Credit:
Kingsford
Charcoal company Kingsford has launched a new initiative that focuses on highlighting and preserving the contributions Black Americans have made to barbecue, while ensuring they have a prominent place in the future of the cuisine.
With this week's launch of Kingsford's Preserve the Pit fellowship program, aspiring barbecue professionals are invited to apply to an opportunity for immersive training and one-on-one mentorship with some of the top pitmasters in the nation. Winners will also receive an undisclosed capital investment to kick-start their business.
"As the modern-day story of barbecue continues to unfold, it's important to celebrate those who have made it what it is today," Shaunte Mears-Watkins, vice president of strategy and marketing for Kingsford, said in a news release. "The traditions of Black pitmasters helped bring barbecue into the center of American culture, but their contributions are not always given the spotlight. As a leader in the barbecue industry, Kingsford wants to acknowledge and honor the contributions of the Black community while helping future generations blaze their own trail."