Ain’t It The Life

09/29/2026

🍎 Ain’t It the Life is back at it! 🍎

We knocked the dust off and hit the road to Praise the Lard in Murphysboro, IL this past weekend! After a little time away, it felt great to fire up the pits and get back in the game.

We managed to snag another one of those famous glass apples with a 4th Place Pork finish! 🐖🍎 Our ribs weren’t far behind, but just couldn’t quite get us that second apple this weekend.

Most importantly, we had an amazing time hanging out, cooking, competing, and doing what we love. Big thanks to everyone who makes these weekends so much fun!

And as always, a huge THANK YOU to our sponsors Heath Riles BBQ and B&B Charcoal for providing us with some incredible products that help us do what we do! 🔥

Until the next cook… keep the smoke rolling! 💨🐖

09/15/2026

🔥🏆 THE RECIPES ARE IN THE PORTAL… NOW THE REAL WORK STARTS! 🏆🔥

The World Food Championships recipes are officially in the portal, which means there’s no more tweaking the menu in our heads, second-guessing ingredients, or saying, “I think this might be better if…"

Now it’s time to GET TO WORK.
The planning.
The prep.
The testing.
The timing.
The plating.
The tweaking.
The tasting.
AND the timing AGAIN!

And then tasting it again… just to be sure. 😂

This is the part people don’t always see—the countless hours that happen before we ever step up to the competition table.

We know what we’re cooking.

Now we have to make it competition-ready.
🔥 Fire needs to be dialed in.
🔪 Knives need to be sharp.
🍽️ Plates need a plan.
⏱️ Timelines need to be tight.
🏆 And every single bite needs to count.

Time to stop talking about it and start cooking.

WFC… here we come.

08/24/2026

🔥 WE’RE BACK!🔥

After a brief pause, Ain’t it the Life is officially getting back on the BBQ competition circuit! And in just 30 DAYS, we’re headed back to Praise the Lard in Murphysboro, IL! 🐷🔥

We’re ready to fire up the pits, throw down some BBQ, and hopefully snag another Apple or two! 🍎🏆

Of course, we couldn’t do what we do without our go-to fuel source, B&B Charcoal ! Their fuel keeps us burning hot, steady, and consistent through every cook—whether we’re cooking Live Fire, steaks, or championship BBQ.

30 days. One goal. Bring home more Apples! 🍎

Let’s get this fire started! 🔥💨

08/19/2026

It is TOTALLY getting REAL! 56 days until the World Food Championships and we are in GO Mode! Final recipe development. Plating ideas. Sponsorships being secured!

Shout out to RAK Porcelain USA 🇺🇸 - Professional for some sample plates for us to decide which plates we will turn in our dishes on for this year.

So many decisions to make.

Which would you pick?

08/19/2026

Meet the Ain’t It the Life Team! ❤️🍽️

We’re the family and friends behind Ain’t It the Life Catering, and we’re excited to share that we still have catering availability this fall and for holiday parties! 🎉

If you’re planning a wedding, family gathering, office party, holiday celebration, birthday, or special event, don’t wait until the last minute to book your caterer. Dates can fill up quickly!

And remember: Hiring a caterer doesn’t always save you money—but it does saves you time. And when you’re busy cooking, serving, cleaning, and trying to keep everything running smoothly, that time is valuable. ⏰💰

Instead of spending your event in the kitchen or worrying about what needs to be cleaned, let us handle the food and service so you can relax, enjoy your guests, and actually be part of the memories you’re creating.

Good food. Great people. Exceptional service.
That’s Ain’t It the Life Catering! ❤️

📧 [email protected]
📱 Phone: 301-306-2525

Book your fall or holiday event today! 🍂🎄

08/05/2026

If we were to bring one thing back or make more often... what would it be?

08/02/2026

With the cooler weather this weekend, why not stock up on our favorite charcoal and grill some burgers and dogs!

The Walmart on Hay 64 in Bartlett TN was well stocked on the B&B Charcoal Orange Briquettes AND they even had our favorite B&B Rub Chicken Scratch in stock!

☀️

07/31/2026

We had the honor to cook a Live Fire 5 course dinner with drink pairings at Hard Truth Distillery in Nashville, Indiana a few weeks back.

Thank you Kurt for this amazing Google Review! We hope to be invited back again next year!

Check it out!

★★★★★

07/29/2026

WE NEED YOU!

Calling all our past, current, and anyone that has eaten our food!

Please take a couple of minutes to leave us a Google Review! This will help our SEO which helps us get more business!

Link in the comments also for those that hate QR codes 😆

Thank you!!!
Brandon and Michelle O'Guin

07/29/2026

We’ve been looking forward to these, and they’re finally here! 🔥

The new Heath Riles BBQ SPG and Steak & Chop Seasoning officially dropped today (July 29), and after trying them the other night, we’re already hooked.

We kept it simple and seasoned some fresh summer vegetables with the SPG, and they were packed with flavor. Then we used both the SPG and the Steak & Chop Seasoning on some really thick-cut pork chops, and wow...they turned out incredible! So much flavor, a great crust, and perfectly balanced seasoning.

If you’re planning to fire up the grill this week, these are definitely worth adding to your lineup.

Grab yours starting today at HeathRilesBBQ.com and select retailers. Let us know what you’re cooking first! 🔥🥩🌽