From left to right, chefs Steve Craig, Armani Copeland and Kevin Yarbrough after winning the Student’s Choice Award for best barbecue on March 18, 2026, at Southside. The trophy is displayed at Ike’s following the event. (Sofya Vetrova / Mason Dining)
The smell of smoked meats and barbecue filled the air of Southside and Ike’s dining halls for the competition
BY ISABELLA PEARLSTEIN, STAFF WRITER
Mason Dining hosted a March Madness-like competition, dubbed “Smokin’ Madness,” where teams of chefs representing Southside and Ike’s competed for the best barbecue onWednesday, March 18.
Students were allowed to vote for their favorite plate during the event by scanning QR codes that were displayed throughout the dining halls. According to Sofya Vetrova, the district marketing director for Mason at Chartwells, Ike’s won the Student’s Choice Award with almost 70% of the votes.
Freshman Zach Thurow, a Government and International Politics major, tried both teams’ barbecue and picked Ike’s as his favorite plate.
“The brisket was amazing,” he said. “And then the sauce on the chicken, I just dipped the brisket in it and it made it even better.”
Eva Janes, a junior Global Affairs major, was at Southside when she ate both teams’ dishes. She also picked Ike’s as her favorite.
“The smoky flavor of the beef was just amazing and the mac and cheese had a nice wet cheese pull as opposed to a more baked quality,” she said.
The Ike’s station at Southside shows off their barbecue on March 18, 2026. (Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)
According to Vetrova, the menu for the Ike’s team consisted of slow smoked beef brisket, pulled pork and smoked chicken for the main dishes. The sides were smoked pork belly potato salad, collard green gumbo with smoked turkey and andouille sausage, five- cheese mac and cheese and southern style cornbread and apple cider.
A panel of guest judges, separate from the student votes, voted Southside as the winner for “creativity and execution,” Vetrova said.
The Southside menu consisted of Texas style beef brisket, sweet smoky pulled pork and sumac citrus chicken thighs. The sides were smoked gouda and cheddar mac and cheese, pickled watermelon salad, fried brussels sprouts with bacon onion jam and Kickin’ Bourbon BBQ sauce, according to Vetrova.
Each team had a Mason executive chef accompanied by chefs from other universities.
Executive Chef Armani Copeland from Mason, Kevin Yarbrough from George Washington University and Steve Craig from Louisburg College made up the Ike’s team.
Southside’s team had Executive Chef Brandon Liming from Mason, Tim Howland from Carnegie Mellon University, Robert Marquez from American University and Darelle Bey from University of North Carolina Greensboro.
Mason Dining partnered with Game Changer Smoker for the event. Chefs from the company smoked the meats for both teams in a trailer on Wilkins Plaza in front of Southside.
“We smoked [the meats] for the last two days,” Executive Chef George Charbel said.
The event extended outside of Southside and Ike’s onto Wilkins Plaza. Tents from Game Changer Smoker, Monster, Mason Dining, Mason Athletics and Student Involvement were set up in a “tailgate-style.” Monster and Game Changer Smoker handed out free samples to students.
Game Changer Smoker sets up their table to hand out samples of brisket on March 18, 2026, on Wilkins Plaza. (Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)
“[The smokers are] used a lot in universities, but we’re also in stadiums and restaurants across the country,” Game Changer Smoker employee Hunter Rice said.
“Mason Dining is considering bringing Game Changer to campus; however, at this time, we cannot guarantee this, as there are several moving parts still under consideration,” Vetrova said.
Mason Dining is looking to have more student engagement and community opportunities.
“Following the success of this year’s competition, Mason Dining plans to continue the Chef Throwdown in the future,” Vetrova said.
