Big James Kitchen TN
Rating
1710
peak 1714 · rated over 26 contests
Best runs
6
straight top-10s
Contests
29
in the data
First seen
2023-11-17
latest 2026-07-24
Best ToY finish
#26
Backyard 2025
Grand champs
6
4 reserve
Category wins
4
19 podiums
Overall top-10s
15
of 29 contests
Avg finish
top 20%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
4 🔥
Current form
354.27 ▲
last 5 Backyard vs avg 349.07 (+5.20)
Walk rate
72%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
6
best run (overall)
Best single call
180.0000 🔥
Consistency
±7.03
std dev of Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 175.39 · weakest Brisket (169.03)
Road miles
4336
mi across 29 mapped stops · furthest 476 mi
Schedule strength
83%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1584)
Purse competed for
$190K
listed at 23 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
1 🏅
GCs in 13 state-championship entries
Master avg
684.30 / 720
7 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
349.07 / 360
15 Backyard contests · 3 GCs
Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
NORALA BBQ TEAM has finished one call ahead of Big James Kitchen 3 times — their closest competition in the data.
⚔️ A tough matchup
YES, DEAR BBQ has come out ahead in 5 of their 7 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of COOL HAND QUE in 10 of their 12 shared contests.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) is their spot: 2 Grand Championships in 2 visits.
💔 The heartbreaker
Finished level on points with the champion at Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (2026-03-20) — the Grand Championship went to the KCBS tiebreaker.
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 44-team field at Sip & Swine BBQ Festival.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) (2024-09-13) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 24-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q.
Teams like this (closest power rating, TN first)
Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electro-Que-ted | 20 | 7 | 12 | 35% | ⚔ compare |
| BAD ROOSTER BBQ | 14 | 5 | 8 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| Blue Smoke Q | 13 | 8 | 5 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| ZIPS BBQ | 13 | 8 | 5 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| LEE LA Q | 13 | 8 | 5 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| Rollin Smoke BBQ | 13 | 8 | 5 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | 13 | 7 | 6 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| TRIPLE H BBQ | 13 | 6 | 7 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| NORALA BBQ TEAM | 13 | 5 | 8 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 13 | 4 | 9 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| COOL HAND QUE | 12 | 10 | 2 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | 12 | 9 | 3 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| Bentley Que | 12 | 7 | 5 | 58% | ⚔ compare |
| MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | 11 | 9 | 2 | 82% | ⚔ compare |
| Dogpatch Q | 11 | 9 | 2 | 82% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 26 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 180.0000 🔥 | 169.6684 | 175.39 | top 20% |
| Pork Ribs | 26 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 180.0000 🔥 | 157.0628 | 172.73 | top 29% |
| Pork | 19 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 177.7144 | 167.3712 | 173.79 | top 21% |
| Brisket | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 173.7028 | 160.5144 | 169.03 | top 55% |
“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.
By state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| TN | 11 | 3 | top 13% |
| GA | 6 | 1 | top 26% |
| AL | 5 | 2 | top 23% |
| KY | 1 | 0 | top 50% |
| IL | 1 | 0 | top 19% |
| MO | 1 | 0 | top 17% |
| OH | 1 | 0 | top 30% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 11 | 5 | top 18% |
| Large (40+) | 15 | 1 | top 22% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robertson County Fair Assoc. Barbeque Throwdown (COMPETITOR SERIES) | 3 | 1 | 2 | top 4% | 2026-06-12 |
| Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 3 | 2 | 0 | top 13% | 2026-03-20 |
| Atlanta BBQ Store Classic | 3 | 3 | 0 | top 27% | 2025-11-14 |
| Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 1 | 2 | top 3% | 2025-09-12 |
| Sip & Swine BBQ Festival | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 3% | 2026-03-06 |
| 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Sunday, May 25, 2025) | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 17% | 2025-05-25 |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2025 (14 contests)
- Cooks mostly in TN (13 of 29 contests)
- Most-entered category: Chicken (26 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) (2024-04-19)
- Wins it all in 21% of contests
- Average Master overall score: 684.30 / 720
- Average Backyard overall score: 349.07 / 360
- 4 perfect 180s on the books 🔥
Milestones
- 🚩 2023-11-17 — First tracked contest · Atlanta BBQ Store Classic
- 📣 2024-03-15 — First call · Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship
- 🏆 2024-04-19 — First Grand Championship · Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- 🔥 2024-04-19 — First perfect 180 (Chicken) · Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- ⭐ 2024-08-16 — Career-best overall score (695.3600) · BBQ & Fly-In on the River
- 🎖️ 2026-03-06 — 25th tracked contest · Sip & Swine BBQ Festival
- 📈 2026-06-12 — Peak power rating (1714) · Robertson County Fair Assoc. Barbeque Throwdown (COMPETITOR SERIES)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.2 | Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) | 2024-04-19 |
| +16.1 | Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2024-09-13 |
| +15.6 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Sunday, May 25, 2025) | 2025-05-25 |
| +14.1 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 2024-03-15 |
