Lewis Barbecue Fires Up the Flavors with Annual Hatch Chile Roast Sept. 7 Featuring 15 Chefs, Live Music, Kiddie Corral and 4,000 Pounds of Chiles

GREENVILLE, S.C., Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary pitmaster John Lewis and the talented team at Lewis Barbecue will bring back the Hatch Chile Roast to Greenville for a second year on Sunday, Sept. 7, 1 – 4 p.m. The event will take place at Lewis Barbecue, 214 Rutherford St., Greenville.

In celebration of the annual chile harvest in Hatch Valley, New Mexico and paying homage to his New Mexico and West Texas roots, Lewis and team will host an afternoon with on-site chile roasting, a dine around with local chefs featuring chile-inspired dishes, live music, a chile-eating contest, a kiddie corral and plenty of cold beverages.

Lewis Barbecue will bring in 4,000 pounds of fresh Hatch chiles for the event offering fresh roasted chiles for sale in one-pound and five-pound bags. Chile enthusiasts can pre-order the chiles through the online store for pickup at the event.

"Late summer has always meant green chile season to me and I'm excited to share the taste and smell of roasted chiles, one of my most favorite ingredients from back home, with the Greenville community," said Lewis, whose great grandfather had a chile farm in New Mexico. "It is so inspiring to see what fellow chefs in the area cook up with these magnificent chiles to create a fun and delicious event."

Admission is free and open to the public with a suggested $10 donation to support Mill Village Farms, a nonprofit farm and produce distributor that provides access to healthy produce, youth employment and food system education in Greenville. The Peppers with Purpose Bundle is available online only and includes a 'fast pass' into the event, free drinks at the event bars, a Hatch Chile Roast tote bag, a koozie and one pound of roasted Hatch chiles for $80 with proceeds going to Mill Village Farms.

Hatch chiles come from the Hatch Valley in southern New Mexico and are celebrated for their signature flavor of earthy, smoky and slightly sweet heat. They range from mild to very hot with a distinctive taste that, when roasted, is unlike any other flavor and aroma. The short season, usually August – October, make the peppers coveted by chefs and home cooks.

The chile roast will feature live music by Taylor Corum, Hurt & Skip and Darby Wilcox. The chile-eating contest will begin at 2:30 p.m. with 12 contestants hoping to eat their way to Hatch chile fame. Seats for the competition are available for early sign up.

Lewis Barbecue will feature Texas-style "Hot Guts" – in-house smoked spicy beef and pork sausage. Local chefs will bring the heat with Hatch-chile inspired dishes like Hatch Pickled Oyster (Mr. Crisp); Chorreada Corn Crepe with Hatch Chile Natilla (Camp); Green Chile Pig in a Blanket (Fork and Plough); Hatch Green Chile Spaghetti (Comal 864); Smoked Tri-Tip with Hatch Chile Chimichurri (Fork Grove Barbecue); and Down the Hatch Green Chile-Infused Cold Brew (Methodical Coffee) to name a few. Specialties will be sampled from Indaco, Paseo, Juniper, Harry's Hoagies, Scoundrel, Jones Oyster Co., Sum Bar, Fireforge and Clare's Creamery.

Helping to keep the event free to the public are Hatch Chile Roast sponsors Cintas, Coca-Cola, Dasani, Luna Azul Tequila, Cathead Vodka and Mezcal Vago.

Note to Editors: Media are invited to early entry at 12:30 p.m. Please respond with the name of media representative and contact info to [email protected] by Sept. 3.

Photos and assets available here. 

Lewis Barbecue
Lewis Barbecue, with locations in Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina, is the brainchild of renowned pitmaster John Lewis. Known for bringing the bold flavors of Central Texas-style barbecue to the Southeast, Lewis Barbecue has earned national acclaim for its perfectly smoked brisket, house-made sausages, and vibrant, welcoming atmosphere. Since opening its flagship location in Charleston in 2016 and expanding to Greenville in 2023, Lewis Barbecue has remained dedicated to quality, tradition, and hospitality—serving up expertly crafted meats, scratch-made sides, and craft cocktails in an inviting setting that celebrates the art of barbecue. Lewis also owns and operates Rancho Lewis in Charleston. www.lewisbarbecue.com and @lewisbarbecue on social media.

Contacts:
Cathy Cochran-Lewis, 512.627.5599
Kate Lowery, 512.657.0925
[email protected]

SOURCE Lewis Barbecue