About NBBQA
The business home for barbecue, grilling, and live fire professionals
The National Barbecue & Grilling Association, also known as NBBQA, is a place for people in the barbecue, grilling, and live fire world to connect, learn, grow, and belong.
NBBQA brings together restaurant owners, product makers, pitmasters, caterers, event organizers, media professionals, educators, backyard cooks, industry brands, and barbecue fans who care about the future of barbecue.
Our goal is simple:
To support the people and businesses that keep barbecue moving forward.
Who We Serve
NBBQA serves people from all parts of the barbecue and grilling community, including:
- BBQ restaurant owners
- Food truck owners
- Caterers
- Product makers
- Sauce and rub companies
- Pitmasters
- Competition cooks
- Live fire cooks
- Backyard grillers
- Event organizers
- Media professionals
- BBQ educators
- Retailers and suppliers
- BBQ fans and enthusiasts
Whether you are building a business, growing a brand, planning an event, learning a skill, or looking for your BBQ family, NBBQA gives you a place to connect.
What We Do
NBBQA helps members through:
- Networking
- Education
- Events
- Member resources
- Special Interest Groups
- Business support
- Industry connections
- Barbecue News Magazine access
- Partnership opportunities
- Member discounts
- Live fire and BBQ events
We believe barbecue is more than food.
It is business.
It is family.
It is tradition.
It is opportunity.
It is community.
Why NBBQA Matters
Barbecue has always brought people together.
But behind every plate of barbecue, there are people working hard. There are restaurant owners opening early and closing late. There are product makers trying to get their sauces, rubs, equipment, and services into the right hands. There are pitmasters teaching the next generation. There are event organizers building places for people to gather. There are brands, suppliers, writers, photographers, cooks, and fans helping keep the fire alive.
NBBQA exists to support those people.
We help connect the barbecue community so members do not have to build alone.
Our Mission
Our mission is to connect, support, educate, and promote the people and businesses that make up the barbecue, grilling, and live fire community.
We do this by creating places for members to learn, share ideas, build relationships, and find new opportunities.
Our Community
NBBQA is built on relationships.
Our members come from different backgrounds, different states, different businesses, and different cooking styles. But they all share a love for barbecue and a desire to see the industry grow.
Some members are just getting started.
Some have been in the business for generations.
Some cook for trophies.
Some cook for customers.
Some create products.
Some teach.
Some write.
Some serve behind the scenes.
All of them matter.
Looking Ahead
NBBQA is focused on building a strong future for barbecue, grilling, and live fire cooking.
That future includes:
- Stronger member resources
- More education
- More events
- More ways to connect
- More support for BBQ businesses
- More opportunities for young cooks
- More ways to tell the stories of the people behind the smoke
We are proud of where barbecue has been, and we are excited about where it is going.
Join the NBBQA Community
Whether you are a business owner, product maker, pitmaster, caterer, event organizer, educator, supplier, media professional, backyard cook, or BBQ enthusiast, there is a place for you in NBBQA.
Come connect with people who understand the work, the passion, and the fire behind barbecue.
Explore Member Resources