by Leah Justice
Area residents may know what the Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival is all about, but tonight the rest of the world will get a taste of the annual festival if they tune into the Food Network Channel.
The Blue Ridge Barbecue and Music festival will be featured tonight on the Food Network Channel at 10:30 p.m. on the new show, “Eating America with Anthony Anderson.” Anderson visited and filmed the festival in Tryon in June.
“Anthony Anderson heads to Tryon, N.C., home of the Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival, meeting featured rival chefs as they prepare their dishes for competition,” states the Food Network Channel’s website previewing tonight’s show. “Anthony tries other tasty offerings, like elk burgers, deep fried pickle and Asado goat, then challenges fest-goers on the carnival-like giant slide and mechanical bull before seeing who takes home the Governor’s Trophy.”
One of the chefs Anderson followed at the festival was Mountain View BBQ & Deli owner Shane Blackwell.
Blackwell said he’s interested to see what makes it on the show because Anderson tried food from every booth at the festival and followed three teams as well as hung out at Mountain View Barbecue in Columbus.
“My whole crew is exited about watching the show,” Blackwell said last week. “We have been waiting since BBQ festival weekend and now it’s here. I hope the whole community will tune in.”
The show first aired July 28 and follows Anderson going across America visiting festivals over the summer.
The Food Network Channel says Anderson is on a mission to discover what’s truly at the heart of America-one food festival at a time.
“He’ll also meet the amazing characters devoted to these regional favorites and follow some of them as they compete and find the best of the best,” states the Food Network Channel’s website. “There’s nothing like a small-town food festival to make summer come alive.”
Prior to the show first airing, Anderson was interviewed by TV Guide Magazine and asked if he had a favorite festival. Anderson named his top three, with Tryon’s being his second.
“Oh I can tell you, there were three,” Anderson said in the interview. “Ribfest in Chicago, the Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival in Tryon, N.C. and the New Orleans Food and Wine Experience.”
For more information about the show visit htttp://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/eating-america-with-anthony-anderson.html.