Fat Casual BBQ wins "People's Choice" title in Cleveland BBQ Throwdown

When it comes to world-class barbecue, Chef Walter Hyde is doing his part to put Cleveland on the map.
That is why he organized the First Annual World Famous Cleveland BBQ Throwdown, held at Sterle's Bier Garden on Sept. 12. The barbecue cook-off pitted Hyde and Chef Scott Slagle of Fat Casual BBQ against the Saucisson team of chefs Melissa Khoury and Penny Barend and Chef Adam Lambert of Ohio City Provisions. Each team prepared one main dish and one side dish. Each dish was blindly judged by an expert panel as well as by guests in attendance.
The competition had more of a backyard barbecue atmosphere, with judges and ticketed guests invited to help themselves to snacks and a pickled vegetable and sauce bar. Proudly displayed prizes included items like bacon duct tape, a handmade macaroni necklace, and a bottle of Open Pit barbecue sauce paired with a bottle of Liquid Smoke and imitation bacon bits.
The real winners of the competition were the audience and judges. Hungry for good barbecue, they were served an array of excellent dishes and tasked with determining the award winners. Dishes included mammoth beef ribs and creamy banana pudding tarts prepared by the Fat Casual BBQ team, tender and juicy beef brisket and cornbread with tangy greens from Ohio City Provisions, and a deconstructed pork rib, terrine-like "McRib" with Ohio peach barbecue sauce and redskin potato salad from Saucisson.
Chefs Hyde and Slagle of Fat Casual BBQ won both the judges' and people's votes for best meat dish. Saucisson's potato salad was named the side dish of choice.