Myron Mixon

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Myron Mixon
Myron Mixon (cropped).jpeg
Mixon during a BBQ course in 2013
Born (1962-05-30) May 30, 1962 (age 63)
Vienna, Georgia, U.S.
SpouseFaye Mixon
Culinary career
Cooking style Barbecue
Television show
Awards won
    • 5x World Championships
    • 220+ Grand Championships
Website jacksoldsouth.com

Myron Mixon (born May 31, 1962) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, competitor on the barbecue circuit, and five-time barbecue World Champion. His achievements throughout his BBQ career have earned him the nickname "the winningest man in barbecue." [1]

Contents

Mixon was a judge on Smoked and BBQ Pitmasters, two Destination America reality television shows, and also appeared in four episodes of BBQ Pit Wars.

Career

Mixon's father, Jack Mixon, taught him how to make barbecue, and he originally took up competitive BBQ to promote the BBQ sauce that Jack and Myron's mother, Gaye Mixon, created. [2] Mixon later named his BBQ company, Jack's Old South, after his father. [3]

At his first barbecue competition in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996, [3] Mixon won first place in the whole hog category and third place in the pork shoulder category. [4]

Over the course of his competitive career, Mixon has won over 180 BBQ grand championships [5] and 1,700 BBQ trophies. [4] He has been named Grand Champion at the Memphis in May World Championship on five occasions: in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2016, and 2021. [4]

Mixon has been the Big Pig Jig Grand Champion multiple times, most recently in 2012 when he had his third victory in a row. [6] [7]

Mixon has not won the Jack Daniel's BBQ World Invitational, which he described as the most prestigious competition on the BBQ circuit. [8] He was runner up in 2004, missing first place by 0.1 points, [9] and he has placed first in the whole hog category on three occasions. [4]

Mixon was a contestant on BBQ Pitmasters in its inaugural season as a TLC reality television show. Originally, the show followed various BBQ chefs as they competed in BBQ competitions. In its second season the show's format changed to a competition, with Mixon, Art Smith, and Warren Sapp serving as the three judges. In its third season the show moved to the Destination America cable TV channel and had another slight change. Mixon continued as a judge, and fellow BBQ chefs Aaron Franklin and Tuffy Stone joined him. [1] [10]

In 2010 Mixon signed a cookbook deal with Ballantine Books. [2] Paula Deen provided the foreword, and the cookbook was published in 2011. [11]

In May 2012 Mixon appeared on NBC's The Today Show in a BBQ cookoff against Pat Martin of Tennessee restaurant Martin's Bar-B-Que. Mixon made brisket, and Martin made "red neck tacos." [12]

Mixon was elected mayor of his hometown of Unadilla, Georgia, and was sworn in for a four-year term in January 2016. [13]

Published works

Restaurants

In January 2017 Mixon and business partners Joe Corey, a certified BBQ judge, and Bill McFadden opened Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster BBQ (now permanently closed) in Alexandria, Virginia. The restaurant featured some of Mixon’s favorite recipes, including Jack's Peach BBQ Baked Beans, Baby Back Mac and Cheese, and Dry Rubbed Wings. John Bennett was the head pitmaster.

Mixon partnered with Kennedy Concepts to open Myron Mixon BBQ in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on May 28, 2025. [14]

References

  1. 1 2 Shahin, Jim (May 29, 2012). "New 'BBQ Pitmasters' may smoke previous seasons". Washington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Boog, Jason (October 26, 2010). "Myron Mixon Cooks Up BBQ Book Deal". Galleycat. Archived from the original on November 1, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Mosthof, Mariella (June 8, 2012). "BBQ Guru Myron Mixon On Why 'Barbecue Is The Backbone Of America'". The Brasier. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Myron Mixon". Destination America. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Melissa Cookston Wins BBQ Pitmasters' Best Show Ever". Huffington Post. June 4, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Big Pig Jig - THE RESULTS ARE IN". Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Jack's Old South Awards". Jack's Old South. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Unadilla Man Sets Off For International BBQ Competition". 41 WMGT. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  9. ↑ Hendrix, Steve (April 1, 2007). "The Grill and the Glory". Washington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  10. ↑ Shahin, Jim (June 5, 2012). "'BBQ Pitmasters' judges bring out the knives". Washington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Smokin' with Myron Mixon". Random House. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  12. ↑ "BBQ Cook-Off: Try 'red neck tacos,' smoked beef brisket". Today Food. May 6, 2012. Archived from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Unadilla swears in new mayor". Cordele Dispatch. January 15, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  14. ↑ Hayes, Joanna. "Celebrity chef Myron Mixon opens Gatlinburg BBQ with Knoxville restauranteur". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
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