Where is BBQ Brawl Filmed?

If you’ve been watching the new season of Food Network’s BBQ Brawl, you may have noticed that the backdrop is a little different. The show was filmed in a place called Star Hill Ranch for the first three seasons, but the producers moved it for the fourth season to put a spotlight on Santa Maria style barbecue, which developed along California’s coast. The new spot is Long Branch Saloon & Farms Half Moon Bay.

It’s a pretty fairy-tale setting, with lots of buildings and areas that can be rented out for weddings or other events. In the show, the pit masters compete against each other and the chefs in a series of high-stakes challenges that culminate with one competitor earning the title of Master of ’Cue. This year’s series premiered July 10 and will see chef Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell, and Sunny Anderson coach a group of 12 top-tier pit masters in high-stakes BBQ battles.

Local culinary celebrity Brian Duffy of Ardmore, who has led kitchens at the likes of Downey’s, McCormick & Schmick, Manayunk Brewery, and Flying Fish Crafthouse, will be making his reality TV debut as a contestant on this season of BBQ Brawl. It’s his first foray into a competitive cooking series, but he says it will be an opportunity to expose the Pittsburgh area to a larger audience.

Another local pitmaster, Ara Malekian of Harlem Road Texas BBQ in Richmond, is also competing this season. He says the 10-episode series will give him national exposure, but he’s more interested in bringing in customers than racking up awards.