Debate: Should competition BBQ judges be required to have cooking experience?
I was at the Memphis in May contest back in 2014, and I got to talking with a judge named Dave. He told me he had been judging for 7 years but had NEVER cooked a single brisket himself. He said his palate was "unbiased" because of it. That really stuck with me. On one hand, fresh eyes can be fair. But on the other, how do you know what good bark should feel like if you've never trimmed a packer? What do you all think, should judges have to pass a basic cooking test first?