Transylvania University graduate Jeremy Yoder ’12 — who draws from his biochemistry degree to bring scientific precision to the smoker — is competing on tonight’s Food Network debut of “Pitmasters” at 9 p.m.
Yoder (pictured right) has teamed up with Al Frugoni (left) to face off against other barbecue experts for up to $50,000. The series, filmed over 10 intense days in St. George, Utah, includes challenges like breaking down a whole hog and preparing a one-bite meal under a tight time limit.
For a recent Louisville Courier-Journal article, Yoder described the experience as surreal, given his longtime admiration for Food Network chefs, and noted the nonstop schedule. “It was all jam-packed tightly into a relatively small window of time,” he said. “A lot of food was cooked and not much sleep was had.”
Tonight’s episode features teams tackling a “Big Burn” challenge to create a family-style barbecue platter in nine hours. It will stream tomorrow on HBO Max.
“I want people to see that the kind of cooking that they’re doing in their backyards can in fact compete with people who are cooking in restaurants or people who’ve been on other TV shows,” Yoder said. “The food you can cook at home stands up.”
After graduating from Transylvania, he initially planned to pursue a medical degree but moved to Los Angeles for graduate school instead. Yoder supported himself by teaching math and science at a private school, and a weekend cooking hobby quickly grew into a passion. His later return to Kentucky with his family allowed him to turn it into a full-time endeavor from their Crestwood home. He and his wife, Erica Clark Yoder ’12, who handles filming and editing, launched a YouTube channel called “Mad Scientist BBQ” to share his experiments and techniques. It has grown to nearly 768,000 subscribers, and Jeremy Yoder has credited his teaching background with helping him explain the craft clearly to viewers.
Yoder’s story shows how a liberal arts education can enhance a specialized degree such as biochemistry — combining a broad foundation in critical thinking with scientific training in analysis and experimentation.
Top photo: Food Network; bottom photo, “Mad Scientist BBQ“