Israeli team to compete in Texan 'Meat Up' with kosher Wagyu shawarma - with all the fixings

A 14-member Israeli team will make its debut at the Texas Open Fire Meat Up in October, aiming to win over judges and barbecue fans with an unlikely centerpiece: a roughly 200-kilogram kosher Wagyu beef shawarma cooked entirely over open flames.

The competition, held at Quail Crossing Ranch in Hondo, Texas, brings together pitmasters, chefs and barbecue personalities from around the world. Organizers say more than 30 teams will cook over live fire, with hundreds of pitmasters and influencers expected to attend.

The Israeli team’s entry will include a giant shawarma spit weighing about 440 pounds, mounted on a specially built iron cooking structure and roasted over coals. An Israeli from Or Yehuda, now living in Miami, is building the equipment, which will be transported to Texas for the competition.

The beef will come from a kosher Jewish supplier in Texas, making the shawarma fully kosher. Team captain Ruben E. Maislos, an Israeli meat blogger with around 600,000 Instagram followers, said the choice was intended both to distinguish the Israeli entry and accommodate members of the team who keep kosher.

“This is a great opportunity to represent Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine,” he told Ynet. “Our twist is kosher Wagyu, because they’re not familiar with that there. Half of the team keeps kosher, so we wanted to respect them and the occasion because we’re representing Israel.”

Wagyu beef has increasingly appeared in the kosher culinary world, including in Israel. For Maislos and his team, however, the challenge will involve far more than simply putting premium beef over a fire.

“In the United States, anything kosher is considered higher quality, and with meat, that’s critical. You don’t want to end up with low-quality meat. We have to plate it Michelin-style, because you can lose points on color and appearance too. It has to look like a photograph. Everything has to look like a million dollars. It’s not only about whether it tastes good.”

The Israeli team will also include chef Charlie Fadida and chef Yehuda Amar, a former contestant on Israel’s Master Chef who now lives in Miami, alongside grilling enthusiasts, meat lovers and content creators.

Competitors are expected to be evaluated on presentation, technique and flavor, with cooking centered entirely on live fire rather than gas or electric equipment.

The team's menu will lean heavily into flavors familiar from Israel's street-food culture. Tahini, amba, zhug, and spices will be brought from Israel and used to prepare the shawarma's seasonings and accompaniments.

Maislos said the current plan is to serve the shawarma with a shot of mint-flavored arak and, if possible, provide an Israeli soundtrack with singer Omer Adam playing in the background.

Asked about criticism that could arise from presenting shawarma as Israeli cuisine, Maislos argued that the dish had become firmly embedded in the country's culinary identity.

“First of all, we’re a Levantine country, and Israel is made up of people who came here from many different countries. We also have an Arab chef on the team,” he said.

“Shawarma became part of Israeli culinary identity a long time ago, even if the Turks or Greeks tell a different story. The Turks will say it’s theirs and the Greeks will say it’s souvlaki. Everyone says something. There are arguments about asado too, and in South America everyone thinks it belongs to them.”

Campaigning in Jewish communities through United States and showcasing Israeli symbols

Maislos plans to campaign among Jewish communities in the United States ahead of the event to draw supporters to the Israeli stand.

“I’ll start a campaign in America telling people to come buy kosher shawarma,” he said. “This isn’t just another version of what they already know. What we’re bringing is completely different from the other teams, which are making steaks, wings, lamb cuts and sweet sauces.”

“We’re no suckers. Israel is fourth in [beef] consumption in the world. No Israeli doesn’t think he’s the world barbecue champion. I don’t want to lose. We’re coming to put on a show.”

The team is also preparing to compete openly under Israeli symbols, with plans to display Israeli flags throughout its stand.

Maislos said he was not overly concerned about possible hostility, citing his experience as a visitor at the event last year.

“I didn’t compete last year, but I visited the festival and competition, and I saw how warmly everyone received me and how impressed they were that I had come from Israel,” he said. “So from my perspective, we need to amaze them with our food, and everything will be fine.”

“Maybe someone will come and say something, because we’re going to put our Israeli flag everywhere. But it’s Texas. They like us there, and I hope they like Mediterranean flavors too. I just hope there won’t be a protest, but whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.”