The Duce Raymond Podcast
Welcome to "The Duce Raymond Podcast"!
Join Duce Raymond, Managing Partner and Director of Culinary for SBR Events Group, as he brings his passion for barbecue and hospitality to the airwaves. Duce, son of Chef Larry Raymond and nephew of Dave Raymond—the creators of Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce—was destined to become a leader in the culinary world. With a rich family heritage and an impressive career, Duce has perfected his craft and earned over 95 local, regional, and national awards for barbecue and catering.
In "The Duce Raymond Podcast," Duce dives deep into the art of barbecue, sharing his expert tips and techniques, but the conversation doesn't stop there. Each episode features insightful discussions on a variety of topics including marketing, social media, lifestyle, fitness, mindset, and business. Whether you're a food enthusiast, an aspiring entrepreneur, or simply looking for inspiration, this podcast is for you.
Duce's engaging and charismatic style, combined with his extensive knowledge and experience, makes for a podcast that is both educational and entertaining. With guests ranging from culinary experts to social media gurus and business leaders, "The Duce Raymond Podcast" provides valuable insights and practical advice for listeners from all walks of life.
Tune in to hear Duce and his guests share their stories, experiences, and tips for success. Whether online or in-person, Duce loves sharing his passion and helping others in the industry. He hopes to bring value to anyone seeking new ideas or insights and looks forward to sharing what he learns as he continues his journey in barbecue and hospitality.
Start mastering the art of barbecue and beyond with Duce Raymond on "The Duce Raymond Podcast"!
The Duce Raymond Podcast
What It Really Takes to Win the Biggest BBQ Competitions with @HeathRilesBBQ
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
#bbq #pitmaster #podcast #bbq
In this episode of The Duce Raymond Podcast, Duce sits down with Heath Riles — world champion pitmaster, award-winning BBQ entrepreneur, content creator, and one of the most respected names in barbecue. From competition BBQ and Memphis in May to product development, social media, retail growth, and building a national BBQ brand, this conversation is packed with insight for anyone who loves barbecue, grilling, food content, and the business behind it.
Heath shares the real story behind his rise in the BBQ world, including how long the journey actually took, the grind of starting from a small town in Mississippi, and the hard work that went into building the Heath Riles BBQ brand. Duce and Heath also talk about the advice Heath received from Sweet Baby Ray’s Dave Raymond, why putting your own name on a product can change everything, and how Heath turned that decision into a fast-growing barbecue business.
The conversation dives deep into Heath’s success in competition barbecue, including his incredible run at Memphis in May, where he has won the rib category three out of the last four years and earned the title of 2025 Grand Champion. Heath breaks down what makes a perfect rib, the fine line of tenderness in competition BBQ, and why ribs are one of the hardest categories to win consistently.
Duce and Heath also get into the modern side of barbecue — the importance of social media, food videos, recipe content, online sales, retail expansion, and what it really takes to keep a BBQ brand growing in today’s crowded digital landscape. Heath also shares what goes into his product development process, how detailed he gets with rubs and sauces, what his weekly podcast schedule looks like, and where he wants the Heath Riles brand to be in the next five years.
0:00 Duce Welcomes BBQ Legend Heath Riles
2:53 The Untold Story Behind Heath Riles’ Rise in BBQ
6:24 The Branding Advice Heath Got From Sweet Baby Ray
12:46 How Heath Riles Won Memphis in May
16:43 The Secret to a Perfect Rib Bite
18:15 Building a BBQ Brand Before Social Media
20:14 What Matters Most in the BBQ Business
25:54 Inside Heath Riles’ Podcast and Content Machine
31:57 Why Filming BBQ Videos Is Harder Than It Looks
35:56 Royal Oak, Competition BBQ, and Sweet Baby Ray Stories
39:27 Heath’s Dream Farm Setup for BBQ and Filming
43:59 Outro and What’s Next
Follow Heath Riles on Social:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathrilesbbq/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeathRilesBBQ/
Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heathrilesbbq?lang=en
X: https://x.com/heathrilesbbq
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeathRilesBBQ/featured
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heathrilesbbq/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathrilesbbq/
Website: https://www.heathrilesbbq.com/
Follow Us on Social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetbabyrayscatering/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sweetbabyrayscatering
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetbabyrayscatering
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweet-baby-ray's-catering/?viewAsMember=true
Website: https://www.sweetbabyraysbbq.com/