Kosher BBQ Festival in Kansas City

I’m pretty excited. It’s not every day that I get to cook for a Food Network celebrity. That’s right… thanks to the Kosher Connection I connected with Simon Majumdar who was conducting research for his upcoming book, Fed White and Blue. As Simon journey’s across America, exploring the variety of culture, experiences and food this country has to offer, he also wanted to experience the best of Kosher Food. Well, there’s no kosher restaurant here in Kansas City (KC), so I invited him to a Shabbat meal.

Simon’s been to KC before, he has a passion for BBQ and competes in the American Royal each year. This year’s no different, but as well as spending shabbat at the This American Bite table, he’ll also be judging the second annual Kosher BBQ Festival. I had the honor of judging the festival last year, but passed on the opportunity to do so again this year because this time, I’m competing!

Don’t get me wrong, I loved judging the event last year — but last year I attended the event, this year I want to BE the event. I’ve been smoking chickens, brisket and ribs non-stop since deciding to compete, and perhaps my meal with Simon will give me insight into how to BBQ like a real pro.

If you don’t know who Simon is, he’s a fellow British expat and a a frequent judge on Iron Chef and The Next Iron Chef. He wrote Eat My Globe and Eating for Britain and also blogs at Dos Hermanos. I’m sure judging the Kansas City Kosher BBQ festival will be displayed with pride on his resume!

The Epicurean Bite is just one of the 20+ teams who will be rocking out the “low and slow” on Sunday, Aug. 18, noon to 4 p.m., in Overland Park, KS and a massive shout-out goes to the hard working team at the Vaad HaKashruth of Kansas City. I expect our BBQ will beat last year’s attendance of 3000 food lovers. It really is a family day out with the BBQ competition, entertainment and activities for kids and adults that include pickle and hotdog eating contests.

And though the Vaad’s focus is raising funds to help more area residents purchase kosher food, it’s being held on the grounds of a reform temple: Congregation B’nai Jehudah. After this year, the KCKosher BBQ hopes to continue to be on the circuit for the KC BBQ Society, the international group that overseas The American Royal and BBQ competitions almost all over the world. Read more about my team sponsored by KOL Foods 100% Kosher Grass Fed Meat and how we are raising money for BoysGrow here.

So an Indian-British celebrity judge meets kosher BBQ at a Reform Temple. Go figure.

For more information visit KCKosherBQQ.com or contact Mendel Segal, Executive Director of the Vaad HaKashruth: [email protected] or @vaadkc.

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