Sunday sermon.
Words we live by at 17th Street Barbecue.
Our restaurant signs have become points of interest and photographed and shared across the world. Please tag us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook so we can see how far they travel!
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
In April, I traveled to New York City for the filming of the third annual Kingsford Invitational.
The setting was Pier 26 in Tribeca, with a majestic skyline and the Freedom Tower in the background.
We warmed up by these custom Kingsford firepits in the evenings.
And of course, a little tequila helped, too.
Can you match the shoes with my fellow judges? Tom Ford sneakers, Lucchese boots, Vans, Nike pumps, and Lucchese boots.
Also known as Ben Robinson, Moe Cason, Melissa Cookston, Brad Orrison, and me.
Chris Lilly was the host of the past two Kingsford Invitational contests, and as he was cooking this round, former NFL linebacker and sports personality Dhani Jones joined the cast as the host. He is personality plus and a consummate professional. So much fun to be around.
The set was one of a kind. This is the Dirty Water Dogs, a team formed just for this show, representing New York City. Billy Durney, Hugh Magnum, and Will Horowitz jumped into the fray with some very experienced competitors and did extremely well.
Jamie Geer, the 2015 Houston Rodeo Grand Champion, inventor of the coveted Jambo Pit, and very recent winner of BBQ Pitmasters. You can read more about Jamie on these Texas Monthly BBQ blog posts.
Getting to know Donny and Tracy Bray was such a pleasure. His skill is well known, but our paths have never crossed.
Drew McGowan and Owen Lilly are all smiles as they haul charcoal to their site in preparation for the Wal-Mart One-Bite Challenge.
Each contestant had a choice of steak cuts and could use just five ingredients in the preparation. These were some of the best entries I’ve ever tasted in a contest.
Big Bob Gibson was the clear winner. His steak was all about heritage – seasoned with Big Bob Gibson dry rub and garlic and a marinade as an ode to his favorite childhood steakhouses. They were thrilled to collect a check for $5,000, but more importantly, they received an extra point for the next day’s score.
What I really enjoyed about this contest was the opportunity for cooks to experiment and turn in simply good barbecue, not the homogenous competition ‘que that is so ubiquitous on the circuit today.
Sometimes that experiment paid off, as was the case with Chris Lilly’s quarter chickens dunked in white sauce … and sometimes it did not, as evidenced by the Dirty Dogs’ take on Peking chicken. The effort, however, was valiant and appreciated by the judges. And of course, it all made great television.
Cool Smoke, comprised of Tuffy and Leslie Stone, and his dad and constant teammate, George Stone, took home the grand prize of $50,000, this amazing trophy, and a custom ring. Tuffy was a judge on the first Kingsford Invitational show, and a competitor last year. This victory was a sweet one, indeed, for him and for all of us. Cheering one another on and reveling in the success of our barbecue family is what makes this world so special.
Kingsford Invitationals to can see behind the scenes of the first two Kingsford Invitational contests.
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
We had a great group of students from 15 states plus Mexico and Canada at our April OnCue Consulting Business of Barbecue class.
And it was especially nice to have the 4th generation join us to learn and assist.
Classroom time focused on topics such as branding, marketing, PR, and financials.
And kitchen time covered the four major barbecue meats: ribs, chicken, pork shoulder…
…and brisket.
Of course, there was lots of sampling.
We had some delicious meals…
…all impeccably arranged by Becky Streuter, our catering manager.
Business of Barbecue is a two-day class that combines cooking barbecue for a restaurant or catering operation with classroom seminars discussing branding, marketing, PR, catering sales, vending, and restaurant financials. We prep and cook ribs, chicken, brisket, and pork with an emphasis on holding and re-therming techniques. We’ve found that almost anyone can make barbecue that tastes great right off the pit. How you handle the meat afterwards is the key to serving great barbecue at anytime during the day. We share information about resources and suppliers and provide an in-depth behind the scenes of two of our restaurants and our catering facility. This class is filled with information that will benefit anyone from a novice to an experienced operator.
