State’s BBQ Person of the Year

State’s BBQ Person of the Year

| By: Britten, Casey

Culinary Arts Instructor Chef Jeff Igel was named recipient of the John "Boss Hog" Bertoldi Wisconsin BBQ Person of the Year award.

Igel earned the award during the annual Gold Ribbin’ BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay, a Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) sanctioned competition. The event is the largest fundraiser of the year for Golden House, a nonprofit organization serving victims of domestic abuse in Brown County.

Among the many particulars contributing toward Igel’s achievement include his dedication to students and Fox Valley Technical College, exemplary fundraising for scholarships through the FVTC Foundation, and leadership in growing Wisconsin BBQ by way of setting up competitions and providing industry mentorship.

The award is named in honor the late John Bertoldi, a renowned Wisconsin BBQ enthusiast and champion of implementing several statewide competitions in alignment with KCBS standards. He was also a longtime BBQ judge around the nation, sharing his expertise at celebrated events like the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

The KCBS is the world’s largest organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts with more than 20,000 members worldwide.