Table Talk: Patio Porkers prepare for Handy Park
Patio Porkers on Beale hosted their first barbecue cooking contest in May 2023 in Handy Park on Beale Street. The Metal Museum of Memphis hand-crafted the trophies for the 2023 Patio Porkers on Beale barbecue cooking contest. (Courtesy Patio Porkers on Beale)
An old but new barbecue contest is returning to Beale Street on Saturday, Aug. 24 — back to where Memphis in May’s World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest began in 1978.
A handful of teams competed in the Orpheum Theatre parking lot on Beale Street back in 1978, with Memphian Bessie Lou Kathy winning that very first competition.
The next year, the contest moved to Tom Lee Park; it stayed there until last year when Memphis in May dropped the Patio Porkers division.
Topics
Patio Porkers Beale Street La Palapa Jimmy Stovall SOB Hospitality Subscriber Only2025 is almost over. Now is the time to support your trusted local news source.
Will you help us reach more Memphians with quality, in-depth local news? Make a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian, a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization, today.
Thank you for keeping up with what’s happening in Memphis. Thank you for investing in our community’s trusted local news source.
Jennifer Chandler
A cookbook author and former restaurateur, Jennifer Chandler has been writing about food and dining for more than 25 years.
She is the author of four cookbooks: “The Southern Pantry Cookbook,” “Simply Salads,” “Simply Suppers,” and “Simply Grilling.” While she boasts a degree from Le Cordon Bleu, this Memphis native is about making real food accessible for real families.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.