The Yak Ales Melbourne Barbecue Festival All-Star Dinner

Featuring John David Wheeler (Memphis Barbecue Co USA) Leslie Roark-Scott (Ubons Barbeque USA) and Mike Patrick (Fancy Hank's BBQ, Melbourne)

Thursday 2nd February 2016, Mercat Cross Hotel, Melbourne

Mark your calendars now for the official Yak Ales Melbourne Barbecue Festival dinner featuring international guests, John David Wheeler (Memphis Barbecue Co), Leslie Roark-Scott (Ubons Barbeque), Jim Johnson (KCBS) and local legend, Mike Patrick (Fancy Hanks).

Held at the iconic Mercat Cross Hotel on Thursday 2 February 2017, the all-star line up will collaborate on this one-off barbecue banquet featuring Memphis Barbecue Co.'s world championship whole hog and a selection of Southern sides, with drinks by Yak Ales and Pepper Jack Wines.

As for the all-stars...

John David Wheeler, head cook for the Natural Born Grillers BBQ Team, is one of the most award-winning barbecue cooks in the world. Among his many accomplishments, he's a two-time winner of the overall Cooking Team of the Year award, winner of the World Grand Championship at Memphis in May, winner of three separate World Championships and over 75 Grand Championships.

Leslie Roark-Scott started cooking competitive barbecue in 1989 alongside her father, pitmaster Garry Roark. In 1992 she was the first female to win a Memphis in May sanctioned Grand Championship. Leslie and the Ubons BBQ Team have cooked in competitions and festivals all over the country including The Big Apple BBQ Block Party, Memphis in May, The Jack Daniels World Championship, Windy City Smoke Out and Hogs for the Cause. Leslie is owner and chef for Ubons Restaurant in Yazoo City, Mississippi.

Jim Johnson is a Kansas City Barbecue Society master barbecue teacher and highly decorated barbecue pitmaster, having won 76 Grand Championships during his 28-year competition career. Jim has finished first in every category at four Memphis in in May contests on four occasions, and finished in the top ten nine times. Jim has also been crowned the Whole Hog World Champion at the prestigious Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational. Jim and his wife Becky are part of the KCBS International Outreach team.

Mike Patrick honed his fire skills on the wood-fired grill at South American eatery, San Telmo, before transitioning to Fancy Hank's BBQ Joint where the focus is on traditional American-style slow cooked barbecue. From its humble beginnings as a mobile operation, Fancy Hank's was one of the key figures to get Melbourne's smoke rolling and today resides in fancy new Bourke Street digs with customized offset smoker, Puffing Billie.

The Yak Ales Melbourne Barbecue Festival All-Star Dinner is the last event ever to be held at the Mercat, which is scheduled for redevelopment in the New Year, so join us for a bittersweet barbecue-infused evening as we farewell one of Melbourne's most iconic venues while toasting the third Yak Ales Melbourne Barbecue Festival.

Tickets are on sale now via Moshtix, $95 (plus booking fee).