Houston Media Stars Wage All-Out Barbecue War

What: 11th annual Reliant Rodeo Round-Up

Where: The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

PC Moment: Texas Independence Day kicked off with Reliant’s highly anticipated Rodeo Round-Up, a culinary showdown where members of the Houston media compete in a heated competition for kitchen bragging rights. With the help of their charity partners, seven local journalists and TV personalities teamed up to create a barbecue-centric side dish and cocktail in a live cooking battle under the World’s Champion Bar-B-Que Contest tents at the Houston Rodeo.

On the menu?

— Hot Potato Salad and the London Buck cocktail via KHOU-TV’s Josh Chapin and the Houston Food Bank.

— Brisket mac & cheese and a rum cocktail from Fox’s Rita Garcia and Urban Harvest.

— ABC’s Katherine Whaley and Kids’ Meals — who snagged last year’s Rodeo Round-Up title — whipped up Texas Independence Dip and Campfire Chicory Coffee.

— CultureMap contributor Marcy de Luna and Homemade Hope paired corn on the range with a Cowboy Cooler.

— Pimiento cheese pasta salad and an aperol spritzer were served by PaperCity‘s Jailyn Marcel and Wesley Community Center.

— Tidbits’ Allison Bagley and Dress for Success Houston drummed up the Jammin’ for Bacon Grilled Cheese and Houston’s Blackberry Mule/

— Local Houston Magazine’s Carla Valencia de Martinez and Plant it Forward showcased her COOLslaw alongside a refreshing Paloma. 

Rita Garcia walked away with the top prize for “Best in Show”, which earned her charity Urban Harvest $5,000. Garcia also won Best Bite, while Local‘s Carla Valencia snagged “Best Sip”, and PaperCity‘s Jailyn Marcel took home “Best Use of Secret Ingredient” for the hot sauce in her recipe.

Who: Judges Ford Fry (State of Grace), Bram Tripp (The Pit Room), Fred Gains (Freddy G’s BBQ), Former Houston Texan JJ Moses; Contestants Josh Chapin, Rita Garcia, Katherine Whaley, Marcy de Luna, Jailyn Marcel, Allison Bagley, Cala Valencia de Martinez