Kumari Shreya
Hosted by Michelle Buteau, Netflix’s ‘Barbecue Showdown,’ AKA ‘The American Barbecue Showdown,’ is a cooking series meant for barbecue enthusiasts worldwide. Featuring some of the most talented cooks, it celebrates the beloved cooking style by providing the contestants with different challenges featuring some of the most delicious dishes to come straight from the fire. While the show is as entertaining as it can be, many are curious about how much of the showcased events are legitimate. If you are eager to explore the same, we have your back!
Is Barbecue Showdown Scripted?
No, we don’t think that ‘Barbecue Showdown’ is scripted. The show features accomplished judges whose credentials are well-known. Kevin Bludso and Melissa Cookston are well-respected in the community and considered some of the best in barbecue-style cooking. Besides, the show’s participants are linked to the culinary field in one way or another. Though some are actually Chefs by profession, others are passionate about barbecue and have developed a talent for the same.
Interestingly, when the show’s first season was released, many viewers could not help but notice one thing even more than the cooking. As it turns out, the cast members in the show were dressed in almost the same style of clothing in every episode. This led many to wonder why that was so and if the show was actually scripted and filmed on the same day. Yet, this particular claim has been refuted by Rasheed Phillips, the runner-up of season 1, who has stated that the contestants were provided “multiple sets of the same outfit.”
Netflix itself seemingly took the criticism to heart, given that the cooks in the second season wore different clothes in different episodes. The production experience of the show certainly seems to have had a positive impact on those involved. One of the judges, Kevin Bludso, talked about his time in season 1 with Mashed, stating “It (the series) was different. It was competition, but it was different. We were cooking possums and raccoons. Nobody else has done that, but to be able to do that and [feel] the heart and get to know these people and their heart and soul — I always like to hear stories. I want to hear where you came from. I want to taste it on that plate, and we got to do all that.”
In addition, Melissa Cookston eagerly shared about the dynamics between the two judges. “I think we did a good job of reasoning through things, talking through things. We had different points of view sometimes, but once we got through talking it out, we agreed. We certainly didn’t have any big disagreements… we just sat down and reasoned it out and had pros and cons. And usually, it all just made sense. It all fell in place,” she told Mashed.
Overall, it does not seem like ‘Barbecue Showdown’ is scripted. The people involved in the show’s production have nothing but positive to say about the show. The hearty and passionate way barbecue is depicted in the series allows viewers to connect positively with the various contestants. Like any cooking show, the food in this competition captivates the people, and the visually stunning dishes are enough to keep anyone hooked.
