A 200-kilogram shawarma spit, a massive iron cooking rig being trucked in from Miami, tahini, amba, zhug, 14 Israelis and a great deal of smoke: Israel is preparing to enter a major Texas barbecue competition for the first time.
On October 24, an Israeli team will compete in the Al Frugoni Open Fire Meat Up, an annual live-fire barbecue event now in its fifth year. There is no gas and no electricity. Everything must be cooked over open flames.
The event attracts around 700 pitmasters, barbecue specialists and social media influencers each year. About 40 teams from around the world are expected to compete this time, including participants from the United States, Argentina, Guatemala, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Israel.
Israel’s entry will center on Wagyu beef shawarma. The spit will weigh around 200 kilograms, or roughly 440 pounds, and will be roasted over coals on a purpose-built iron structure.
The equipment is being built for the team by an Israeli from Or Yehuda who now lives in Miami, while the beef itself will be purchased from a kosher Jewish supplier in Texas. The shawarma, in other words, will be fully kosher.
The festival runs for three days, with the competition taking place on the final day and opening to the public. Around 4,000 visitors are expected to move between the stands, taste the food and vote for their favorite team alongside a professional judging panel.
Competitors will be judged on technique, presentation and flavor, with every element required to be prepared using live fire.
‘Everything has to look like a million dollars’
Leading the Israeli team is Ruben E. Maislos, a meat blogger from central Israel with around 600,000 Instagram followers who was chosen as team captain.
“This is a great opportunity to represent Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine,” he said. “Our twist is kosher Wagyu, because they’re not familiar with that there. Half of the team keeps kosher, so we wanted to respect them and the occasion because we’re representing Israel.”
The team will also bring tahini, amba, zhug and spices from Israel to prepare its blends on site
“In the United States, anything kosher is considered higher quality, and with meat that’s critical. You don’t want to end up with low-quality meat. We have to plate it Michelin-style, because you can lose points on color and appearance too. It has to look like a photograph. Everything has to look like a million dollars. It’s not only about whether it tastes good.”
The team will also include chef Charlie Fadida and chef Yehuda Amar, a former contestant on Israel’s MasterChef who lives in Miami, along with grilling and smoking enthusiasts, meat lovers and content creators.
Maislos stresses that despite the casual image associated with backyard grilling, the competition is serious.
No shawarma without amba
The team plans to bring tahini, amba, zhug and spices from Israel, using them to prepare its seasonings and accompaniments on site.
The current dream is to serve the shawarma with a shot of arak flavored with mint. And if everything goes according to plan, the soundtrack will be Israeli too, with what Maislos describes as “Omer Adam playing in the background.”
Asked how he would respond to accusations of culinary appropriation over presenting shawarma as part of Israeli cuisine, Maislos said the dish has long since become embedded in Israel’s food culture.
“First of all, we’re a Levantine country, and Israel is made up of people who came here from many different countries. We also have an Arab chef on the team,” he said.
“Shawarma became part of Israeli culinary identity a long time ago, even if the Turks or Greeks tell a different story. The Turks will say it’s theirs and the Greeks will say it’s souvlaki. Everyone says something. There are arguments about asado too, and in South America everyone thinks it belongs to them.”
‘We’re coming to put on a show’
Maislos is already planning a campaign ahead of the competition aimed at drawing members of the local Jewish community to the event.
“I’ll start a campaign in America telling people to come buy kosher shawarma,” he said. “This isn’t just another version of what they already know. What we’re bringing is completely different from the other teams, which are making steaks, wings, lamb cuts and sweet sauces.”
“We’re no suckers. Israel is fourth in meat consumption in the world. There isn’t an Israeli who doesn’t think he’s the world barbecue champion. I don’t want to lose. We’re coming to put on a show.”
The team is also aware that competing openly under the Israeli flag could draw political attention.
Asked whether they were concerned about hostility toward Israelis abroad, particularly given their plans to display Israeli flags and play Israeli music, Maislos said his experience at the event last year had been positive.
“I didn’t compete last year, but I visited the festival and competition, and I saw how warmly everyone received me and how impressed they were that I had come from Israel,” he said. “So from my perspective, we need to amaze them with our food and everything will be fine.”
“Maybe someone will come and say something, because we’re going to put our Israeli flag everywhere. But it’s Texas. They like us there, and I hope they like Mediterranean flavors too. I just hope there won’t be a protest, but whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.”