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‘Winningest Woman in Barbecue’ Melissa Cookston inducted into Barbecue Hall of Fame Class of 2017
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7-time World Barbecue Champion also celebrity chef, successful restaurateur, cookbook author, and brand ambassador MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, September 2, 2017 – Celebrity chef, culinary entrepreneur and “Winningest Woman in Barbecue” Melissa Cookston was inducted into the 2017 class of the Barbecue Hall of Fame tonight during the World Series of Barbecue at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Cookston recently won her seventh World Barbecue Championship, earning first place in the Whole Hog category at the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, one of the most prestigious events in the BBQ competition circuit. “It is an honor to be inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame and to represent Memphis-style barbecue among so many outdoor cooking legends from all over the country,” Cookston said. “Congratulations to Jeff Stehney and ‘Famous Dave’ Anderson for sharing in this special occasion and to The American Royal for all they do to promote competition barbecue.” An accomplished woman in a barbecue scene traditionally dominated by men, Cookston found success through innovation at this year’s Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Contest, winning her seventh World Barbecue Championship by using a hybrid hog that combined the winning characteristics of two different breeds. Cookston is also a successful restaurateur, having opened Memphis Barbecue Company locations in Horn Lake, Mississippi; Dunwoody, Georgia; and Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the steakhouse STEAK by Melissa in Southaven, Mississippi. The Mississippi Delta native has also authored two cookbooks, “Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room” and “Smokin’ Hot in the South,” and serves as an Ambassador for Smithfield Foods and Kingsford Charcoal. In addition to competing in barbecue competitions and promoting her books across the country, Cookston appears frequently in media, sharing her winning personality and Southern cooking expertise on national TV shows (Destination America’s “BBQ Pitmasters”, Food Network’s “Chopped” and NBC’s “TODAY”) and in print and digital media (USA Today, Men’s Health, Health + Fitness, among many others). Each year, the Barbecue Hall of Fame honors three individuals who have made outstanding and significant contributions to barbecue through extraordinary achievement and service. Its mission is to identify and honor the evolving history and traditions of barbecue and to preserve and document the heritage of barbecue in the world. Melissa Cookston Online: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaCookstonCooks www.twitter.com/melissacookston www.instagram.com/melissa.cookston
About Melissa Cookston: Melissa Cookston was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta and is a trailblazing female food entrepreneur smoking the competition. Cookston is a 7-time world barbecue champion; owner of restaurants Steak by Melissa, a successful steak house in Southaven, Mississippi and Memphis BBQ Company, a successful barbecue restaurant with locations in Horn Lake, Mississippi, Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Dunwoody, Georgia; an author of two cookbooks, “Smokin in the Boy’s Room” and “Smokin’ Hot in the South;” and a celebrated southern Delta chef. Recognized nationally from many appearances on national news and talks shows as well as cooking shows and Food Network, Cookston served as a judge on season 4 of Destination America’s “BBQ Pitmasters,” and was named one of America’s most influential BBQ Pitmasters and personalities by Fox News in 2015. Cookston is a Smithfield Brand Ambassador and is a frequent contributor to Smithfield communications and marketing efforts. About the American Royal Association:
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