Judges

Bob Carlton
Bob Carlton grew up in Linden, Ala., where the only place to eat out was the local Dairy Queen, and has written for The Birmingham News since graduating from the University of Alabama in 1980 -- so long ago, in fact, that he actually composed some of his first stories on a typewriter. As a senior feature writer in the paper's lifestyle department, he has covered everything from barbecue competitions and chili cook-offs to pie contests and biscuit bake-offs. Bob is a certified judge with the Kansas City Barbecue Society, and for the past several years, he has also judged the National Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburg, Tenn. His dining column appears every Friday in The News' City Scene entertainment section, and his homemade pimento cheese is soon to be famous.
 
Todd Coder
Todd Coder has worked in the live music industry for over 15 years. A graduate of the University of Alabama, Coder currently works at TicketBiscuit, a Birmingham based ticketing company and specializes in live music venues and events. He is also the Talent Buyer for WorkPlay Theatre and for the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, AL (May 17-19, 2013). Coder currently resides in Mountain Brook with his wife, Mary Susan and their two dogs, Wilson and Maggie.
 
Jason Horn
Jason Horn has been obsessed with food since he learned the secret ingredient in his dad's chicken soup at age six. He's the senior editor of cocktails-and-spirits website Liquor.com, a blogger at The Messy Epicure, and the co-founder of FoodBlogSouth, a food-blogging conference in Birmingham. He's written for a number of publications, including Cooking Light, CHOW.com, Birmingham, B-Metro, and MagicCityPost.com.
 
David Barry, Zeekee Interactive
With a background in theatre, entertainment, and corporate marketing David Barry has worked with some of the largest theatrical productions in the world. He has guided the successful Marketing and PR campaigns for shows such as WICKED, Disney's THE LION KING, and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. As a Public Relations Director he has had the privilege of working with celebrities such as Bill Cosby, Lorraine Bracco, Molly Ringwald, Jason Ritter, David Copperfield, Lou Diamond Phillips, Ann-Margaret, Eartha Kitt, Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard, and more. In addition to Broadway shows and concerts he has served as the publicist for the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival where he worked with festival founder Alan Hunter and Academy Award winning filmmakers.

David now works with local internet marketing company Zeekee Interactive and has his own Public Relations firm, The David Barry Group. David lives in Mountain Brook with his wife Heather, son Will, and Sonny The Labradoodle.

David is also an avid runner, amateur foodie, wine connoisseur, beer snob, and coffee junkie. In the recent years he has taken his passion for running and turned it into PR opportunities. David is currently working with the Ruben Studdard Celebration Weekend's Magic City Half Marathon and the Birmingham Track Club where he serves as vice president. He is also currently working with the The Vulcan Run, one of the South's largest 10K races and the 2012 Alabama State 10K Championship.
 
Richard Dixon, WAPI
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Southern by choice, Richard Dixon has been a radio fixture in the city of Birmingham and surrounding areas since the early 1990's. You can hear his show ever weekday from 2-6pm on 100 WAPI (100.5FM) where he discusses politics, breaking news, and wings. Really, all food. He talks about food a LOT.
 
Carla Jean Whitley, Birmingham Magazine
BCarla Jean Whitley has to confess, spicy food just isn’t her thing. (After all, her fall specialty is chicken and dumplins. You can’t get much milder than that!) But if you can create a chicken wing with an alternative preparation, well, you’ve got her business indeed. Carla Jean has written about food, music, business and, most importantly, the city as managing editor of Birmingham magazine. She firmly believes that an afternoon spent with football, wings and beer is the proper way to celebrate fall.