Johnny Trigg facts for kids

Johnny Trigg, born in 1938, is a famous American chef from Alvarado, Texas. He is well-known for competing in exciting barbecue contests. Johnny has won the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational twice. He has also been on the TLC reality TV show BBQ Pitmasters.

Johnny's Journey to BBQ Fame

Johnny Trigg finished high school at Cisco High School in Cisco, Texas. After that, he went to the University of North Texas. He worked for a long time as an insurance executive in San Francisco. Johnny retired from this job in December 1996.

How Johnny Started BBQ

Johnny first became interested in barbecue while working at the insurance company. He was very impressed by a coworker's delicious brisket. This led him to buy his very first trailer BBQ grill in 1984.

First BBQ Contest

In 1989, Johnny attended a competitive BBQ event. He decided to enter his first contest the next year, in 1990, in Denton, Texas. He often jokes that barbecue is his "golf game." It's his favorite hobby!

Competing Across the USA

After competing in his home state of Texas, Johnny started joining Kansas City Barbeque Society events. This began in 1999 because the prize money was better. He now enters about 45 contests every year. This means he spends over 225 days each year traveling for competitions.

Achievements and Nicknames

Johnny's barbecue team is called "Smoking Triggers." He has earned some cool nicknames, like the "Godfather of BBQ." Some people even call him "the New England Patriots of barbecuing." This means he is like a champion team in the BBQ world.

Winning the Jack Daniel's Championship

Johnny has won the Grand Champion title at the Jack Daniel's World Championship BBQ Invitational twice. He won in Lynchburg, Tennessee, in both 2000 and 2003. He was the first person ever to win this important competition more than once. This event is seen as the most respected championship in competitive barbecue.

Appearing on TV

Johnny Trigg was featured in the first two seasons of the TLC reality TV show BBQ Pitmasters. He was also one of four chefs who traveled to Kuwait. There, they cooked for US troops, making over a hundred briskets at each cooking station.

Hall of Fame and More Wins

In 2012, Johnny was honored by being added to the Barbecue Hall of Fame. This was done by the American Royal Association. Johnny returned to BBQ Pitmasters for season 3. He won first place in both the turkey and pork belly competitions. He then moved on to the finale and became the overall Grand Champion. This earned him the title of BBQ Pitmaster!