| +13.5 | Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2025-09-12 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.9 | Honeybee BBQ Competition | 2025-05-30 |
| -7.3 | Poosa Q | 2025-06-20 |
| -5 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic | 2023-11-17 |
| -3.9 | Fire on the Mountain BBQ | 2026-07-24 |
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
How entries end (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 80% | top 16% | 99.7% | 97.3% |
| 2025 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 79% | top 22% | 99.4% | 96.5% |
| 2024 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 67% | top 15% | 98.4% | 95.9% |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 63% | 93.6% | 93.6% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-24 | Fire on the Mountain BBQ 🏅 Leburn, KY | 11 / 22 (683.8624) | 13 (169.6684) | 6 (174.2744) | 16 (167.3712) | 10 (172.5484) |
| 2026-06-12 | Robertson County Fair Assoc. Barbeque Throwdown (COMPETITOR SERIES) Springfield, TN | 1 / 32 (535.4288) | 3 (180.0000) | 2 (178.8572) | 3 (176.5716) | — |
| 2026-05-24 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) Lebanon, TN | 20 / 82 (346.2284) | 14 (175.4056) | 31 (170.8228) | — | — |
| 2026-03-20 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 2 / 125 (358.8572) | 2 (180.0000) | 3 (178.8572) | 12 (172.5716) | — |
| 2026-03-06 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA | 1 / 44 (354.2744) | 5 (175.4172) | 1 (178.8572) | 7 (176.0116) | — |
| 2025-11-14 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic 🏅 Cumming, GA | 3 / 56 (354.2744) | 5 (176.5716) | 3 (177.7028) | 5 (169.6800) | — |
| 2025-09-12 | Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) Guntersville, AL | 1 / 28 (357.7144) | 6 (177.7144) | 3 (180.0000) | — | — |
| 2025-09-12 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-off Qualifier "Lakeside Pork Fest" (ONE MEAT PORK) Guntersville, AL | — | — | — | 1 (176.5716) | — |
| 2025-08-22 | Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) Lincoln, IL | 6 / 31 (348.5256) | 7 (175.4056) | 10 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2025-08-01 | Smoke on the Water BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Florence, AL | 2 / 23 (351.9656) | 2 (176.5600) | 6 (175.4056) | 13 (169.1200) | — |
| 2025-06-20 | Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL | 26 / 42 (334.2056) | 21 (169.6800) | 27 (164.5256) | — | — |
| 2025-06-13 | Robertson County Fair Assoc. Barbeque Throwdown (COMPETITOR SERIES) Springfield, TN | 1 / 36 (535.4172) | 2 (178.8572) | 3 (178.8572) | 2 (177.7028) | — |
| 2025-05-30 | Honeybee BBQ Competition 🏅 Lafayette, GA | 18 / 26 (673.0056) | 8 (175.4056) | 25 (157.0628) | 3 (175.4172) | 17 (165.1200) |
| 2025-05-25 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Sunday, May 25, 2025) Lebanon, TN | 5 / 70 (352.5716) | 7 (176.0000) | 6 (176.5716) | — | — |
| 2025-05-24 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Saturday, May 24, 2025) Lebanon, TN | 29 / 106 (692.4800) | 14 (177.7028) | 61 (170.8344) | 27 (175.4056) | 67 (168.5372) |
| 2025-05-23 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Anything Molasses (Friday, May 23, 2025) Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025-03-21 | Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY) Athens, AL | 16 / 43 (342.8116) | 22 (169.6800) | 8 (173.1316) | — | — |
| 2025-03-14 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 22 / 100 (342.8000) | 18 (173.1200) | 25 (169.6800) | 5 (176.5600) | — |
| 2025-03-07 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA | 2 / 45 (354.2744) | 2 (177.7028) | 2 (176.5716) | 2 (177.7144) | — |
| 2024-11-15 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic 🏅 Cuming, GA | 7 / 58 (345.0856) | 7 (175.4056) | 13 (169.6800) | 5 (175.4172) | — |
| 2024-09-13 | Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) Guntersville, AL | 1 / 33 (354.2628) | 6 (175.4056) | 1 (178.8572) | — | — |
| 2024-08-16 | BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO | 11 / 65 (695.3600) | 14 (175.4172) | 29 (170.2628) | 12 (176.5600) | 23 (173.1200) |
| 2024-07-19 | The Buckeye BBQ Classic 🏅 Hillsboro, OH | 10 / 33 (682.2056) | 7 (173.7028) | 17 (165.6800) | 16 (169.1200) | 10 (173.7028) |
| 2024-06-07 | Robertson County Fair Assoc. Barbeque Throwdown (COMPETITOR SERIES) Springfield, TN | 2 / 33 (521.6572) | 4 (176.5600) | 8 (173.1200) | 6 (171.9772) | — |
| 2024-05-24 | 6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN Lebanon, TN | 39 / 118 (689.0284) | 29 (175.4172) | 88 (167.3828) | 18 (176.5600) | 64 (169.6684) |
| 2024-04-19 | Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) Murfreesboro, TN | 1 / 37 (529.1428) | 1 (180.0000) | 7 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2024-03-15 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 13 / 93 (338.2284) | 10 (171.4056) | 19 (166.8228) | 10 (170.8228) | — |
| 2024-03-15 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023-11-17 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic 🏅 Cumming, GA | 38 / 60 (674.1372) | 29 (171.9656) | 31 (170.8344) | 28 (170.8228) | 54 (160.5144) |
Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)
Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Backyard | #69 (628 pts) | #81 (558 pts) | #80 (578 pts) | — | — |
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #760 (117 pts) | #857 (107 pts) | #741 (162 pts) | #859 (92 pts) | #744 (122 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #26 (1135 pts) | #46 (999 pts) | #45 (974 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #799 (146 pts) | #670 (261 pts) | #1116 (111 pts) | #403 (549 pts) | #845 (151 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #142 (403 pts) | #176 (308 pts) | #148 (373 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #489 (383 pts) | #513 (398 pts) | #680 (278 pts) | #521 (383 pts) | #581 (323 pts) |