This page highlights both the achievements of Achilles Heat® itself, as well as the chefs, teams, and creative collaborations that helped bring those dishes to life.
Achilles Heat® has become a growing presence within New York City’s food and barbecue community through award-winning products, chef collaborations, and competition dishes that continue landing on the podium.
Sauce King NYC 2025 Winner, “Best New Sauce” Achilles Heat® Smoked Chili Crisp was awarded “Best New Sauce” at Sauce King NYC 2025, recognizing the product’s layered smoke profile, versatility, and bold flavor-forward approach to chili crisp. The award continues to help expand Achilles Heat® within New York City’s food community, opening doors to new chefs, retailers, collaborations, events, and food festivals.
Brisket King NYC 2025 Grand Champion Smoke Sweats x Achilles Heat® x New School American Cheese Achilles Heat® Smoked Chili Crisp was featured in Smoke Sweats BBQ’s award-winning dishes at Brisket King NYC 2025, where pitmaster Anthony Scerri ultimately took home the crown as Grand Champion. One of the standout collaboration dishes, “BBQ Cereal,” featured chopped wagyu brisket over New School American Cheese cornbread cream with corn, scallions, sweet soy jalapeños, and Achilles Heat® Smoked Chili Crisp, bringing smoky depth, layered umami, and crispy texture to the dish. The collaboration introduced Achilles Heat® to the greater Food Karma Projects barbecue community and marked the beginning of an ongoing relationship with NYC’s competitive barbecue scene.
Brisket King NYC 2026 Runner-Up OK Charley x Achilles Heat® Achilles Heat® Smoked Chili Crisp was featured in OK Charley’s collaboration dish at Brisket King NYC 2026, where pitmaster Nick Hancock earned Runner-Up honors and took home a trophy in one of the competition’s closest finishes, with less than a single point separating the top four teams. The dish, “Pastranh-mi,” layered brisket pastrami with hoisin-dijon bacon pâté, crisp pickled cucumber and daikon slaw, and a finishing spoonful of Achilles Heat® Smoked Chili Crisp for smoky depth, savory crunch, and balanced heat. The collaboration showcased a different side of Achilles Heat®, demonstrating how the chili crisp can move beyond classic barbecue applications into more globally influenced, chef-driven dishes while still complementing smoked meat at the center of the plate.
Rib King NYC 2025 Runner-Up Smoke Sweats x Achilles Heat® Following Smoke Sweats BBQ’s Grand Champion win at Brisket King NYC 2025, pitmaster Anthony Scerri returned to the podium at Rib King NYC 2025, earning Runner-Up honors with his competition rib, “The Bride.” The dish featured St. Louis cut ribs smoked in almond wood and finished with “Ala-Brooklyn” white sauce, diamond dust seasoning, and Achilles Heat® Smoked Chili Crisp, whose smoky crunch and layered umami brought balance and texture to the final bite. According to event coverage, judges described the competition as a true toss-up between first and second place, further highlighting the strength of the collaboration and the level of competition at Rib King NYC 2025.