Pitmaster — Mesquite, TX
Michael Ray Higgins is a Texas pitmaster from Mesquite who was named a 2019 Barbecue Hall of Fame semi-finalist by the American Royal — one of nine nominees that year alongside Jim Quessenberry, Aaron Franklin, and Meathead Goldwyn.
Higgins represents the Dallas-area Texas BBQ tradition, where brisket, beef ribs, and sausage cooked over post oak and mesquite form the core of the pitmaster's craft.
Pitmaster & Owner, Franklin Barbecue — Austin, TX
Pitmaster & BBQ Entrepreneur — Lubbock & Austin, TX
Pitmaster & Founder, Lexington Barbecue — Lexington, NC
Pitmaster — Memphis, TN
Pitmaster — Tuscaloosa, LA
Pitmaster — Chicago, IL
Veteran Competitor & BBQ Personality
Seasoned BBQ Competitor
Competition Pitmaster & BBQ Hall of Fame Voter
Competition Pitmaster & BBQ Personality
World Champion Pitmaster & Ireland Teammate
Creator of KC Masterpiece
Legendary Pitmaster & Ireland Competitor
North Carolina Whole-Hog Legend
2× World Champion 
Irish Cup World Champion 1985 Irish Cup World Champion 1987 
BBQ Hall of Fame Semi-Finalist 2019 
Arkansas Trav'ler Cooking Team 
Memphis in May 1978–1994