Barbecue Fueled by Competition and Community

For Kelly and Tony Hardeman, the journey into the world of barbecue wasn’t born from years of culinary training but from time spent with friends supporting the annual Step Up for Soldiers BBQ Cookoff.

As Kelly Hardeman tells it, the event took place for several years in Carolina Beach and her husband Tony Hardeman would tag along with friends, learning tips of the trade and enjoying the camaraderie of friendly competition. When the event moved to Battleship Park in 2018, Tony Hardeman suggested the couple enter the competition together.

“Tony suggested that I could come help him get set up and then go home for the night (while he stayed and cooked),” Kelly Hardeman recalled. “I didn’t go home that night – I stayed the whole time and was hooked.”

Soon after, the Hardemans joined the Southern BBQ Network (SBN), a charitable organization that aims to preserve and celebrate Southern barbecue through charitable events.

Their first SBN-sanctioned event was in Pinehurst, North Carolina, where they arrived in a pickup truck, packed Tetris-style with all of their gear. Surrounded by luxe motorhomes and professional setups, the Hardemans may have felt like rookies, but they were undeterred, working through the night. That event, said Kelly Hardeman, solidified their love for competition barbecue and introduced them to the friends they now refer to as their “barbecue family.”

Since then, KT’s BBQ has expanded its repertoire and built a competition trailer, competing with both SBN and the Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS) throughout North and South Carolina. Their dedication has earned them several first-place awards for ribs, a Reserve Grand Champion title, and respect within the competitive barbecue world. Along the way, they’ve trained with industry legends, including Myron Mixon, a five-time Barbecue World Champion.

KT’s BBQ took a bold step earlier this year by partnering with Live Nation to serve crowds at Live Oak Bank Pavilion and Greenfield Lake Amphitheater. Renting a food trailer from a friend, the Hardemans tested the waters of food service at several concerts.

“We fell in love with it – the adrenaline, the energy of the crowds and the amazing feedback on our food,” Kelly Hardeman said.

That passion fueled their decision to invest in a food truck, which debuted at Riverfest in October and is now booking regular events throughout the region. They have also launched KT’s BBQ Catering, and Kelly Hardeman has left her full-time job to run the business.

In addition to pulled pork and ribs, the Hardemans serve up traditional sides like mac and cheese and coleslaw and desserts such as peach cobbler and banana pudding.

In the coming weeks, you can find KT’s BBQ Catering at Fermental, at 600 S. 17th St. In Wilmington, on Dec. 14 and at Good Hops Brewing, at 811 Harper Ave. in Carolina Beach, on Dec. 20.