Bobby Flay is bringing beef to Texas, and he'll have some Dallas starpower in his crew: Pitmaster Tim McLaughlin of Crossbuck BBQ in Farmers Branch will be on the famed chef's team when Food Network's BBQ Brawl returns on May 11.

They'll be joined by fellow Texas chef Braunda Smith of Lucy Coopers Ice House in San Antonio.

McLaughlin of Crossbuck BBQ

Now entering its seventh season, the Texas barbecue series follows a format similar to The Voice, pairing 12 battling chefs with team captains Flay, Maneet Chauhan, and Brooke Williamson. Each week brings a new live fire challenge, starting with creating the perfect barbecue bowl. Judges Adrienne Cheatham, Rashad Jones, and Carson Kressley will axe one competitor each week of the series, filmed at Star Hill Ranch near Austin.

McLaughlin and Smith will have some stiff competition. The roster includes pitmasters from Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, and beyond, each bringing their own regional traditions to the pit.

Jones and Carson Kressley

McLaughlin is entering the competition with less TV experience than Smith, but he does film his own "chef tip" videos in the kitchen for social media. He also appeared in a slightly longer-form series on Crossbuck's YouTube channel teaching viewers barbecue basics. McLaughlin's experience as a chef in fine dining has translated to super-sharp skills and an openness to unexpected flavors.

"I've got well over a decade of experience in fine-dining restaurants," he said in the promo. "I've got well over a decade of experience successfully cooking BBQ. I know how to cook just about everything."

Crossbuck YouTube

His teammate Smith has an advantage over many members of the cast. She's no stranger to reality competitions, sparring on Guy's Grocery Games and Chopped in 2023. Although neither resulted in a win, her versatile cooking style impressed both shows' panels.

"My BBQ reflects all the places I've lived in life: Southern, Cajun, Korean, Hawaiian, and it's got some Texas flair in there," says Smith in the show's promos. "You know, we kind of get overlooked a lot in San Antonio. Taking home Master of 'Cue to Lucy Cooper's would just set everything ablaze."

I've got well over a decade of experience in fine-dining restaurants.

The wider picture

Costs, supply and public patience all move at different speeds, and the friction between them is where most food-industry stories actually begin.

Key takeaways

  • McLaughlin is entering the competition with less TV experience than Smith, but he does film his own "chef tip" videos in the kitchen for social media
  • His teammate Smith has an advantage over many members of the cast

In short

Every change in the food industry eventually reaches the same test, which is whether people keep choosing it once the novelty has worn off.