Burgaw chef reflects on Food Network appearance after early elimination on ‘BBQ Brawl’

BURGAW, NC (WWAY-TV) — A Burgaw chef is reflecting on his experience competing on a national television cooking competition after being eliminated in the first episode.

Vincent Mangual, owner of Junior’s Deli in Burgaw, competed on Season 7 of the Food Network’s BBQ Brawl. The series, hosted by Bobby Flay, premiered in May.

Mangual brought years of barbecue experience to the competition. While living in New York, he won multiple barbecue contests and also participated in Burgaw’s “Own Your Own” cooking competition in 2023.

Mangual said he was eliminated after losing a scallop barbecue challenge during the show’s first episode shot in Texas.

“That experience of going to Texas was amazing, I got to work with great chefs, work with great pit masters, learn new things from them and the bringing that back here, the community was just happy to have me back, you know we had only been open for a month,” Mangual said.

Despite the early exit, Mangual said he valued the opportunity to learn from fellow competitors and bring those experiences back to his restaurant and the Burgaw community.

The next episode of “BBQ Brawl” airs tonight at 9 p.m. on Food Network.