May 26–27, 2023 · Felton, CA · 📍 5401 Graham Hill Rd · State championship
Reps: Connie Amidei, Jonathan Amidei · Prize money: $6,000
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ won Grand Champion at the Roaring Camp BBQ Cook-Off on May 26, 2023 in Felton, CA at 5401 Graham Hill Rd, scoring 689.0856 in a field of 19 teams. SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 686.8572. Category winners: Chicken — 7 SINS BBQ (176.5600); Pork Ribs — SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ (174.8688); Pork — OM BBQ (177.1544); Brisket — SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ (174.2628). This is the 1st of 4 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2024.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
What it has taken to win here, 2023 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 76 times in 100
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, BIG POPPA SMOKERS, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 24-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Chicken places 2–3: SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ and Pops BBQ 22 tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: Cherry Anchor BBQ and BONE RUBBIN BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 3–4: BONE RUBBIN BBQ and West Coast BBQ Shop tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 7th.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2023 ← this one | Felton, CA | 5401 Graham Hill Rd | 19 | 689.0856 | Simply Marvelous BBQ | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ |
| May 24, 2024 | Felton, CA | 5401 Graham Hill Rd | 21 | 713.7028 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ |
| Aug 7, 2026 | Felton, CA | 5401 Graham Hill Rd | 25 | 708.5256 | CYNICAL BBQ | Simply Marvelous BBQ |
| Aug 8, 2026 | Felton, CA | 5401 Graham Hill Rd | 17 | 710.2628 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | Smokin Colt |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176.5600 | 173.7028 | 169.7028 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.8688 | 169.1316 | 166.8572 |
| Pork | 177.1544 | 171.9772 | 167.9884 |
| Brisket | 174.2628 | 172.5600 | 167.9656 |
19 entries · top 689.0856 · median 669.5768
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 3 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 4 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 5 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 6 | OM BBQ | |
| 7 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 8 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 9 | RBQ | |
| 10 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 11 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 12 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 13 | Nutin2itBut2Qit | |
| 14 | Artizen Smoke Out BBQ | |
| 15 | THIN BLUE QUE | |
| 16 | Old Greenwood BBQ | |
| 17 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 18 | Battle Born Smokers | |
| 19 | Trouble's BBQ |
19 entries · top 176.5600 · median 169.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 2 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 3 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 4 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 5 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 6 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 7 | THIN BLUE QUE | |
| 8 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 9 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 11 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 12 | Artizen Smoke Out BBQ | |
| 13 | Old Greenwood BBQ | |
| 14 | Trouble's BBQ | |
| 15 | Nutin2itBut2Qit | |
| 16 | RBQ | |
| 17 | OM BBQ | |
| 18 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 19 | Battle Born Smokers |
19 entries · top 174.8688 · median 166.8572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 2 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 3 | OM BBQ | |
| 4 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 5 | Nutin2itBut2Qit | |
| 6 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 7 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 8 | Old Greenwood BBQ | |
| 9 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 10 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 11 | RBQ | |
| 12 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 13 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 14 | Artizen Smoke Out BBQ | |
| 15 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 16 | Battle Born Smokers | |
| 17 | THIN BLUE QUE | |
| 18 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 19 | Trouble's BBQ |
19 entries · top 177.1544 · median 167.9884
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OM BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 3 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 4 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 5 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 6 | RBQ | |
| 7 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 8 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 9 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 10 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 11 | Nutin2itBut2Qit | |
| 12 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 13 | Artizen Smoke Out BBQ | |
| 14 | THIN BLUE QUE | |
| 15 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 16 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 17 | Battle Born Smokers | |
| 18 | Old Greenwood BBQ | |
| 19 | Trouble's BBQ |
19 entries · top 174.2628 · median 167.9656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 2 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 3 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 4 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 5 | RBQ | |
| 6 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 7 | THIN BLUE QUE | |
| 8 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 9 | Artizen Smoke Out BBQ | |
| 10 | OM BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 12 | Old Greenwood BBQ | |
| 13 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 14 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 15 | Nutin2itBut2Qit | |
| 16 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 17 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 18 | Battle Born Smokers | |
| 19 | Trouble's BBQ |