Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe

Ray Lampe grew up in Chicago and after high school spent 25 years in the family trucking business. In 2000 the trucking business had run its course, and it was time for Ray to try something new. He had been participating in BBQ cook-offs as a hobby since 1982, so he decided to take a leap and turn his hobby into a career. In 2000 Ray moved to Florida and began his career as an outdoor cooking expert.

Ray is an expert judge/host on CBS Sports' “Ultimate BBQ Showdown” and an expert judge on the Food Network's “Tailgate Warriors with Guy Fieri.” He's been featured on other shows such as "Best Thing I Ever Ate," "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" and "Fishing the Flats."

Ray travels the country as the spokeschef for The Big Green Egg grill and smoker and is a spokesman for The National Pork Board.

He’s cooked in over 300 BBQ contests and won over 300 awards. His expertise has led to him to be the featured barbecue chef at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, the executive chef at Southern Hospitality BBQ in New York from 2008 to 2009. Ray has also served as an expert judge at all of the big BBQ events across the country.

Ray has written numerous cookbooks including: “The NFL Gameday Cookbook,” “Ribs, Chops, Steaks, and Wings,” “Dr. BBQ’s Big Time Barbecue Road Trip,” “Dr. BBQ’s Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook” and “Dr. BBQ’s Barbecue All Year Long.”