Buc-ee's employee chopping brisket on butcher block.

Daniel L. Locke/Shutterstock

If you swing by a Buc-ee's on your next road trip, the quick stop for some gas and a bathroom break could also feel like a dining experience worthy of a Food Network chef. That's because Randy Pauly, one of the men behind the brisket at the beloved national gas station chain, was once a contestant on "Chopped: Grill Masters." Pauly appeared on the competition show's second season.

The reality show didn't go as well for Pauly as he probably hoped. He flamed out before the end of the first round because judges thought the cherry topping on his steak was too sweet, even though the meat itself was cooked perfectly.

But his third-place finish in the episode didn't deter his career. Instead of being known as a Chopped Grill Master, he's known as the director of barbecue at Buc-ee's, creating sauce recipes and traveling around to the chain's 50-plus locations to train cooks on the right way to cut and serve its signature meats. Considering that Buc-ee's smokes its brisket for 12 to 14 hours for maximum taste, it's a winning combination to have a competitor in the barbecue pit.

Randy Pauly is no stranger to BBQ competitions

Despite his showing on "Chopped: Grill Masters," Pauly hasn't given up on cooking competitions, especially since he's been earning barbecue titles since he was 20 years old. Pauly has led a team of competitive barbecuers known as the Holy Cow Cookers on the Texas rodeo circuit for more than two decades. In early 2026, his brisket placed second in the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest.

At Buc-ee's, Pauly works to ensure that the food served at every location meets his standards and lives up to his reputation. "It's not just creating the recipes. It's about making sure each and every day, no matter what store you show up to, it's exactly what we started with. Exactly what you remember last time you were here," he said in a 2025 interview with CBS Mornings. Brisket is on Buc-ee's menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, not to mention late-night snacking for travelers in nearly a dozen states. It's a good thing that the chain has a barbecue champion as its pit boss.