A Pole and a Jew walk into a Bar…bque are Josh Poland and Carl Ziegler. Booz Allen manager by day, musician and video game developer by night, Josh Poland is back to defend his ‘23 and ‘24 Best Poultry title with his Alabama-Style Smoked Chicken Thighs, joined by his brillant wife Hannah, and two kiddos Jonah and baby sister. Carl Ziegler, estate planning attorney, chair of FHPS grounds committee, 15+ year SoBo resident with wife Katarina and two boys Miro and Lucian, proud PREP parent, expert jammer, paw paw farmer and moonshine distiller, horticulturist, is back to defend his titles of STF23's fan favorite dessert winner with his Smoked Apple Frittersand ‘24 winner for Best Beef for hisSmoked Beef Pastrami.

Two-thirds of STF25's Grand Champions (most fan votes) Tony Forzono and Charlie Parker of All Sauced Up are back to defend their title. Tony, a Georgia native but Locust Point resident for 16 years, Raven's season ticket holder and avid sports fan, professional moonshine drinker, loves smokin' anything, third time in competing, and in it to win again! Charlie who joined the team new last year is back and Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged.

Mike Levandusky, Scott Cohen, Bob Dodds, and Daniel Peterson are just average dudes making better than average BBQ. Mike has been in Otterbein for 8 years and smoking meats for 7.  He is a proud husband to Whitney and father to his two daughters Esme and Abigail.  Scott has been in Otterbein for 5 years and smoking meat for 6. He is an Orioles and Ravens fanatic and proud girl dad with his wife Lauren. Daniel has grown at home in South Baltimore since 2009, settled in Otterbein with wife and daughter in 2022, and has long had ambitions of being a better-than-average cook. Bob has been smoking meats, trying to become better than average, in South Baltimore since 2019. Rounding out the girl Dad's, Bob lives in Locust Point with his taste tasters.

From the hills of West Virginia to Ithaca, Buffalo and now Baltimore, naval analyst Ben Blemings brings both strategy and stamina to the smoker. Backed by girlfriend Margaret and his loyal, beer-fetching coonhound, he’s got the brains, the brawn, and the best four-legged assistant in the competition. An athlete at heart, he treats the grill like game day—precision, hustle, and no wasted motion. Around here, Coondog Cooks isn’t just chasing flavor . . . he’s hot on the trail of victory.

Frank Curriero is returning for his second year smokin’ at Smoketoberfest, loves BBQ, and has been smoking for a few years, mostly just to share with family and friends. Originally from Northern NJ.  Husband and girl dad; Professor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health; Enjoys baseball, college football more than pro and a big time Penn State fan.  

Since the dawn of smoked meats (or at least this competition), Bunty Chea has been chasing the perfect fusion brisket, leveling up his technique each year and having a blast doing it. This year he’s rolling in with a crew of new dads who fully embrace the team name and Bob Ross inspiration: Happy Little Accidents. Between diaper duty and late-night smoke checks, this group is fueled by friendship, laughter, and a shared love of barbecue. Crew members include Jeremy Scholz, Jeff Stolzfus, Shane Zuffante, Zach Summy, Heath, and Tripp.  

I'd Smoke That is spearheaded by STF cofounder Dan Anderson, alongside BBQ wizards Adam Bober and Matt Eskridge. When Dan is not advising clients at Merrill Lynch, he is pushing his limits on the ski slope or sailing the Chesapeake. Adam, a die-hard WVU fan and top-tier banking marketer, brings passion and expertise to the team. Matt, a true Southern gentleman with a love for live music and his Clemson Tigers, adds his own flair. Together, they rule the outdoor kitchen and are on a mission to bring home some major wins this year!

In a world fraught with quinoa and kale, three Otterbein heroes MaxLeVee, Casey Hawes, and Ryan Lupert united by destiny, team up to give you . . . MEAT SWEATS. Max is the seasoned pro smoker, a public finance consultant, dad to Lennon, golfer, WV alum, and Ravens fan. Casey, in his second year smoking, is girl dad, creative director, and sports fan. Ryan, from the home of barbecue–North Carolina, is raising two boys with wife Megan and is either watching the O's or playing pickleball. This October, the smoke will make you SWEAT. 

The Motley-Que is a band of smoky misfits led by Adam “The StickBurner” McD, a Yankee who’s spent years hunting for the perfect brisket among the smokehouses of Central Texas. Billy “Hot Boi” Breslin goes deep into the outdoors to bring you the finest proteins from land and sea. Jon Breslof is a one-trick pony pizza maker, but hey--what a trick. Travis Cochran, cheesecake pioneer and fearless Atlantic City dice-thrower, keeps things interesting. And Brennan Xxxxx, whose fully stocked bar has neighbors questioning what’s in their drinks (in a good way!), keeps spirits high--literally.  Last but not least is Chris Rinderspacher, aka Spaetzle King.

O'B-Wan K’Nobi is father-daughter team of Smoketoberfest cofounder Brendan O'Brien and eldest daughter Sophie O‘Brien; winner of the Golden Pig Brisket Award in 2021, owner of Cobblestone Wealth Mgmt., GraceCity Church elder, the ‘commish of South Baltimore Little League, bad golfer, pretty good skier, former Sox fan/now O’s fan, 25 year ‘Beiner, aka Mr. Judy O’Brien, raising three CityKids

Father and daughter team, Paul and Maggie Welling, are returning for their 3rd Smoketoberfest with their specialty of KC-style BBQ pork ribs and homemade sauce. Margaret, raised in Otterbein, Columbia grad, clinical social worker and mental health therapist/advocate–is excited to partner with her dad Paul, a kidney doctor/scientist at JHMI; avid golfer; baseball lover/O’s fan; softball dad; 30-year-Otterbein resident; proud husband to Teresa and father to Margaret and King Charles Spaniel, Ruby; Springer-Spaniel Louis’s Grandfather.

Jim Freaney,  STF23 Judges’ Choice and Golden Pig Brisket Champion, is back with Small Batch BBQ after taking a year off from Smoketoberfest due to illness. Known for his award-winning Carolina-style pork and brisket, Jim brings passion and precision to everything he smokes. When he’s not at the pit, Jim serves as Director of Operations at Pitango Gelato, cheers on the Ravens and O’s, and calls Hampden home. He’s a proud husband to Alison and dad to Josh and Evelyn.

Last year’s two-person team at Smoketoberfest 2024 has smoldered into something beautiful: a crew of friends, both seasoned and fresh-faced, united by our love for exceptional food, cold drinks, and the kind of camaraderie that only comes from standing around a fire(box) together. At the heart of our operation sits our pride and joy—a custom-welded, propane tank-turned-smoking masterpiece always ready to work its log-burning magic (or a backyard pellet smoker). We are Smokin' Animals, and we're here to serve it up again and again (and again). Because it isn't just about the meat—it's about the people with whom you share it!

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