Alaska BBQ Association hosts BreakUp ShakeUp competition

PALMER — Numerous grillmasters from across the state competed in the Alaska BBQ Association’s annual BreakUp ShakeUp BBQ Competition at the Bleeding Heart Brewery April 24.

This year’s event featured a special guest visiting from the Lower 48. Harry Soo is BBQ Grand Champion and was featured on them first season of the cable television show BBQ Pitmasters on TLC. Soo is an award-winning pitmaster who competes nationally through Slap Yo Daddy BBQ.

“It’s a fantastic event... Today was a fantastic turnout. It was a great show of the diversity in Alaska… It was a fantastic rainbow of different flavors, cooking methods, equipment, sauces,” Soo said. “It looks like competitive barbecue is really growing in Alaska. The folks here at Alaska BBQ Association made a very family-friendly activity,” Soo said.

Soo said the BreakUp ShakeUp BBQ had a good mix of veteran grillmasters and first-timers. He said events like these provide a fun atmosphere while raising awareness for the competitive barbeque scene as a whole. He noted recalled an instance in the middle of the competition where a chef’s equipment broke down and another competitor stepped in to help, marveling at Alaska’s sense of community spirit.

“Everybody jumped in and helped. It was very collegial,” Soo said.

Soo said this was his second time in Alaska, but it was his first time in Palmer. He marveled at the warm sunny weather, saying it was a “picture perfect” day for a barbecue.

“Most importantly, barbecue is about the community having fun, cooking some great food,” Soo said.

Amanda Bowles and her husband Mike Bowles hosted this event through the Alaska BBQ Association.

“It was amazing, the best weather we’ve ever had for a competition,” Amanda said with a laugh.

Amanda said that it can be intimidating to compete in an official tournament, so they try to create an inviting atmosphere with these types of events.

“The whole purpose of a backyard barbecue competition is to bring in people who’ve never done it before,” Amanda said.

The Alaska BBQ Association started in the summer of 2004. Ever since, it’s been about providing an opportunity for Alaskans to show off their skills, try tasty food, and have a great time meeting new people- all while doing what they love the most, cooking in the pit with that familiar backyard barbecue feeling.

“It’s growing like crazy,” Amanda said.

Eagle River participant Marcus Equevilleys said it was a long and exhausting day, but it was an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. He said that he got up at 5 a.m. that morning to prepare for the event.

“It takes a lot of prep work,” Equevilleys said.

Equevilleys said it was his first time competing and he’s glad he did it, planning to try his hand in more cook-offs as he gets his food truck, Bless Your Heart BBQ off the ground. He said the name comes from his southern upbringing, that popular phrase, and the communal feeling from backyard barbecues.

“It’s like a big community thing... It’s hard to be mad at a barbecue,” Equevilleys said with a laugh.

Equevilleys said this event was a fun and encouraging boost for him.

“It turned out really well, a better response than I could’ve ever imagined. I’m happy,” Equevilleysm said.

The competition ran all day, finally wrapping up with an award ceremony around 6 p.m. Naomi and Tyler Mitchell were the overall winners of the BreakUp Shakeup, taking home a hand-welded metal trophy.

The Fairbanks couple won a state bbq championship in 2019, which happened to be their first time competing. Naomi said the competition at this event was stiff but supportive, as always with Alaskan grillmasters.

“This whole community is really awesome,” Naomi said.

To learn more about the Alaska BBQ Association and upcoming events, visit alaskabbq.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com