 
| It is the mission of the FBA to promote the uniquely American tradition of barbecuing meat over natural wood or charcoal-fired heat and smoke through education, family-friendly fellowship, and competition. |
MASTER JUDGE PROGRAM
The Master Judge Program
The FBA Master Judge Program is designed to recognize those judges who have shown their support for the most judge friendly, cooker friendly competition barbecue circuit around. The FBA Master Judge is there at almost every contest. They provide the teams with a fair and unbiased arena to test their cooking skills.The following requirements must be met to become an FBA Master Judge:
- Judge a minimum of 20 FBA sanctioned contests in any 5 year period or less.
- AND table captain a minimum of 5 times in any 5 year period or less.
- Must be a member of the FBA and must maintain that membership.
- Must cook with a Pro division cook team at least once during the same 5 year period at an FBA sanctioned contest and submit the completed form HERE to the Lead Rep for the contest at which you cooked.
- The Funcook is considered an FBA sanctioned contest for the purposes of judging and master judge.
Guidelines for Master Judge Candidates observing a BBQ cook team The Master Judge qualifying criteria requires that a Master Judge candidate must cook with a FBA member BBQ team prior to being certified as a Master Judge. The judges committee and the cook team committees have put together guidelines for both the Master Judge candidate and the cook team to follow. The goal here is to turn out better Master Judges who are knowledgeable and understand the complex and detailed process of turning out good BBQ. MASTER JUDGE PROGRAM COOK TEAM GUIDELINES Master Judge Candidate Guidelines: |
Cook Team Guidelines:
1. Teams are expected to allow the judge to observe the entire process and not shield any part of the process from the judge. 2. If possible, provide an educational environment for the judge. Instruct as much as you feel comfortable. An interactive session throughout the cook will provide a great experience for the Master Judge candidate. Make it conversational. 3. Provide explicit instructions to the judge if needed. Do not be afraid to tell the judge exactly what you would like them to do. Be polite about it. However, if they are causing issues and disturbing your cook, please feel free to dismiss them from your cook site. Please let the lead representative know prior to leaving the contest what occurred. 4. The judges are not there to wash dishes or tote trash. They are there to observe how you make great BBQ. 5. If you trim before arriving at a contest, you are not required to trim in front of your Master Judge candidate. You are not expected to change your process to accommodate the Master Judge candidate. Take time to explain why you trim your meats the way you do but follow your timelines. 6. Invite the Master Judge candidate to socialize with you. This is one of the interesting things to observe at a BBQ contest. However, when it is time to turn in, send the judge candidate home with detailed instructions on when to return. Have them attend the 9 am Nasty with you if that is part of your process. Let them experience the full contest. 7. For the most part, the Master Judge candidates are there to observe the cook process and watch how you turn out good BBQ. Please make the interaction fun for both you and the Master Judge candidate. Here is a list of teams currently offering to host a judge and to cook with them to meet your Master Judge requirement: 10-4 BBQ Bearded Monkey Twisted Q Rum Runners BBQ Tillman's BBQ |