Alabama’s Iron Bowl might not seem like a natural subject for folks to discuss on a cooking show, but that’s exactly what happened on a recent episode of “Family Recipe Showdown.”
SEC football — specifically, the longstanding rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Alabama — popped up during an episode called “Team Tailgate,” when Montgomery native Octavia Spencer encountered two contestants from Birmingham: Brittney “Lady B” Williams and her father Greg Williams.
Spencer, an Oscar-winning actress and avid fan of the Auburn Tigers, is the host of the Food Network series. Brittney and Greg, who cheer for the Crimson Tide, were making a tailgate feast during a challenge on the show.
They are the first contestants from Alabama to be featured on “Family Recipe Showdown,” which has aired four episodes to date.
Each week, six home cooks compete in two-person teams on “Family Recipe Showdown,” vying for a $10,00 prize. Two rounds of competition are featured on each episode, focusing on specific cooking themes.
Spencer, who calls herself “an expert at tasting,” is one of the primary judges on the show, along with Edgar “Dook” Chase IV of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans.
“In the South, football is king,” Spencer said at the start of the “Team Tailgate” episode. “And if you think the competition on the field is fierce, you should see what’s going on in the parking lot. When it comes to tailgating, nobody can touch the South.”
Later, as she chatted with Brittney and Greg in the show’s kitchen, Spencer watched the two prepare Polish sausage dogs with barbecue sauce and baked beans.
“Do you follow football?” Spencer asked Greg.
“I do,” he responded. “I heard you’re from the state of Alabama. We’re from Birmingham.”
“I already know what games y’all are playing over here,” Spencer said, indicating that she and the Williamses would likely be on different sides of the Iron Bowl divide.
Meantime, a photo flashed on the screen showing Spencer hugging Aubie, the Auburn Tigers mascot.
“You know, we love to watch a little Alabama ‘Roll Tide’ football while eating these,” Brittney said, making her football allegiance clear. “Coming from Birmingham, Alabama, if you know, you know. Football is a religion, OK? And people stand on it. They draw a line on the turf, OK.”
As she spoke, text appeared on the screen that said, “The Alabama vs. Auburn football rivalry, known as the Iron Bowl, dates back to 1893!”
Spencer indicated that she was holding no grudges on the show, however, bringing her focus back to the food.
“But here’s what I’m gonna say in spite of where you are in the state of Alabama, OK? I’m excited about those baked beans,” Spencer said.
(Watch their encounter in the Instagram video below.)
Brittney and Greg Williams won the first challenge on the “Team Tailgate” episode with their sausage dogs and baked beans. However, they lost the second challenge, after cooking stewed chicken with mac and cheese.
As a result, the $10,000 prize went to a team of cousins from Texas, Steve Grams and Ken Taylor, who prepared a taco pie with skillet potatoes.
“We didn’t walk away with the money, but I don’t think we could have lost to a better team,” said Brittney, the founder of Brittney’s Famous Alabama Kitchen. “They did an amazing job. ”(My father and I have) always bonded in the kitchen, and so I think being able to have this moment, it was absolutely phenomenal.”
Spencer had praise for the Williams family, as well.
“I felt a lot of love from Alabama,” Spencer said. “We got to spend some really good quality time in the kitchen.”
If you watch: New episodes of “Family Recipe Showdown” air on Thursdays at 8 p.m. CT on the Food Network, and stream the next day on HBO Max. Episodes also repeat at various times during the week on Food Network.
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