American Royal Reveals 2026 Barbecue Hall of Fame® Inductees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

American Royal Reveals 2026 Barbecue Hall of Fame® Inductees
Honoring barbecue leaders whose work has helped shape the craft and strengthen the culture

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 28, 2026) — The American Royal has announced the 2026 Barbecue Hall of Fame® class, honoring individuals who have helped shape and preserve barbecue culture. This year’s class includes four inductees and three legacy honorees recognized for their contributions to barbecue heritage.

Carey Bringle, Nashville, Tennessee; Ben Lang, Nahunta, Georgia; Mark Lambert, Byhalia, Mississippi; and Malcom Reed, Hernando, Mississippi, are this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, recognized for their impact on barbecue throughout their careers. George “Toots” Caston, Jackson, Georgia; Charles “Charlie” Stamey, Greensboro, North Carolina; and Arthur Watts, Kewanee, Illinois, have been selected as legacy members.

The 2026 inductees represent a range of contributions to barbecue through competition, education, entrepreneurship and tradition. Learn more about them:

• Carey Bringle, founder of Peg Leg Porker, has spent more than three decades competing, cooking and championing the traditions of West Tennessee-style barbecue. After surviving osteosarcoma and losing his leg to cancer, Bringle turned adversity into a career rooted in perseverance, hospitality and barbecue tradition. He built Peg Leg Porker into a destination for barbecue enthusiasts and expanded the brand into sauces, seasonings, apparel, events, education and award-winning Tennessee bourbon. As author of BBQ for Dummies, he continues to serve as a teacher and ambassador for the craft, helping preserve barbecue traditions for future generations. 
• Ben Lang is the founder of Lang BBQ Smokers® and the originator of the reverse-flow smoker, a design he developed in Nahunta, Georgia, in 1988. The reverse-flow design fundamentally changed barbecue cooking by creating more even heat and smoke distribution in offset smokers. Lang BBQ Smokers grew into a nationally recognized brand, with pits used by competitors, restaurants and backyard cooks across the U.S. and internationally. Lang smokers are still handcrafted today, reflecting his commitment to durability, simplicity and performance. His influence extends beyond manufacturing to the many food businesses and barbecue careers built using Lang smokers.
• Mark Lambert is a seven-time BBQ World Champion whose titles include five Memphis in May World Championships, the 2017 American Royal World Champion in Ribs, and the 2019 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World Champion. He is the founder of Sweet Swine O’ Mine, a line of rubs, sauces and injections used by backyard cooks and competition teams alike. Lambert’s BBQ Know How philosophy drives his focus on helping backyard cooks improve their barbecue techniques and consistency. He has also supported organizations including Operation BBQ Relief, Steaks 4 Sheepdogs and Faith & Fires Ministry.
• Malcom Reed is the pitmaster behind HowToBBQRight, a widely followed barbecue education platform. He has spent more than two decades making barbecue approachable for cooks of all skill levels. A competition cook since 2002, he is also the creator of Killer Hogs BBQ, a line of seasonings and sauces sold through major retailers in the U.S. and abroad. Reed’s influence extends across podcasts, live events, social media and television appearances, making him one of the most trusted voices in barbecue. 

The 2026 Barbecue Hall of Fame legacy inductees are being honored for the impact they made on barbecue and the generations that followed. Learn more about each of them:

• George “Toots” Caston spent more than half a century as the soul of Fresh Air Bar-B-Que, one of the oldest barbecue restaurants in Georgia and a beloved standard-bearer of the state’s Piedmont barbecue style. He perfected his Brunswick stew recipe and built a regional and national following serving generations of travelers on the highway between Atlanta and Macon, often sleeping on a cot near the fire to keep the pits burning. Caston worked until the day before he died at 89 in 1996, and his family continues to run Fresh Air Bar-B-Que today.
• Charles “Charlie” Stamey was the second-generation owner of Stamey’s Barbecue in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he spent 40 years carrying on his family’s Lexington-style barbecue tradition over hardwood hickory coals. He expanded the family business with a second Greensboro location and passed the legacy to his son Chip in 1993. He was inducted into the North Carolina Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2024.
• Arthur Watts was born into slavery in 1837 and, through his own trial and error, mastered the open pit cooking technique before carrying that craft into a free life in Kewanee, Illinois. Cities and counties throughout central Illinois hired him to cook for events attended by thousands. He continued cooking into his second century of life, supervising community barbecues at age 101. His barbecue legacy continues today through his descendants and the Old Arthur’s Barbecue Sauce & Dry Rubs brand.

“These inductees represent some of the very best in the barbecue community,” said Pat Macy, CEO of the American Royal Association. “They have helped shape barbecue through craftsmanship, innovation, mentorship and tradition. Their influence can be seen across restaurants, competitions, education and community, and we are proud to recognize the lasting impact they have made on barbecue culture.”

The 2026 inductees will be recognized in a black apron ceremony during the 46^th World Series of Barbecue® planned for September 30-October 4, 2026, at the American Royal’s new home in Kansas City, Kansas.  

For more information about the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame, visit barbecuehalloffame.com. 

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About the American Royal Association  
A Kansas City tradition since 1899, the American Royal is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to be the nation’s leader for food and agriculture education, events, and engagement. The American Royal provides opportunities for nearly half a million youth and adults from around the world to engage in high-quality events and experiences, including nationally competitive livestock shows, the world’s largest barbecue competition, regional and national equine shows, youth and professional rodeos, and elementary and secondary education outreach. Support from partners, members, and volunteers help the American Royal achieve its vision of a world where food and agriculture are celebrated, and all generations are committed to its future.  

Media Contact:  

Julie Warner, AdFarm  
[email protected]  
417-298-5968