Inside the Rise of Whiskey Bent BBQ | Chad Ward

Chad Ward’s competition BBQ journey started with a seventh-place finish and a loss to a troop of Boy Scouts. It eventually led him to Food Network’s *Chopped Grill Masters*, a major role in building the Traeger community, and cooking for celebrities like Post Malone, Jelly Roll, Ken Griffey Jr., Jason Aldean, Drew Brees, and Zac Brown. In this episode of the Wise Guys BBQ Podcast, Vin and Tommy the Butcher sit down with Chad Ward of Whiskey Bent BBQ to discuss his rise through the barbecue world. Chad shares how he went from competing across 27 states to growing a 900-square-foot barbecue shop into a 17,000-square-foot retail and manufacturing operation. Chad also breaks down what modern competition cooks are getting wrong, why rigid timelines cannot replace real cooking experience, and how learning to cook on unfamiliar smokers made him a better pitmaster. He takes us behind the scenes of *Chopped Grill Masters*, tells the story of the cold email that launched his relationship with Traeger, and reveals what it is really like cooking backstage for Jelly Roll and Post Malone. Plus, hear how Whiskey Bent BBQ got its name, why Jack Daniel’s sent Chad a cease-and-desist letter, what is next for the brand, and the unforgettable story of his surprise trip to compete against some of New England’s best barbecue teams. This episode is packed with competition BBQ knowledge, brand-building lessons, celebrity cooking stories, and plenty of laughs. Subscribe to Wise Guys BBQ for more pitmaster interviews, barbecue stories, recipes, competition coverage, and behind-the-scenes conversations from the world of BBQ. #bbqpodcast #podcast #foodpodcast #celebritychef #foodnetwork #bbq