Photos © Curt Trammel & Two Doves Photography
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
In March, we traveled to New Orleans to compete in the Hogs for the Cause contest. This multi-layered event raises funds for families whose children have brain cancer. Operating at a grass roots level, families can apply for these grants directly. The purpose of Hogs For The Cause is to provide aid and relief of those variable expenses and economic burdens families face while their child is being treated for pediatric brain cancer. While the money devoted to pediatric cancer research is dwindling, there is an even bigger void in the variable expenses associated with cancer treatment. It is our goal to fill this void. As a result of the support and success Hogs For The Cause has garnered in past years, Hogs currently operates as a premier funding source for pediatric brain cancer outreach services in the United States..
In order to compete, each team raises money prior to arriving, donates to a silent auction, and vends during the actual event, with all funds going to the cause. We auctioned a Whole Hog Extravaganza for 100 as our primary fundraiser.
Our first stop (and the site of multiple visits) was the outstanding Cochon Butcher.
Chris, Phillip, and Mike and the Le Pig Mac. Two whole pork patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun! Outstanding.
Beignet stop.
Café du Monde bright and early Friday morning…
…followed by a stroll around Jackson Square, prior to heading to the park for set-up.
It was also my birthday, and conveniently the start of crawfish season. So this was Friday night’s dinner.
These are mostly local New Orleans teams who don’t run the barbecue circuit. This reminds me very much of old-school Memphis in May, where people are just cooking great barbecue and not a specific flavor profile.
The contest is pork-centric in nature, with shoulder, ribs, whole hog, and porkpourri categories. We cooked a beautiful Compart Duroc hog. Gorgeous marbling.
Lots of inventive cookers.
And clever games. This is frozen pork butt bowling.
Vending to the public is a huge part of the fundraising at this event and there was a variety of food for sale.
Kettle corn with maple bacon cumbles on top.
The Porkpourri event was new to us. Becky made “Hogsagna Soup,” a lasagna soup with fresh pork sausage we made ourselves, several different types of cheese, pork broth, and other seasonings and spices.
The opportunity to catch up with friends is the best part of a contest. This is Mike and Howard Conyers, NASA scientist and old-school whole hog cooker. Howard is from South Carolina and he lives and works in New Orleans.
And of course the Ubons family, who has been involved with Hogs for a Cause for several years.
We were situated directly across from Donald Link’s team and we enjoyed some fellowship with Ryan Prewitt and Steven Stryjewski while drinking lots of rosé.
Grant recipient families were in attendance and meeting those families whose lives are directly enriched by this organization is humbling and heartwarming. Other charitable barbecue organizations could learn a great deal from this group. Their next event will be in Charleston in October. And then again in New Orleans on April 1-2, 2016.
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
Sunday sermon.
Words we live by at 17th Street Barbecue.
Our restaurant signs have become points of interest and photographed and shared across the world. Please tag us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook so we can see how far they travel!
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
Sunday sermon.
Words we live by at 17th Street Barbecue.
Our restaurant signs have become points of interest and photographed and shared across the world. Please tag us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook so we can see how far they travel!
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
Back in April, I traveled to New York City to be a guest judge on the second season of CHOPPED Grillmasters.
I was paired with veteran judges Scott Conant and Chris Santos. Coming in as the new girl on a very established show with two guys who are very comfortable and experienced can be a challenge. I cannot, however, say enough nice things about working with the two of them. So smart and articulate, with incredible culinary knowledge, they were so welcoming, and very interested in the barbecue knowledge and perspective I shared. The photo above was taken on the first day of filming. I can’t wait to see how the show is edited.
This special series is the second time they’ve filmed an outdoor Grill Masters series, specifically focusing on food cooked live fire. I ended up knowing two of the contestants each day, and fellow barbecue friends will recognize a number of familiar faces. This is a five-episode series, airing on five consecutive Tuesdays. The winner from the first four episodes will compete in the finale. I’m judging the first episode and then another one that airs in early August.
Of course, I can’t give divulge any details, but suffice it to say that everyone on the show did an admirable job under a great deal of pressure.
