A Barbecue Ace and a Pastry Chef Are the First-Ever Winners of ‘Pitmasters’

After a week of intense, nonstop and incredibly heated competition, the winners of Food Network’s debut season of Pitmasters are Esaul and Grecia Ramos of 2M Smokehouse and Catering in San Antonio.

Along with serious bragging rights and a new accolade (to join their James Beard Award nominations, Michelin Guide recommendations and Texas Monthly best barbecue nods), the Ramoses took home a whopping $30,000 check.

Grecia and Esaul have ample experience as a team. Besides being married for more than eight years, they have co-owned and been the secret sauce behind 2M Smokehouse since 2016. “​​He’s the smoke. She’s the sugar,” they claimed.

That’s because Esaul is a pitmaster: “the guy tending the fires, chasing the perfect brisket and proving that sleep is optional when barbecue is involved,” they explained in a recent Instagram post. As for Grecia, she’s “the one covered in flour, butter, and questionable amounts of glitter, making desserts and finding ways to put pastry where pastry probably doesn’t belong.”

Describing themselves as stubborn, often over-caffeinated and always incredibly dedicated, it was probably no surprise to their regulars that the Ramoses came out on top. But that’s not to say they didn’t have to overcome stiff competition — and some seriously demanding conditions and challenges — to earn that cash and the crown of Pitmasters.

Sink or Swim

In case you’re new to the series, a brief recap: At the start of the week, nine two-person teams were dropped in the wilderness of Southern Utah to take part in an around-the-clock competition.

Forced to deal with rain, wind, cold, sleep deprivation, injuries, exhaustion and more, the competitors blew us away from Hour 1 with their mettle — and their menus. Who they were really trying to impress, though, were the “Mount Rushmore” of barbecue legends who acted as host (Andrew Zimmern) and judges (Jess Pryles, Moe Cason and Ernest Servantes).

Each of the eight episodes involves two challenges:

1. The “flash burn” one-bite competition that comes with an advantage.
2. The “big burn” primary challenge that leads to the elimination at the end of the episode.

The duos who are able to deal with the brutal schedule while delivering the best flavor and most exceptional execution move on to the next round. The weakest team is sent home.

Along the way, the teams were tasked with a nose-to-tail battle, hosting a backyard potluck in just three hours, roasting a whole hog and more. One by one, the field was narrowed down, so when we arrived at the final episode, just two teams remained. It was the Ramoses versus BFFs and business partners John Jackson and Connie Desousa, who co-own multiple restaurants in Calgary, Canada.

The Final Burn

Nearing (or at) exhaustion, Andrew dared the finalists to go head-to-head in a five-course barbecue tasting menu that showcased their unique point of view and best live-fire skills. Every bite counted, as only one team could walk away with $30,000 and the title of the original Pitmasters.

“Both teams [have] brought amazing, tasty dishes,” Moe said as the final challenge kicked off. “It's going to be really tough, man.”

They had 10 hours to deliver all five courses at a rolling pace throughout the day.

“Coming into this competition, I knew it was really going to get us out of our comfort zone to win the whole thing. It would mean that we are putting our culture on the map,” Grecia said. Esual jumped in to add, “The judges want our dishes to be a story. [So,] let's showcase our Mexican flavors, our cultures, our Tex-Mex flair.” With that in mind, they got to work slicing, searing and simmering.

Over at the other camp, Connie and John also plotted out their “This Is Your Life” menu. “This is our last chance to showcase our barbecue POV to the judges, so our intention with our menu is to take them on a journey through all of the chapters from butchery to fine dining,” Connie said.

At this point, John got sentimental: “We’ve been cooking and working together since we were kids — since 1999. This is our final statement about who we are, how we grew up, all the stories, all the chapters.”

Course 1

For Course 1, Grecia and Esaul delivered Grilled Oysters With Chili Butter (a tribute to what they ate on their first date 11 years ago), as well as Chorizo-Rosemary Focaccia With Olive Oil Dip. This inspired Moe to moan with delight. Andrew said, “This is an impeccable way to start.

John and Connie followed up with their Fire-Kissed Ceviche With Octopus, Shrimp and Ahi Tuna, which John hoped could demonstrate a lighter, more restrained, “different side of us.” Deemed “quite spectacular” by Jess, the smokiness came through and proved “they’re not messing around,” according to Andrew.

Course 2

The time for Course 2 quickly arrived, ushering in the heartier fare. The Ramoses shared Duck Carnitas, Esquites and Salsa Roja — minus the tortillas that Grecia had accidentally left out in the sun for too long. Andrew called the salsa so “exquisite” that he didn’t miss the tortillas, and Ernest applauded Esaul’s command of the crispy-on-the-outside, fall-apart tender carnitas.

