KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Royal Association announced yesterday the induction of three pitmasters, restaurateurs, and barbecue personalities into the Barbecue Hall of Fame ® . Smithfield ® , a proud supporter of competition barbecue, congratulates 2018 inductees Tuffy Stone of Cool Smoke Barbeque, Charlie Vergos of Rendevous, and Tootsie Tomanetz of Snow’s BBQ. Smithfield is especially proud to commend award-winning pitmaster Tuffy Stone on this honor, as he serves as a champion pitmaster ambassador for Smithfield on the competition barbecue circuit.
Coming off the release of his first cookbook, Cool Smoke: The Art of Great Barbecue , and a strong performance at the 2018 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, this distinction recognizes Stone’s significant contributions to the barbecue community and his demonstration of achievement in culinary excellence.
Stone is one of the premier pitmasters in competition barbecue with nearly 175 contests entered and 41 Grand Championships. He is the head pitmaster of Cool Smoke competition barbecue team, which made history in 2016 as the first team to ever win back-to-back Grand Champion titles at the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational, and became the only team to ever win the contest three times. Along with his success as a World Champion pitmaster, Stone founded Q Barbeque, a fast-casual restaurant concept based on his award-winning recipes, in his hometown of Richmond, Va.; operates A Sharper Palate, a top catering company in Virginia; served as a judge on Destination America’s hit television show “BBQ Pitmasters” for five seasons; has traveled the world, including cooking for troops in Kuwait and teaching classes at Meatstock in Australia and New Zealand; and cooked twice at the esteemed James Beard House in New York City, with his third appearance later this summer.
“We are so excited for Tuffy as this commendation recognizes his dedication to being one of the finest ambassadors of the sport of barbecue,” said Dedra Berg, senior director of fresh pork marketing for Smithfield Foods. “His contributions to inspiring everyone from professional pitmasters to at-home grillers to cook barbecue coupled with his kindness and consideration for all teams are certainly worth celebrating and just some of many reasons we at Smithfield are proud be his long-time partners.”
Widely considered one of the most prestigious honors in the sport, induction into the Barbecue Hall of Fame is given to three individuals each year who, by extraordinary achievement and service, have made outstanding and significant contributions to the barbecue community. Tuffy Stone, Charlie Vergos, and Tootsie Tomanetz will join past honorees including Smithfield Champion Pitmasters Melissa Cookston, Jeff Stehney, and Chris Lilly, along with Guy Fieri, Steven Raichlen, and Pat Burke. A ceremony honoring this year’s inductees will take place during the American Royal World Series of Barbecue ® on September 15, 2018 at the Kansas Speedway.
For more information on Smithfield’s barbecue initiatives, visit www.SmokinWithSmithfield.com .
About Smithfield
A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the “Ham Capital of the World.” From hand-trimmed bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield’s products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com , www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand , and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield . Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich Ⓡ , Nathan's Famous Ⓡ , Farmland Ⓡ , Armour Ⓡ , Farmer John ® , Kretschmar Ⓡ , John Morrell Ⓡ , Cook's Ⓡ , Gwaltney Ⓡ , Carando Ⓡ , Margherita Ⓡ , Curly's Ⓡ , Healthy Ones Ⓡ , Morliny Ⓡ , Krakus Ⓡ and Berlinki Ⓡ . Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.SmithfieldFoods.com .
Media Contact: Hunter PR for Smithfield Tiffany Daggett tdaggett@hunterpr.com (212) 679-6600
