HENRIETTA, Texas (KAUZ) — A team of Henrietta High School students is preparing to take its skills to the national stage after earning a spot in a national cooking competition.
The team, known as the Brisket Babes, qualified for the National High School BBQ Association competition after months of preparation, practice and teamwork.
The competition brings together more than 90 middle and high school teams from multiple states to compete in live-fire cooking events.
Henrietta High School Agricultural Teacher and Coach Dalton Peters, who oversees the Brisket Babes at Henrietta High School, said qualifying for nationals represents the payoff for the work students have put in throughout the year.
“Been working towards this goal the whole time. We’ve managed to stay at it every year, and then this year we were able to make it to nationals. It’s a pretty awesome award,” Peters said.
Peters said the experience extends far beyond cooking.
Students are learning how to work together, receive feedback and adjust under pressure, lessons he believes will stay with them long after the competition ends.
“Teamwork is one of the things, and then also listening, like being able to take criticism well. We even had some critiques from judges that were pretty harsh, and they were able to bounce back and adjust their recipes,” Peters said.
Students said qualifying for nationals was both exciting and unexpected, making the accomplishment even more rewarding.
One student said one of the best parts of the experience has been getting to spend time with teammates while continuing to improve.
“The most exciting part would definitely be that you get to be with your friends while doing it. We do a lot of practicing, and that’s always fun, getting to try new techniques and figure out what works best,” Captain and Rib Eye Cooker Charli Mccasland said.
Every team member plays a different role throughout the process, and students say each part contributes to the final result.
For BBQ Team Member and Grill Cheese Cooker Jaedyn Jones, one favorite part of the experience has been experimenting with different styles of grilled cheese.
“I didn’t really think there would be so many different types of grilled cheeses, but there are,” Jones said.
Now with preparations underway, the team’s focus shifts toward nationals.
Students and coaches say their goal is simple: finish in the top 10.
Before leaving, the team plans to finalize equipment, stock supplies and work through a detailed checklist to make sure everything is ready for competition.
“We’re going to be stocking the trailer and making sure we have everything today, buying charcoal and checking all the little things,” Peters said.
The cooking team leaves Sunday, June 7, and will return June 10. Competition begins Tuesday.
Copyright 2026 KAUZ. All rights reserved.
Dining and Cooking