Hot take: Should competition judges know the pitmasters name before tasting?

I was at a local KCBS event in Austin last fall, standing near the turn-in table, and I overheard one judge say to another, 'I always vote higher for Rib King Randy's stuff because I know he uses that cherry wood blend.' That stuck with me. On one hand, you want judges to be impartial and just taste the meat, no bias. But on the other hand, knowing the pitmaster's reputation could mean you trust their process and appreciate the story behind the smoke. I get both sides. But doesn't knowing whose food it is kind of ruin the point of a blind judging? I mean, if a rookie turns in a better brisket than a big name, should they lose just because nobody knows them? Has anyone else run into this kind of name recognition bias at a contest?

1 comments

1 Comment

keith_singh23h ago

That line "I always vote higher for Rib King Randy's stuff" is exactly the kind of thing that makes me wonder if blind judging is even real anymore. Should contests maybe switch to a system where judges don't even get told the team name until after all scores are turned in? It seems like the only way to keep it fair for the guys who don't have a big reputation yet.