At the heart of Burnt Finger BBQ are husband-and-wife pitmasters Megan and Jason Day, whose passion for live-fire cooking has propelled their Kansas City-based team to national acclaim.
Megan Day stands as a prominent figure in the barbecue world. Recognized by Southern Living as one of the “Most Influential Women in Southern Barbecue,” she clinched the title of Chopped Grill Masters Champion and has showcased her expertise on national platforms including the TODAY Show, BBQ Brawl, Beat Bobby Flay, and The Kitchen. Her role as a barbecue ambassador has led her to represent Kansas City barbecue at major events such as the NFL Draft and Super Bowl.
Jason Day gained widespread attention with his signature creation, the Bacon Explosion™, which was spotlighted on the front page of The New York Times and dubbed “the most downloaded recipe in internet history.” His debut cookbook, BBQ Makes Everything Better, earned the title of “Best Barbecue Book in the World” from the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Jason’s appearances on shows like The Kitchen and BBQ USA further solidify his influence in the barbecue scene.
Together, Megan and Jason have steered Burnt Finger BBQ to remarkable success on the competition circuit. Their accolades include Grand Championships and category wins at prestigious events like the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, and the World Food Championships, among numerous state and regional contests.
Their journey and dedication to the craft are documented in the film Smoke and Ribbons: A DocQmentary, available on Amazon Prime, and Jason’s feature in the Emmy-nominated documentary Burnt Legend: The Story of Burnt Ends. Beyond competitions, they engage in various campaigns, classes, keynote presentations, demos, and event emceeing, sharing their love for barbecue with a broader audience.
The Burnt Finger BBQ family also includes their children, Hank and Meredith, affectionately known as the “Little Fingers.” Having attended more barbecue events than most adults can dream of, both have begun carving their own paths in the KidsQ competition circuit.
From a viral bacon recipe to multiple world championships, Burnt Finger BBQ embodies the spirit of Kansas City barbecue—bold, authentic, and family-driven.
Recent Sizzle
2025
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2024
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins "Best Sauce on the Planet" at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 1st Place Tomato Sauce at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 1st Place Mustard Sauce at Memphis in May
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 1st Place Wings at Memphis in May
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Pitmaster Megan Day is a featured chef at Montana Master Grillers® at The Resort at Paws Up.
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Pitmaster Megan Day appears on TODAY Show to promote Kansas City barbecue for Super Bowl LVIII
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2023
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins Side Dish Grand Championship at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 2nd place Seafood, 8th place Ribs at Memphis in May
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Burnt Finger BBQ appears on Food Network's BBQ USA with Chef Michael Symon in Season 2, Episode 1
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Burnt Finger BBQ appears at the NFL Draft's Smokeshow Stage to showcase Kansas City barbecue for NFL Draft attendees
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Pitmaster Megan Day hosts the Baltimore Ravens Draft Party to give the Ravens Flock a taste of Kansas City
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Pitmaster Megan Day appears on TODAY Show to promote Kansas City barbecue for Super Bowl LVII
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2022
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 1st place Tomato Barbecue Sauce at Memphis in May for Spicy KC
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 2nd place Beans at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue
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Pitmaster Megan Day is a featured chef at Montana Master Grillers® at The Resort at Paws Up.
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Pitmaster Megan Day appears on Food Network's "Beat Bobby Flay" in Season 31, Episode 5 BBQ'd Revenge.
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2021
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Pitmaster Megan Day appears on the TODAY Show with Hoda and Jenna.
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Pitmaster Megan Day appears in Season 2 of Food Network's BBQ Brawl.
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Pitmaster Megan Day takes 2nd place at The Royal Oak Invitational SCA Steak Contest and in response, Burnt Finger BBQ launches the Steakhouse Grill Seasoning she used.
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2020
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 1st place sauce and 1st place rub at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue "Best Sauce on the Plant" and "Best Rub on the Plant" contest.
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Pitmaster Megan Day, appears on the TODAY Show with Hoda and Jenna, Food Network's "CHOPPED Tournament of Champions ", and Southern Living TV's "BBQ & A".
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2019
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Pitmaster Megan Day, is named one of Southern Living Magazine's "Most Influential Women in Southern Barbecue".
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 1st place Mustard Barbecue Sauce at Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 2nd place Rub at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue for Smokey KC.
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2018
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Burnt Finger BBQ wins 2nd place Ribs and 3rd overall at the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.
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Burnt Finger BBQ launches a line of fully-cooked barbecue meats on the Home Shopping Network.
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Pitmaster Megan Day appears on the TODAY Show to share summer barbecue recipes.
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Pitmasters Megan and Jason Day appear on Food Network's "The Kitchen" and share recipes for Grilled Potato Salad and Chipotle Barbecue Sauce.
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2017
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"Smoke & Ribbons: a DocQumentary" debuts on Amazon Prime. Filmmakers follow Burnt Finger BBQ over several years as they compete in the prestigious, American Royal World Series of Barbecue.
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Pitmaster Megan Day is crowned a Food Network Chopped Grill Master Champion in her Season 4 episode debut and appears in an NFL kickoff cooking segment on the TODAY Show.
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