ilani BBQ Fest
June 14 - 15
brews, bourbons and bites?
sounds like fun.
Indulge your senses with a wide variety of brews, bourbons and BBQ! Sip and sample from hundreds of drink vendors, purchase your favorite smoky bites from restaurants and food trucks and enjoy cooking demonstrations, competitions, live music and more!
schedule of events
Saturday Session One
Saturday, June 14 | Noon-4:00pm
Parking Garage Rooftop
Tickets: $49
Saturday Session Two
Saturday, June 14 | 5:00-9:00pm
Parking Garage Rooftop
Tickets: $49
Sunday Session
Sunday, June 15 | Noon-4:00pm
Parking Garage Rooftop
Tickets: $44
All event attendees receive $10 in Promo Play upon entry.
Designated Driver tickets are available for $20.
Must be 21 or older with photo ID to attend. Standard ticket includes a drink pass valid for 24 samples. Food is available for purchase.
featured chefs & personalities
Matt Groark
Vindulge
Matt Groark, widely recognized as “The Meat Teacher,” is a South Jersey educator and content creator who has captivated audiences with his passion for barbecue, over the top tailgates and community. Originally a health and physical education teacher at Washington Township High School, Groark transitioned to teaching culinary arts in the 2023–2024 school year, aligning his profession with his culinary pursuits.
In 2018, Groark founded Groark Boys BBQ, a venture that began as a high school fundraiser and evolved into doing catering and events as well as a platform for charitable giving, raising tens of thousands for various causes by 2020.
Groark’s authentic cooking tutorials and family-oriented content have earned him a substantial social media following of over 5.5 Million followers across platforms.
In 2023, Groark showcased his culinary skills on Season 2 of Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef,” competing under the mentorship of Richard Blais. Although he did not win, his participation highlighted his versatility beyond barbecue.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Groark is a devoted husband to his wife, Kristin, and a proud father to their two sons, Aidric and Nash. The family resides in Medford Lakes, New Jersey, where Groark continues to inspire others through his dedication to education, community, and BBQ!
Follow Matt Groark on all platforms at @groarkboysbbq
Stan Hays
Stan Hays is the CEO and co-founder of Operation BBQ Relief. A seasoned and accomplished competitor on the barbecue circuit, Hays and fellow cofounder Will Cleaver launched Operation BBQ Relief when a tornado swept through Joplin, Missouri, in 2011. Hays’s passion for barbecue and assisting those in distress culminated in creating Operation BBQ Relief, which has served over 9 million meals in 30 states. In 2017, Hays was recognized as a “CNN Hero” for his work with Operation BBQ Relief. Hays has participated in more than 35 sanctioned barbecue contests, with two grand champion awards, four reserve champions, and several top 10 finishes. He was runner-up in the 2015 season of Chopped: Grill Masters on Food Network and in 2019 won Food Network Canada’s Firemasters. Hays is also a cookbook author. He co-authored a cookbook called Operation BBQ in 2019 in 2022, with Mike Golic, Sr., Hays co-authored "Grilling with Golic and Hays."
Operation BBQ Relief
Operation BBQ Relief is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports communities following natural disasters with hot barbeque meals to those in need and on the front lines. After the devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo. in May 2011, competitive pitmasters from eight different states answered the call to feed displaced families and first responders and served over 120,000 meals over 13 days. This experience was the catalyst that started what Operation BBQ Relief is today. With the help of more than 14,000 volunteers, Operation BBQ Relief has provided over 9 million meals throughout the United States. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has provided over four million meals to first responders, medical workers, veterans, families and organizations affected by the pandemic. In 2017, Stan Hays, CEO and Co-Founder was recognized as one of the “CNN Heroes” for his work with Operation BBQ Relief. For more information, visit obr.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @opbbqrelief.
Vindulge
Mary Cressler & Sean Martin
Mary Cressler and Sean Martin are the wife-and-husband duo behind Vindulge, a leading outdoor cooking and lifestyle brand dedicated to helping home cooks master the art of live-fire cooking since 2009. From smoking and grilling to wood-fired pizza, their mission is to make outdoor cooking flavorful, fun, and approachable for everyone.
Mary is a chef, certified sommelier, and food photographer with a deep love for creating recipes that bring people together, always with a perfect wine pairing in mind. Sean is a pitmaster known for his expertise in barbecue and open-flame techniques, bringing bold, yet accessible, flavor to every recipe they create.
