-style barbecue spot in Bucks County, PA — is returning post-pandemic to offer free sides with any platter purchased in celebration of National BBQ Month in May. "BBQ is one of my biggest passions, and for the sole reason that it's all about community," Tom Peters, Pitmaster and Founder of Holy 'Que Smokehouse, told Patch. "It's the only food that brings people together, which we've seen in the depths of the pandemic and after." READ MORE.
IRL BBQ EVENTS
Do not miss Rib King NYC 2022, which will feature many amazing bites on Memorial Day weekend.
Here are the top BBQ and related food events coming soon to the New York metro area:
May 21, 2022: The NYC Texas Chili Cook-Off will return to New York City, bigger, louder, and tastier than ever on May 21 at Industry City in Brooklyn. The event takes place between 1 and 6 p.m. and is hosted by the Texas Exes New York Chapter. There will be all-you-can-drink Texas beverages, all-you-can-eat chili and queso (or until it runs out), and much more. Sean Ludwig of NYC BBQ Weekly will be judging too, so come out and say hello! BUY TICKETS HERE.
May 21, 2022: Love wings and beer? Then this is the event for you! Held at the beautiful South Shore Craft Brewery, the NY Best Wings Fest will be a finger-licking tasting tour of the best restaurants on Long Island. On top of being able to sample lots of great wings, there will also be a hot-wing eating contest, live music, and giveaways. BUY TICKETS HERE.
May 28, 2022: This Memorial Day weekend will have a forecast for delicious pork and beef at Rib King NYC 2022. The event will be held at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden on Staten Island and is great for families and groups. Chefs and pitmaster talent will include Holy City Hogs, Bark Barbecue, Big Guns BBQ, Blue Smoke, Smoke Sweats, Chef Jesse Jones, Jase BBQ, Queens Custom Barbecue, and many more. BUY TICKETS HERE.
Please get in touch if you would like your food event listed here!
SAY HELLO
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