#88 Brandon & Toya Norman - Memphis Original BBQ | Championship Ribs, World Champion Sauce & the Power of Partnership

What does it take to build championship barbecue—and keep getting better after you’ve already reached the top?

On this episode of BBQ Therapy, Tavis Bryant sits down with Brandon and Toya Norman of Memphis Original BBQfor a conversation about competition barbecue, marriage, military service, business, championship sauce, catering, and the mindset behind consistent performance.

Brandon spent 23 years in the United States Navy, eventually becoming a Chief Petty Officer. But his journey after the military led him deep into the world of competition barbecue alongside Toya.

Together, Brandon and Toya have built Memphis Original BBQ into a respected competition team and BBQ business.

Their résumé includes winning the 2017 Memphis in May World Championship Sauce Competition and finishing 3rd Overall in the 2025 KCBS Master Series Rib Team standings.

But this conversation goes well beyond the trophies.

Brandon and Toya talk about how barbecue became more than a hobby, how they built Memphis Original BBQ together, and what it's like being husband and wife, teammates, and business partners.

We also go deep into their approach to competition ribs.

What do they look for before the cook begins? How do they know when to make an adjustment? What happens mentally as turn-in approaches? And what separates a good competition rib from a great one?

Then we go back to 2017 and the sauce that earned Memphis Original BBQ a world championship.

Where did it come from? What were they trying to create? And what did winning that championship actually mean for the business?

We also get into their catering operation, the differences between cooking for judges and cooking for customers, and one philosophy that says a lot about their approach to barbecue:

“If you own the pit, you’re the pitmaster.”

That leads to a bigger conversation about equipment, technique, experience, and why the person behind the cooker ultimately matters more than the cooker itself.

This is a conversation about barbecue—but it’s also about partnership, discipline, consistency, and building something together.

For anyone interested in competition BBQ, ribs, sauce, catering, or simply understanding what happens behind a successful BBQ team, there’s a lot to take away from this conversation.

This is BBQ Therapy.

Listen. Learn. Get Inspired.

🎙️ Hosted by Tavis Bryant
🔥 BBQ Therapy Podcast
🌐 www.bbqtherapypodcast.com

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