Sun BBQ Fest

CHEF PLUM

Originally from Virginia, Chef Plum has lived in Connecticut since 1999 and is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. He’s been a professional chef for more than 25 years.

Chef Plum has been featured on The Food Network, ABC's The Taste, Ehow.com, Jamie Oliver’s Foodtube, The Hallmark Channel, and The New York Times. He spearheaded the Dinner Underground restaurant pop-up in Connecticut, and he’s been the host and executive producer of multiple video series, including Random Acts of Cooking, On the Road (with Edible Magazine), Elite Chef (with Eli’s Restaurant Group), and Restaurant Road Trip.

Chef Plum has hosted Seasoned since its launch in 2020 and is the host and executive producer of Restaurant Road Trip. He hosts his own podcast, Plum Luv Foods Live and is a contributing chef on WTNH’s CT Style, WFSB’s Great Day Food, and Star 99.9.

When he’s not on the air, you can find Chef Plum judging food competitions like the New York Hot Sauce Expo, the Bacon and Beer Classic, The World Food Championship, the New York Best Wings Festival, and most recently, the New York Mac & Cheese Fest. He’s also a featured chef at the Sun Wine and Food Festival at Mohegan Sun and Cuisines of the Sun at La Estancia.

BEAR'S SMOKEHOUSE BBQ

Located throughout Connecticut and North Carolina, Bear's Smokehouse offers a wide selection of wood smoked, Kansas City style barbecue as well as sauces and sides. Delicious brisket, burnt ends, baby back ribs, chicken, pork & desserts served daily.

CHEF CHAD ROSENTHAL

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Chef Chad Rosenthal is a nationally recognized, self-taught chef who has achieved incredible culinary success both in restaurants and on the television screen.

Best known for his mastery of BBQ and comfort food, Chad is an acclaimed restaurateur and food innovator. He owns and manages three restaurants in the Philadelphia area including his flagship, The Lucky Well, and will soon launch Motel Fried Chicken – an industry- changing plant-forward food experience in partnership with TiNDLE.

Over the past two decades, Chad has appeared on several local and national television shows, including two seasons of Food Network Star, Chopped Grill Masters, Beat Bobby Flay (which he did), and Good Morning America. He spends much of his time on the food festival circuit, bringing his flare for cooking to the stage. With his electric personality and tangible passion for food, Chad has grounded himself as a must- see culinary entertainer nationwide.

CHEF MATT GROARK

Matt Groark of Medford Lakes — aka TheMeatTeacher — is a physical education and health teacher who launched his own barbeque business, Groark Boys BBQ, in 2018. Married to his wife Kristin and a Father of 2 boys Aidric (8) and Nash (7) he boasts 3.3 million followers on TikTok, 650,000 on YouTube, and 132,000 on Instagram.

The teacher-turned-top-tier-cook is quickly making a name for himself as he recently appeared on Season 2 of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef! Groark was undoubtedly ready for the challenge — his TikTok includes all types of cooking and barbeque tips, as well as other musings involving his family and daily life along with some day-to-day teacher tidbits!

MADDIE AND KIKI

Maddie & Kiki, Canada’s favorite female Grill Masters, were named in the Top 10 Grill Experts of North America and are regularly featured in the prestigious, Forbes Magazine. BBQ industry professionals turn to Maddie & Kiki for consultation, where they share their knowledge, expertise, and input on the development of new products for the BBQ market.

Maddie & Kiki teach BBQ classes in person at their Grill Studio as well as virtually across the globe. The sisters have traveled across the U.S. and Canada, appearing on morning shows, podcasts, radio, and live events, inspiring people of all ages to fall in love with the art of outdoor cookery.

They host and produce the hit digital series, "BBQ Happy Place", where they showcase outdoor kitchens from around the world, as well as a weekly live cooking show that airs every Friday at 12:00pm ET across all of the major social media platforms. The show regularly showcases recipes known as “Fridge Clear Outs” where Maddie & Kiki show viewers how to make the most of their leftovers and nearly expired foods to prevent food waste.