Grillin' For 2: GA Man Fulfills Dream, Honors Dad And Wins 'BBQ Brawl'

DILLARD, GA — The Mountain Man won Food Network's "BBQ Brawl."

Kyle Bryner stepped onto the scene with woodsy camouflage overalls, a bushy beard and a brim hat that may have shielded his eyes from the sunny Texas weather.

The 41-year-old Rabun County resident was one of 12 contestants to compete on season six of "BBQ Brawl," gracing two of the three teams, to become the newest Master of 'Cue. But his journey was long and hard-fought.

Bryner was pitted against tried and true, competition-proven barbecue pit masters, including Greg Gatlin, Thyron Mathews and Brad Leighninger.

In the finale, which premiered Sunday, he faced Leighninger and fine dining chef and barbecue hopeful Tyler Anderson.

With a pork tenderloin sandwich in the opening episode, Bryner was selected second to join celebrity-chef Bobby Flay's team.

His time with Flay was short-lived when celebrity-chef Maneet Chauhan later stole Bryner to accompany Gatlin on her team after her crew dwindled to one player. He was now up against his former co-stars and a third team led by celebrity-chef Antonia Lofaso.

“When I came to America, I was so surprised to see how badly Indian food was represented, and that’s (why I) get along with you so well, because that’s what you are all about,” Chauhan told Bryner in the final episode.

To become the Master of 'Cue, Bryner had to get past judges Brooke Williamson, Rodney Scott and Carson Kressley. Ultimately, he realized by the finale that he was competing against himself rather than his peers on the road to victory.

It was a battle well-won. Bryner took home a huge trophy and will now be featured on Food Network's social media platforms.

His family, including a wife who believed in him, was ecstatic after learning the big news, he said.

"It was great to be able to share that time with them," Bryner told Patch.

Who Inspired the Mountain Man?

Bryner may have adopted Georgia's Appalachian scenery, but plot twist, he is not originally from the mountains.

Before calling Rabun County home, Bryner was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and relocated to Marietta in Georgia as a boy. He has previously lived in Sarasota, Florida, and in North Carolina.

His late father, Jeff, was a chef and manager of food service in the Delta Air Lines corridors of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. A young Bryner was tasked with crafting banana pudding and biscuits for the cafe next to his father's office.

"My dad was definitely really close to me, and he was definitely my hero for me wanting to be a chef," Bryner said.

His passion began with a love for ribs, and having worked at a rib joint as a teenager, Bryner decided to attend culinary school. While others in his graduating class were crafting fine dining meals to be judged by a panel for their final grades, Bryner said he was cooking up barbecue.

With ambition and a passion, he followed in his dad's footsteps and graduated from Sarasota Technical College, a core memory of his thanks to his dad. He dual-enrolled while at Sarasota High School.

The night of his college graduation dinner, Bryner's dad stood up and showed a picture that Bryner drew in the first grade depicting his goal of wanting to be a chef when he got older. Needless to say, his dream came true.

With a catering background, Bryner opened breakfast and lunch kitchen Blue Bike Cafe in Highlands in 2019 and Blue Hound Barbecue three years later in Scaly Mountain — both in North Carolina.

Bryner is a husband to wife, Erin, and father to children Elijah, 20; Daniel, 18; and Elizabeth, 15. He is the oldest of three sons.

From Blue Hound to Food Network

Last year, Blue Hound said goodbye to North Carolina and hello to Georgia. The barbecue-inspired eatery moved into a 100-year-old brick building in Dillard and was remodeled.

Dillard, with a little more than 300 residents, is near the Great Smoky Mountains and houses 148,000 acres of National Forest.

"This is definitely our home," Bryner said. "It feels right."

Bryner's dad wanted to try his hand in culinary competitions before his passing, but he never received the chance. Bryner did, and he said his dad would be proud.

A barbecue enthusiast, Bryner never competed locally or nationally.

Bryner's publicist, Gracie Waylock of Green Olive Media, convinced him to apply for "BBQ Brawl," and though his confidence was low, he took a leap of faith that eventually paid off.

"Every week, I got a little confident and believed in myself more," Bryner said.

A reason Bryner said he had minimal confidence was because he was coming from a small town and having to contend with some of barbecue's best cooks in the world. In his mind, he was an underdog.

