Big news for 406 BBQ: Pitmaster Stephen Kina was selected as one of just twelve chefs nationwide to compete on Chopped Castaways, a brand-new Food Network series that premiered this May.

The show puts contestants through high-pressure culinary challenges rooted in island and coastal cooking, a perfect stage for Stephen, whose entire cooking philosophy blends his Hawaiian upbringing with the low-and-slow barbecue technique he's built a following on in Montana.

Getting selected for a national Food Network series is a milestone for any chef, but for Stephen it's also validation of a bigger idea: that Hawaiian flavor and traditional American barbecue aren't opposites; they're a natural match. It's the same philosophy behind every menu 406 BBQ serves, from backyard events in the Flathead Valley to catering gigs across the country.

Catch the full season on Food Network, and read more about Stephen's story here.