Together, they are authors of the critically acclaimed Fire + Wine, and their follow-up cookbook Fire + Wine: Backyard Pizza brings the same creativity and fire-inspired cooking to the world of outdoor pizza. Their recipes and stories have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, GQ, and at premier culinary events around the world, cooking alongside chefs Robert Irvine, Maneet Chauhan, Michael Symon, and Rocco DiSpirito.
As brand ambassadors for Alfa Forni, Big Green Egg, and Federalist Wines, Mary and Sean continue to inspire a global community of home cooks to fire up their grills and cook with confidence.
Gladiator BBQ
Evan Wiederspohn
Doug Adams
Born in Colorado and raised in East Texas, Chef Doug Adams’ culinary inspiration began in his hometown of Bullard where traditional Texas cooking intermingles with Hispanic influences. After getting his culinary start in the kitchens of Missoula, Montana he moved to Portland, Oregon in 2008 to attend the Western Culinary Institute (now Le Cordon Bleu). Over the next three years he held positions at number of notable Portland restaurants including Lucier and Metrovino with James Beard Award-winning Chef Gregory Denton.
In 2011, he took a position with James Beard Award Winning chef Vitaly Paley at his eponymous Paley’s Palace and a year later Paley tapped Adams to be the Sous Chef for his new restaurant opening in downtown Portland, Imperial. Adams quickly earned the role of Chef de Cuisine and shortly after being promoted he was recruited to appear on BRAVO’s Top Chef: Boston. The series ran from October 2014 to February 2015 and established Adams name on a national stage where, as a top three finalist, he gained recognition for his creativity, balance of flavors and hustle in the kitchen. Adams’ thoughtful dishes and strong leadership at Imperial earned him numerous accolades including Best Restaurant 2015 from Willamette Week, the 2015 Chef of the Year from Eater PDX, and a semifinalist nomination from the James Beard Foundation Awards for Rising Star Chef of the year 2016.
In 2019 Doug opened Bullard Restaurant in downtown Portland, and quickly garnished awards including Chef of the Year from Willamette Week and a spot on the coveted Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurant List. After co-founding Holler Hospitality, and opening Holler Restaurant in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Doug made the difficult decision to leave his restaurants and work on the project he was born for—Grand Fir.
RJ's Smokehouse & BBQ Joint
Alta & Jason Hertz
Matt Groark
Matt Groark, widely recognized as “The Meat Teacher,” is a South Jersey educator and content creator who has captivated audiences with his passion for barbecue, over the top tailgates and community. Originally a health and physical education teacher at Washington Township High School, Groark transitioned to teaching culinary arts in the 2023–2024 school year, aligning his profession with his culinary pursuits.
In 2018, Groark founded Groark Boys BBQ, a venture that began as a high school fundraiser and evolved into doing catering and events as well as a platform for charitable giving, raising tens of thousands for various causes by 2020.
Groark’s authentic cooking tutorials and family-oriented content have earned him a substantial social media following of over 5.5 Million followers across platforms.
In 2023, Groark showcased his culinary skills on Season 2 of Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef,” competing under the mentorship of Richard Blais. Although he did not win, his participation highlighted his versatility beyond barbecue.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Groark is a devoted husband to his wife, Kristin, and a proud father to their two sons, Aidric and Nash. The family resides in Medford Lakes, New Jersey, where Groark continues to inspire others through his dedication to education, community, and BBQ!
Follow Matt Groark on all platforms at @groarkboysbbq
Stan Hays
Stan Hays is the CEO and co-founder of Operation BBQ Relief. A seasoned and accomplished competitor on the barbecue circuit, Hays and fellow cofounder Will Cleaver launched Operation BBQ Relief when a tornado swept through Joplin, Missouri, in 2011. Hays’s passion for barbecue and assisting those in distress culminated in creating Operation BBQ Relief, which has served over 9 million meals in 30 states. In 2017, Hays was recognized as a “CNN Hero” for his work with Operation BBQ Relief. Hays has participated in more than 35 sanctioned barbecue contests, with two grand champion awards, four reserve champions, and several top 10 finishes. He was runner-up in the 2015 season of Chopped: Grill Masters on Food Network and in 2019 won Food Network Canada’s Firemasters. Hays is also a cookbook author. He co-authored a cookbook called Operation BBQ in 2019 in 2022, with Mike Golic, Sr., Hays co-authored "Grilling with Golic and Hays."
