By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
Alabama’s legendary Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q continues to make history, capturing its record-setting 13th first-place finish in the shoulder division at the 2025 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest—known as the “Super Bowl of Barbecue.” This marks the second consecutive year the Decatur-based team has taken the top spot in that category.
The win, announced Saturday night, adds to the rich legacy of Big Bob Gibson’s, a restaurant that not only dominates the competition circuit but also revolutionized Southern barbecue with the creation of Alabama white sauce—a tangy, mayonnaise-based blend of vinegar, lemon juice, and black pepper. The sauce, invented by founder Robert “Big Bob” Gibson in the 1920s, became a signature element of smoked chicken in North Alabama and is now a beloved barbecue staple nationwide.
Led by renowned pitmaster Chris Lilly—Gibson’s great-grandson-in-law—the team also placed second overall in the Grand Champion category, trailing only Heath Riles BBQ of Olive Branch, Mississippi. They previously claimed the Grand Champion title five times, in 2000, 2003, 2011, 2014, and 2017.
Lilly’s sons, Jacob and Andrew, represent the fourth and fifth generations of the Gibson barbecue tradition. Other team members include Danny “Big D” Montgomery of Ramer, Tennessee, and Sam Alleyne of New York City.
The team also finished second in the Kingsford Tour of Champions, a people’s choice-style award voted on by Memphis in May attendees.
Another Alabama standout, the Ribdiculous Bar-B-Krewe—featuring James Beard Award winner Adam Evans of Birmingham’s Automatic Seafood and Oysters—placed fourth in the shoulder category. The team had claimed the Grand Champion title in 2023.
This year’s contest, held at Liberty Park in Memphis, drew more than 120 teams from across the U.S. and around the globe, showcasing the best in barbecue craftsmanship.