The
Bluffton Blufft n Sun June 17, 2025 • Volume 28, Issue 12 • Complimentary • BlufftonSun.com
Alljoy sidewalk gets state approval 6A
Local restaurateur Orchid Paulmeier returns to national spotlight on Food Network’s ‘BBQ Brawl’ By Sasha Sweeney
Softball is having a moment
Editor
Nearly two decades after first stepping onto a Food Network set, Orchid Paulmeier is back in the national spotlight. The longtime Bluffton and Hilton Head restaurateur and owner of One Hot Mama’s is among the dozen competitors on the latest season of BBQ Brawl: Flay v. Chauhan v. Lofaso, which premiered June 1st on Food Network. Filmed in Austin, Texas, this season pits teams of barbecue pitmasters against each other under the mentorship of celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, Maneet Chauhan and Antonia Lofaso. For Paulmeier, the show marks a return not just to national television, but to the spirit of culinary competition that first introduced her to audiences on The Next Food Network Star in 2011. “This was probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Paulmeier said in an interview. “It was truly a cooking competition — not just about personality or presentation. How I cook and who I cooked for has completely changed. I think I just approached it in a completely different way.” Paulmeier, who has called the Lowcountry home since the early 2000s, opened One Hot Mama’s in Bluffton in 2003 and expanded to Hilton Head in 2007. The restaurant is known for its Southern barbecue staples, including brisket, pork, ribs and wings. While she’s spent most of the past 20 years behind the pass, she’s been named a 2016 South Carolina Chef Ambassador and one of the Featured Chefs at the James Beard House Dinner. Paulmeier said the show gave her a chance to rediscover her competitive edge and remind audiences of her culinary roots. Dubbed the “Mama Bear” of the series, Paulmeier relishes this new phase of life.
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Town of Bluffton strengthens readiness as 2025 hurricane season begins
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Orchid Paulmeier on the latest season of BBQ Brawl: Flay v. Chauhan v. Lofaso “Back then, my kids were in elementary school,” she said of her first Food Network experience. “Now, they’re grown. I just moved my daughter to D.C. the same weekend the show premiered. I’m a full-fledged empty nester mom now so definitely that comes across.” BBQ Brawl features 12 contestants competing over 10 weeks in grilling and smoking challenges that test their speed, creativity and endurance. Unlike traditional “low and slow” barbecue,
BBQ BRAWL CONT. ON PAGE 3A
Diamond memories
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