What started in 2017 as a small client BBQ hosted by John Daniel has grown into one of the Permian Basin’s signature industry gatherings. The first event was simple: a borrowed smoker, support from Armada Pressure Control, and nearly 300 clients and colleagues coming together around good food, familiar faces, and the kind of informal conversations that rarely happen in a conference room.

As more companies began forming cook teams and using the gathering to host clients, entertain partners, and strengthen key relationships, the event naturally evolved into a more structured competition. It became the Simmons Energy BBQ Cook-Off in 2018, earned Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioning in 2019, and returned under the Daniel Energy Partners name in 2021 with production support from Upright Digital.

Since then, the Cook-Off has continued to grow while staying true to what made it work from the beginning: a curated industry audience, authentic hospitality, serious competition, and a setting that feels unmistakably tied to the Permian Basin. Live entertainment has also become part of the event’s identity, with past performers including Josh Abbott Band, Pat Green, Kevin Fowler, Roger Creager, Tanner Usrey, Shane Smith & the Saints, Cory Morrow, Band of Heathens, and other well-known Texas country artists helping shape the Cook-Off’s signature West Texas atmosphere.

The event also continues to serve as a platform for giving back. Past beneficiaries have included Bynum School, High Sky Children’s Ranch, Fix West Texas, West Texas Food Bank, redM Foundation, Midland Children’s Rehabilitation Center, and other organizations making a meaningful impact across the region.

At its core, the Permian Basin BBQ Cook-Off remains what it has always been: a place for the energy industry to gather, compete, entertain, build relationships, and give back in a way that feels genuine to the people and companies who make the Basin what it is.

Daniel Energy Partners is an independent energy market intelligence firm specializing in the traditional energy sector with a core focus on the Oil Service and Capital Equipment segments. Renowned for its boots-on-the-ground approach, the firm builds its research on in-basin field trips and candid discussions with both public and private industry executives. The firm’s comprehensive research process includes factory and facility tours, active participation at trade shows, and detailed analysis of public company commentary such as earnings calls, press releases, and disclosures.

The research team, led by an esteemed oil service research analyst with extensive field-level experience, combines analytical rigor with a wide network of industry relationships. This expertise and access provide Daniel Energy Partners with consistent touchpoints across Exploration and Production, Oil Service, Refining, Midstream, Power, and Capital Equipment sectors, often placing the team at the forefront of new product innovations and business developments. In addition to industry insights, the firm maintains strong ties with private equity, institutional investors, and insurance providers, giving Daniel Energy Partners the ability to connect energy companies with the most strategic financial partners. To learn more, visit: www.danielep.com

Upright Digital is a holistic marketing, content, and event agency that helps companies grow through strategy, storytelling, and high-touch experiences. Led by entrepreneurs with deep industry experience, the firm specializes in brand development, content creation, and event execution designed to deliver measurable results.

Upright Digital has helped shape some of the energy industry’s most recognized gatherings, including the AIQ Global Energy Soiree, THRIVE Energy Conference, and the Daniel Energy Partners Permian Basin BBQ Cook-Off. The team leads creative direction, marketing, sponsorship development, production, sales, and guest experience.

Beyond events, Upright Digital operates a full-scale content studio producing original podcasts featuring leaders across energy, technology, and business. Titles include Energy Espresso, In-Basin Observations, Energy in Transition, The IT Crowd, Highly Capable, Oilfield360 and PetroNoia, all designed to help clients expand influence and strengthen market presence