Operation BBQ Relief
Operation BBQ Relief is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports communities following natural disasters with hot barbeque meals to those in need and on the front lines. After the devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo. in May 2011, competitive pitmasters from eight different states answered the call to feed displaced families and first responders and served over 120,000 meals over 13 days. This experience was the catalyst that started what Operation BBQ Relief is today. With the help of more than 14,000 volunteers, Operation BBQ Relief has provided over 9 million meals throughout the United States. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has provided over four million meals to first responders, medical workers, veterans, families and organizations affected by the pandemic. In 2017, Stan Hays, CEO and Co-Founder was recognized as one of the “CNN Heroes” for his work with Operation BBQ Relief. For more information, visit obr.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @opbbqrelief.
Vindulge
Mary Cressler & Sean Martin
Mary Cressler and Sean Martin are the wife-and-husband duo behind Vindulge, a leading outdoor cooking and lifestyle brand dedicated to helping home cooks master the art of live-fire cooking since 2009. From smoking and grilling to wood-fired pizza, their mission is to make outdoor cooking flavorful, fun, and approachable for everyone.
Mary is a chef, certified sommelier, and food photographer with a deep love for creating recipes that bring people together, always with a perfect wine pairing in mind. Sean is a pitmaster known for his expertise in barbecue and open-flame techniques, bringing bold, yet accessible, flavor to every recipe they create.
Together, they are authors of the critically acclaimed Fire + Wine, and their follow-up cookbook Fire + Wine: Backyard Pizza brings the same creativity and fire-inspired cooking to the world of outdoor pizza. Their recipes and stories have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, GQ, and at premier culinary events around the world, cooking alongside chefs Robert Irvine, Maneet Chauhan, Michael Symon, and Rocco DiSpirito.
As brand ambassadors for Alfa Forni, Big Green Egg, and Federalist Wines, Mary and Sean continue to inspire a global community of home cooks to fire up their grills and cook with confidence.
Doug Adams
Born in Colorado and raised in East Texas, Chef Doug Adams’ culinary inspiration began in his hometown of Bullard where traditional Texas cooking intermingles with Hispanic influences. After getting his culinary start in the kitchens of Missoula, Montana he moved to Portland, Oregon in 2008 to attend the Western Culinary Institute (now Le Cordon Bleu). Over the next three years he held positions at number of notable Portland restaurants including Lucier and Metrovino with James Beard Award-winning Chef Gregory Denton.
In 2011, he took a position with James Beard Award Winning chef Vitaly Paley at his eponymous Paley’s Palace and a year later Paley tapped Adams to be the Sous Chef for his new restaurant opening in downtown Portland, Imperial. Adams quickly earned the role of Chef de Cuisine and shortly after being promoted he was recruited to appear on BRAVO’s Top Chef: Boston. The series ran from October 2014 to February 2015 and established Adams name on a national stage where, as a top three finalist, he gained recognition for his creativity, balance of flavors and hustle in the kitchen. Adams’ thoughtful dishes and strong leadership at Imperial earned him numerous accolades including Best Restaurant 2015 from Willamette Week, the 2015 Chef of the Year from Eater PDX, and a semifinalist nomination from the James Beard Foundation Awards for Rising Star Chef of the year 2016.
In 2019 Doug opened Bullard Restaurant in downtown Portland, and quickly garnished awards including Chef of the Year from Willamette Week and a spot on the coveted Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurant List. After co-founding Holler Hospitality, and opening Holler Restaurant in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Doug made the difficult decision to leave his restaurants and work on the project he was born for—Grand Fir.
RJ's Smokehouse & BBQ Joint
Alta & Jason Hertz
Gladiator BBQ
Evan Wiederspohn
smokin' hot bbq championship
Do you have what it takes to be a BBQ champion? Compete in three categories for your share of $10,000 and to be crowned ilani BBQ Fest 2025 Grand Champion!
two days of events?
two chances to win.
presented by
Please Note
Must be 21 years of age or older with valid government issued identification. Events subject to change or cancellation. ilani is committed to responsible gaming. If you or someone your know has a gambling problem, please call the Washington State Gambling Helpline at 800.547.6133.