2026 Live
Fire Series

The 2026–27 National Live Fire Experience Series brings the proven championship format to multiple locations across the country — combining skill, fire management, and live audience engagement into one high-energy competition environment.

Judged Rounds

$300

Entry Fee

100%

Payout

Max 5

Team Members

Competition Format

Three Rounds. One Champion.

Every team competes in three distinct judged rounds. Impress the crowd, showcase your pork craft, then bring your best beef to the fire. All dishes must be cooked over live fire — no enclosed cookers allowed.

Tailgate Party Round

Cook for the crowd — they are your judges. Anything goes in this high-energy, fan-facing round. Throw the ultimate tailgate party right on site.

Judged by 10 on-site judges

Anything Pork + Sides

Show off your creativity with pork. 1 pork protein and 2 sides required. Dessert and drinks are optional — but will be scored if served.

Judged by 5 judges on your site

Anything Beef + Sides

The final round — bring your best beef dish. 1 beef protein and 2 sides required. Optional dessert/drinks will be scored if included.

Judged by 5 judges on your site

Presentation: Teams have 5 minutes to present each entry. No interaction with judges is allowed during scoring. Teams plate and present all entries using their own dishes, plates, and silverware.

Event Rules

Know Before You Cook

LIVE FIRE ONLY

No enclosed cookers (pits), no pellet grills, no lids on cookers. Cast iron may be used with lids.

NO GAS OR ELECTRIC

Only matches or natural fire starters allowed. No electricity for prep, fire control, or searing.

START COMMAND

No fires may be lit until the official “FIRE UP” command is given.

TEAM SIZE

Maximum of 5 team members per team.

COOKING SPACE

Maximum footprint of 25' × 20'. Maximum of 2 grills per team.

SAFETY FIRST

Each grill must have its own fire extinguisher. Teams maintain a clean, safe cooking space at all times.

NO PRE-COOKING

Proteins and sides must be in raw state and cooked onsite. No deep frying. Trimming and prep of raw items is allowed before fire start.

TENTS MUST BE WEIGHTED

No stakes driven into the ground. Use water buckets, leg weights, etc. to secure your tent.

Entry Fee & Payouts

100% Payback. All In.

$300

Entry Fee Per Team

100%

Payout of All Entry Fees

$3,000

Total Payout (10 Teams)

Round Payouts — Per Category

🥇 1st Place$300

🥈 2nd Place$200

🥉 3rd Place$100

Three rounds × $600 per round = $1,800 total in round payouts

Overall Awards

🏆 Grand Champion$800

🎖 Reserve Grand Champion$400

Overall total = $1,200 in championship awards

Judging Criteria

What Judges Score

Every round is judged on the same four criteria. Nail all four to claim the top spot.

Appearance & Presentation

Taste

Texture

Overall Impression

Event Schedule

Tentative Schedule

Friday

Saturday

Time	Activity
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM	Check-in & Setup
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM	Public Sampling / Sponsor Showcases (500 public tickets)

Time	Activity
7:00 – 8:00 AM	Team Prep/Setup
8:00 AM	Cooks’ & Safety Meeting
8:30 AM	Official “FIRE UP” Command Issued
11:00 AM	Tailgate Round Begins
1:00 PM	Pork Round Turn-In Begins
3:00 PM	Beef Round Turn-In Begins
5:00 PM	Awards Ceremony

Team Fire Start & Turn-In Times

Your Team's Clock

Teams are staggered by 10-minute intervals for safe, organized fire management. Find your team number across all four time columns below.

Team #	🔥 Fire Start (Sat)	Round 1 Judging	Round 2 Pork Turn-In	Round 3 Beef Turn-In
1–2	8:30	11:00	1:00	3:00
3–4	8:40	11:10	1:10	3:10
5–6	8:50	11:20	1:20	3:20
7–8	9:00	11:30	1:30	3:30
9–10	9:10	11:40	1:40	3:40

Ready to Compete?

Spots are limited to 10 teams per event. Submit your registration and secure your place in the 2026 Live Fire Series.