Travis Mayes
Meshack’s Bar-B-Que
Known in Garland simply as “The BBQ Man.” Learned how to cook from his mother. Wood of choice is pecan.
Carolina Maldonado
Lockhart Smokehouse
Started at Lockhart as a prep cook two and a half years ago. Worked her way up to pitmaster a year into the job. Uses aged post oak.
Matt Dallman
18th & Vine
Grew up in Kansas City. Self-taught, he and wife Kimi catered barbecue for a decade before opening their joint in 2015.
Dwight Harvey
Off the Bone Barbeque
After retiring from a corporate job at Frito-Lay, he opened his joint in a converted gas station in 2008.
Clarence Cohens
Baby Back Shak
Self-proclaimed “King of Barbecue.” Mostly uses a combination of pecan, hickory, mesquite, and oak in his Southern Pride 3500 smoker.
Justin Fourton
Pecan Lodge
Co-owns the top spot on our list with wife Diane. Learned how to use a smoker as a kid. Prefers mesquite and oak.
