Ty Joseph Machado, a young man from Seguin, Texas, who had already accomplished more in the world of competitive BBQ than most pitmasters achieve in a lifetime, passed away on May 24, 2026.
He was 24 years old. Born on January 28, 2002, in New Braunfels, Texas, Ty leaves behind a grieving family, a fiancée, and an entire BBQ community that is struggling to make sense of his sudden loss.
What made Ty’s story remarkable was how early it began. Long before he could legally vote, Ty was already competing on the national BBQ circuit and winning.
He earned World Championship titles before the age of 16, traveled the country competing in BBQ events alongside his father, Joey, and even appeared on the Food Network.
Those are achievements that most pitmasters spend decades chasing. Ty was doing it as a kid, and he was doing it with his dad by his side.
The bond between Ty and his father, Joey, became something the BBQ community recognized and admired. Kosmo’s Q, a well-known competition BBQ brand, shared a tribute on social media saying the two of them “embodied what the BBQ community is all about, family, friendship, and making memories around the fire.”
That tribute drew an outpouring of responses from across the country, with pitmasters, competition teams, and fans expressing their grief and offering prayers for the Machado family.
A Full Life Outside the Smoke
Beyond the trophies and television appearances, Ty was someone his people simply loved being around. He had a wide range of passions, including art, music, fishing, cooking, and traveling. He adored his two dogs, Rosie and Walker.
His friends and cousins were central to his world, and by all accounts, he gave that same energy right back to them.
After high school, Ty graduated from Navarro High School in 2020 and went on to build a career with Encompass Services, where he worked as a Crew Chief, surveying locations all across the country.
His family expressed deep gratitude to Encompass for the support shown to them during this time.
He is survived by his parents, Michelle and Joey Machado, his twin sister, Taya Allert, and her husband, Aaron, his fiancée, Heather Faber, both sets of grandparents, and a large extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who each carry a piece of him forward.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Tres Hewell Mortuary Chapel in Seguin, beginning at 9:30 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 10:30 a.m. officiated by Reverend Jeremy Roy.
Afterward, the family invites everyone to a Celebration of Life at their home, complete with a BBQ and all the trimmings. It is the most fitting send-off imaginable for a young man who poured so much of himself into that craft.
Instead of flowers, the family is asking that contributions be directed to the Ty Machado BBQ Memorial, PO Box 1978, Seguin, Texas 78156.
The fund will support youth BBQ competitions across the country, carrying Ty’s love for the craft into the next generation of young pitmasters who may never know his name but will benefit from his legacy all the same.