"The people in town are so thankful that I’m bringing the spotlight to our town," he said.

Dillard supported Bryner through his journey on "BBQ Brawl" as his watch party indicated with about 300 guests, he said.

"... Just to see that many people in my community being moved by my story … it brought me to tears," he said.

While casting, Food Network dubbed Bryner the "Mountain Man" because of his appearance. With his overall attire, his calm demeanor and Appalachian flavors, Bryner brought Georgia to Texas.

It started in episode one when Bryner used Texas toast to compile a sorghum and mustard-glazed pork tenderloin sandwich with arugula. Bryner said sorghum, along with sugar cane, is reminiscent of Appalachia.

Later in the competition, Bryner was proud to introduce Chauhan, the "dancing spice queen," to Appalachia's native berry of the spice bush plant.

"It kind of blew her away," Bryner said, noting Chauhan was intrigued with the berry.

The cuisine of the mountains epitomizes resourcefulness, using what is in the area, he said. It is simple cooking, respecting the animal being prepped and not overly complicating the dish.

Though Bryner began as a member of Flay's team, being on Team Maneet helped him in a different way as a mentor. They bonded over their passion for their native flavors, and Bryner said when times were uncertain, Chauhan supported him on and off camera.

When difficult decisions had to be made, such as when he had to choose to compete one-on-one against peer Orchid Paulmeier, Chauhan reminded Bryner why he threw his hat in the "BBQ Brawl" ring — to honor his dad, represent his region and win for his family.

His family stayed with him throughout the season, especially when he borrowed his son's recipe to win a chili cook-off on a Santa Maria grill.

Last year, son Elijah bested Bryner in a cooking bout with a charred chicken, black bean and chorizo chili. The dish featured homemade chili powder, cumin, warm spices, poblano and jalapeno but no beef.

With Bryner giving an ode to Elijah in episode four, the recipe has now twice won.

Bryner stayed true to Elijah's recipe against the wishes of Flay, who voiced Bryner should use a pre-made chili powder rather than a scratch-made version. However, upon tasting the chili, Flay acknowledged the chili was "d--- good."

Williamson said of all the chilis presented, Bryner's was the "most familiar in flavor" and that she did not "miss the beef." Kressley called his chili comforting.

Bryner said his son wants to put on a chef's coat and attend culinary school after earning a business degree, continuing an aspiration now passed through three generations.

The most fearful moment for Bryner on "BBQ Brawl" came in episode three when he was charged with crafting New Delhi hot chicken. Scott said the chicken was unevenly cooked, indicating there was no char on the meat.

Bryner said he carried Scott's notes with him through the remainder of the season, always ensuring his protein was properly charred.

Williamson, on the other hand, was impressed with Bryner's skills, he said. A titan on "Bobby Flay's Triple Threat" and the first winner of "Tournament of Champions," Williamson appeared to enjoy Bryner's meals.

"That meant a lot to me," Bryner said.

Then came the final feast, when Chauhan said Bryner put his heart and soul on a plate.

A 15-hour overnight cook ended with Bryner serving double-fried ribs, a sausage trio, beef cheeks, pimento cheese grits and sweet potato crunch — all served on Blue Hound's menu.

"I started as an unknown hillbilly, and people started to recognize what I have to offer," Bryner said in the final episode. "I started winning. My hope is that I can take back to the mountains a sense of an even greater confidence knowing that the food I serve every day can stand up against some of the best chefs in the country."

After spending more than two weeks filming "BBQ Brawl," Bryner returned to Blue Hound with a standing ovation on Tuesday.

He plans to keep the grill smoking, accepting Leighninger's request to attend the Jack Daniels World Champion Invitational in October. Bryner called the event the "World Series of Barbecue."

Bryner said he is in talks to compete on Food Network's "Chopped," but details are not finalized. He also would like to try his luck on Guy Fieri's "Tournament of Champions."

To aspiring professional barbecuers or competitors, he has a few words of advice:

"Just put yourself out there and do it. ... You might not have the confidence to do it, right now, but just go out there and give it a shot because you might surprise yourself. You might do more than you think you can do."

If You Go:

Address: 6712 Hwy. 441 N, Dillard, GA

Phone: (706) 800-8020

Hours of operation: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., or until sold out, Tuesday-Saturday; closed Sunday-Monday

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