By Madeline Bates
Mail

Sterling Smith isn’t a chef, a restaurant owner or a line cook, but barbecue lovers around the world will tell you his barbecue creations are some of the best they’ve ever had.

After several years in the U.S. Navy as a sonar technician, Smith left military service and attended the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University using his GI funds. After graduating with a degree in finance, he worked in banking until a work trip to Kansas City, Missouri, that included a company-wide barbecue competition changed his career plans.

“It was a ton of fun even though I didn’t know what I was doing,” he said.

After 10 years in his finance job and several barbecue competition wins on the side, Smith started cooking full-time and started his business, Loot-n-Booty Seasonings.

In his time as a competitor, Smith and his wife, Molly, have won two championships in Australia, where he won both world championships and several in the states, including awards for chicken and potatoes.

In addition to competing, Smith travels the country to teach classes on preparing brisket, ribs, chicken, lamb and more.

But ASU holds a special place in his heart.

“Vets like to help each other. We’re all brothers, and ASU is like a second home, so I want to be here in any way that I can,” he said.

Smith brought some of that love for ASU back to the school in preparing a brisket for a group of about 20 students and staff from the Pat Tillman Veteran Center at ASU. He discussed everything from prepping the meat to final steps and the best grills and smokers on the market.

Smith also discussed his line of seasonings and sauces, from a beef all-purpose rub to an apple cherry barbecue sauce. Each creation was founded on the road and is used in competitions for his award-winning barbecue.

Even with his culinary background, Smith has no interest in opening a restaurant or catering business, as he wants to control all the food he cooks. When he does serve food, it’s usually to his family, who are often the first to try all of his creations, from lamb to potatoes and everything in between. 

Smith and his family live in Scottsdale and continue to travel the world sharing the gift of smoked meats.

Loot n Booty seasonings are available online at  Lootnbooty and at Ace and Home Depot stores across the country.

To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Madeline Bates
Reporter | Tempe/East Phoenix

mbates@iniusa.org

Meet Madeline

Madeline Bates joined Independent Newsmedia in 2025 as a Phoenix/Tempe reporter. Before graduating college, she spent a semester in Washington as a Congressional reporter in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. But local news is where her heart is. She is excited to be in Phoenix full time and exploring new parts of the city (as long as they have AC).  

Community: After living in East Phoenix for two years, she fell in love with Paradise Valley, Mesa, Tempe, and everywhere in between. She recently discovered the beauty of the South Mountain Reserve and hopes to continue exploring should the weather comply.

Education: Madeline has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and a certificate in Political History and Leadership.

Random Fact: She is a self-taught nail tech. No, she cannot do your nails.

Hobbies: Hiking (when its not 100 degrees), fiction writing, cooking, baking and trying new coffee shops.