Connie and John came to the table with what they billed as “Fireside Charcuterie,” a mix of Portuguese linguiça sausage, chicken liver mousse and bannock bread. It’s a tribute to their butchery roots (the sausage and mousse) and First Nations Canadian cuisine (the bread). The judges were split on the sausage; Jess dinged it for the large chunks of fat in the mix, while Andrew adored it. Should they have just delivered the “exceptional” bread and chicken liver mousse?

Course 3

Come Course 3, the judges finally got the tortillas they’d been jonesing for. Grecia shared them, fried until golden and bubbly, alongside Smoked Shrimp Aguachile that Grecia said “is almost a weekly meal for us.” It’s “textbook aguachiles,” if you ask Ernest, as they all relished the firm-tender texture of the shrimp marinated in bright lime juice.

Connie hoped that the Smoked Box Chicken, Charred Cucumber Tzatziki and Wood Oven Pita she and John whipped up would offer “a bit of chicken redemption” after that was a weak point in a previous episode. The pleasant pita and the tzatziki (especially the extra dill) earned unanimous raves. But all of the judges except Ernest dinged the chicken for being dry.

Course 4

Fatigue set in around Course 4. There’s no rest for the weary, though — definitely not if they want to be winners. The Ramoses returned with a Black Garlic Rib Eye (designed to offer redemption after a past battle) With Live-Fire Carrots and Porcini Mushroom Soup. With its delightful char, black garlic spice rub and noticeable smoke ring, “this is what beef is about,” Jess said. But she questioned if the soup needed to be there. Still, Moe and Andrew considered it a nice addition to allow everyone to mix and match bites.

Jess gasped with glee when Team Canada approached with their penultimate plate: Crispy-Skin Mortadella-Stuffed Porchetta, Parmesan Polenta and Golden Raisin Mostarda … plus a deboned pig head. “Look at the muscle circling,” Andrew noted, as he ran his fork around the outside rim of his slice of porchetta. “The entire thing is uniform in size. It's so perfect. And the mortadella-stuffed pig head in the style of porchetta? That is insane.” John and Connie “are bringing Michelin-graded food,” Ernest said. (He should know. In 2014, his Seguin, Texas, restaurant Burnt Bean Co. was awarded a Bib Gourmand by MICHELIN for serving stellar food at a fair price.)

“And then you have Esual and Grecia, with their comfort food. It is something we can relate to,” Ernest continued. “Whose food I'm more impressed by? That’s the tough part,” Andrew admitted. As much as we would have loved to savor this feast, at that moment, we were glad we weren’t sitting in one of the judges’ seats! “Everything they have brought us is a strong statement of where they’re from,” Moe said after delighting in the third course. “They’re making San Antonio proud,” said fellow Texan Ernest.

Course 5

Finally, it was time for the most important desserts of their lives. The Ramoses shared smoked Conchas With Cafe de Olla (coffee infused with cloves, cinnamon and piloncillo). Instead of enjoying them each on their own, Grecia recommended tearing open a concha and dunking it into a mug of coffee — a technique she learned from her mom and grandma. Ernest couldn’t hold back at this point: “They just set the tone. But not only did they set the tone, they hit our souls.”

Connie and John finally felt like they had the space to bring their dream dish to life for the entire competition. It’s time for Bone Marrow and Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée. This isn’t just any old custard, Andrew maintained: “It's one of the best crème brûlées I've ever eaten in my life. And that they did that outdoors like this with bone marrow? Blows my mind.”

The Final Ballot

It was daunting to score the meals as a whole and select a winner from these two talented, worthy teams. But Andrew, Jess, Moe and Ernest did just that, and asked the duos to join them at the final campfire. Both teams declared that they were humbled to be standing next to the other; however, only one could win.

“It cannot be overstated how impressed we were with all of your performances. Not only do both teams deserve to be here, but you truly both deserve to win,” Andrew said as tension built. “The difference over all those courses was two points. The winner walking out of here with $30,000 and the crown of Pitmaster champion is Esaul and Grecia.”

Grecia seemed overwhelmed with joy and relief, as she said, “The fact that we were able to do this together … I’m beyond proud of us.” Esaul echoed that sentiment: “This has been an amazing experience to be able to share that with my wife. If I could do it all over again, I would,” he added, despite being utterly exhausted at that point. But first, they both agreed: “A shower. And then some sleep!”

Then, we bet they went right back to join their team and their superfans at 2M. As the series has been airing, Grecia and Esaul have dished up specials inspired by what they made on Pitmasters, including Tri-Tip Over Mashed Potatoes, Poblano Spaghetti, Espresso Sumac Lamb Chops, Baklava Cheesecake and Ube Bread Pudding. We can’t wait to see what these winners cook up — and bake up — next.