Smithfield hopes to fuel the Richard Petty Motorsports team to success in Daytona

Shortly before 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, Smithfield celebrated the Fourth of July weekend and midway point of the 2015 racing season in style – with a holiday cookout at Daytona featuring the Executive Chef of famed Orlando restaurant American Q,  Chef Justin Leo.  Leo cooked up enough BBQ, macaroni and cheese, stuffed, bacon wrapped peppers, corn casserole and cole slaw that the Richard Petty Motorsports team (as well as a few invited guests and members of the media) were properly “fueled” for the running of the Coke Zero 400. Many of the dishes highlighted delicious and flavorful products from Smithfield, the No. 43 team sponsor.

“It’s fourth of July weekend, and since we run a BBQ restaurant in Orlando, it’s a natural fit,” stated Leo. “We’ve got 54 racks of ribs, 100 sweet peppers wrapped in bacon, smoked mac and cheese, cole slaw, and a corn souffle. We’ve got enough food to feed about 100 people today.”
The smoke from the grill filled the air, and attracted passersby who wondered what the deal was with the awesome odors eminating from the No. 43 hauler. It was as if the team was playing some sort of psychological warfare with the surrounding haulers, and crew members from Chip Ganassi Racing and Hendrick Motorsports gazed in hunger and awe at the creations that Executive Chef Justin Leo had concocted.

Leo joined B Resort & Spa, located in the Walt Disney World® Resort, in 2014 to helm the highly anticipated American Q restaurant, which features a modern take on classic barbecue specialties. As part of the opening team, Leo was responsible for menu creation. Previously, Leo served as executive chef at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, where he directed a team of 50 culinarians for the resort’s nine food and beverage outlets. World-class venues span his resume, including E.B. Green’s Steakhouse, Buffalo, N.Y., a longtime recipient of Tom Horan’s award for America’s Top Ten Steakhouses. A member of the prestigious American Culinary Federation, Leo won a Bronze medal as part of ACF Culinary Team USA at the IKA International Culinary Exhibition, often referred to as the “Olympics” for culinary arts.
“American Q is regional BBQ, and does all different styles of BBQ, not focusing on just one. Texas style brisket, Memphis style baby backs, St. Louis style spareribs,” added Leo. “We go across America – North Carolina, South Carolina for our BBQ, so it’s not just one cuisine. We smoke and grill.”

A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the “Ham Capital of the World.” From hand-trimmed bacon to slow-smoked holiday hams, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, and fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the Unites States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield’s products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. The company is a brand of Smithfield Farmland, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com.

Adam Sinclair