FIRE STARTER

San Antonio chef brings the heat on Food Network BBQ competition

Braunda Smith is bringing the heat to BBQ Brawl.

Bobby Flay is bringing beef to Texas, and he’ll have some San Antonio starpower in his crew. Braunda Smith of Lucy Coopers Ice House will be on the famed chef’s team when Food Network's BBQ Brawl returns on May 11.

Now entering its seventh season, the Texas barbecue series follows a format similar to The Voice, pairing 12 battling chefs with team captains Flay, Maneet Chauhan, and Brooke Williamson. Each week brings a new live fire challenge, starting with creating the perfect barbecue bowl. Judges Adrienne Cheatham, Rashad Jones, and Carson Kressley will axe one competitor each week of the series, filmed at Star Hill Ranch near Austin.

Smith will have some stiff competition. The roster includes pitmasters from Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, and beyond, each bringing their own regional traditions to the pit. She’ll be joined on Team Bobby by another Texan — Tim McLaughlin of Crossbuck BBQ in Dallas.

Still, Smith has an advantage over many members of the cast. She’s no stranger to reality competitions, sparring on Guy’s Grocery Games and Chopped in 2023. Although neither resulted in a win, her versatile cooking style impressed both shows’ panels.

"My BBQ reflects all the places I've lived in life: Southern, Cajun, Korean, Hawaiian, and it's got some Texas flair in there,” says Smith in the show’s promos. “You know, we kind of get overlooked a lot in San Antonio. Taking home Master of 'Cue to Lucy Cooper's would just set everything ablaze."

Via Instagram, Smith said Lucy Cooper’s will be hosting a watch party during the nine-episode run. Local fans can also watch the show on Food Network at 8 pm on Mondays or stream episodes the following day on HBO Max.

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COMING ATTRACTIONS

Massive pan-Asian supermarket chain to open first San Antonio grocer

Photo courtesy of Pan-Asia Supermarket.

Pan-Asia Supermarket is especially known for seafood.

San Antonians waiting for H-Mart to finally come to town are about to get a major consolation prize. Midwest chain Pan-Asia Supermarket will make its Texas debut in the Colonies North shopping center at 3713 Colony Dr.

New Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filings show the chain will combine three existing retail spaces into a single 61,134-square-foot grocery store with an in-house restaurant. The $1.75 million buildout is set to begin in June with a completion date of December 2026. Pan-Asia’s website says it is aiming to open in early 2027.

Founded in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2010, Pan-Asia fills the Asian grocer gap in mid-sized markets. It currently has seven locations, mostly scattered across the Midwest.

It bills itself as the largest Asian grocery store in its markets, with a selection of over 20,000 products. It is especially known for its selection of seafood and fruit, carrying hard-to-find ingredients like blue crab, snails, jackfruit, rambutan, and durian.

The restaurants keep true to the Pan-Asia name by offering dishes like Chinese barbecue, phở, ramen, boba tea, dim sum, and sushi. Most locations also have an integrated bakery making fluffy buns, egg tarts, and mochi desserts.

H-Mart or not, San Antonio’s Asian shopping scene is booming in 2026. Variety stores Teso Life, Miniso, and Daiso have all recently entered the Alamo City market, offering everything from plushies to snacks. On the supermarket front, Austin’s MT Supermarket is building its first local outpost at 5428 Walzem Rd. At 25,000 square feet, it will be less than half the size of the upcoming Pan-Asia.

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