Hope you’ll set your DVRs and plan to watch the fun! Tuesday, July 14th at 10 pm ET. Food Network. CHOPPED. Please tune in!
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
Sunday sermon.
We’re open today in Murphysboro from 10 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., with a whole hog coming off the pit around noon.
Regular hours in Marion are 11 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with our normal menu.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Words we live by at 17th Street Barbecue.
Our restaurant signs have become points of interest and photographed and shared across the world. Please tag us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook so we can see how far they travel!
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
Earlier in June, the 17th Street pit crew at the 13th annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party.
And here’s our expanded crew with the addition of extra volunteers — Shane Linn of Townsend Spice, Mike Mrva, Adam Wood, David Bogan, Woody Tunnicliffe, Phillip Heern, me, Mike, Lawson Linn, Tracy Heern, Laurie Neef, Colin Wilkinson, Diana Gremillion, Erik Hernandez, John Hulslander, and Mike Humes. This group operates like a well-oiled machine and they totally rocked it.
The event kicks off with a group photo of the pit masters and a rib-bon cutting ceremony. 17 of the country’s finest barbecue restaurants are represented here.
Tim Love, of The Woodshed Smokehouse in Ft. Worth, and one of the new owners of the Block Party, acted as master of ceremonies.
We bring the power in the form of five Ole Hickory Pits.
Townsend Spice is a huge supporter …
… as is Royal Oak Charcoal.
Mike and Phillip orchestrate the cooking schedule.
We’re cooking non-stop from the moment our equipment is set up and the meat is delivered.
We smoke thousands of racks of ribs.
Ribs are lightly sauced and sprinkled with Magic Dust® one final time.
And then cut into three-bone portions.
This area operates like a finely tuned machine, churning out hundreds of plates each hour.
We also make gallons and gallons of baked beans.
All served with a smile.
This year we also cooked two Heritage Farm Cheshire Pork hogs. Delicious!
These Chester White pigs are beautifully marbled and incredibly tasty.
Elizabeth Knight, Shane Linn, Lawson Linn, and Luke Ray greeting Flava Fav, one of our long-time Block Party friends.
New this year was a VIP tent in Madison Square Park …
… with each pit master serving his signature food.
Looking up and seeing rolling smoke and skyscrapers never gets old. We love New York City!
Stay tuned for more Block Party posts and information in the coming weeks.
All photos ©Ken Goodman Photography
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
Speaking at the Welcome Conference presenter was an incredible honor. This conference, started by Will Guidara of Eleven Madison Park and Anthony Rudolf, formerly of Per Se, and founder of Journee, is a forum for inspiring and educating hospitality professionals.
The conference was held the day after the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, and I had the pleasure of meeting and welcoming fellow speaker Banjo Harris Plane of Attica, in Melbourne, Australia, and his girlfriend, Meira Harel, head sommelier at Lake House, and introducing them to American-style barbecue.
After helping break down and pack up our Block Party space, I raced to clean up for dinner and fellowship with the other speakers. Unfortunately, I missed most of that evening, but when I walked in the door, I was greeted with cheers and hugs. Each speaker was presented with a gift chosen to commemorate the occasion. Knowing my crazy travel schedule and love of leather, Will and Anthony presented me with an exquisite Ghurka duffle bag, perfectly matched to a pair of my Lucchese boots, complete with a brass tag inscribed with one of my daddy’s favorite quotations.
The warmest welcome. When I finally arrived at the NoMad Hotel, a handwritten note, accompanied by champagne, fruit, and cookies was waiting for me. …
… in the most serene, well-appointed room.
The calm before the storm. Fuel for the day and a chance to once again review my notes.
Before heading to the venue, I instagrammed my Monday mantra, a photo of the sign we displayed at 17th Street that day, in honor of the Welcome Conference theme.
Outside the green room. A meeting of the minds prior to go-time. Special thanks to Kevin Lind and the lovely people who ran the green room. I will remember the conversation and kindness forever.
The conference was held at the Times Center, and the room was buzzing with energy and filled with hospitality professionals from all over the country. The pineapple, a time-honored symbol of hospitality, decorated many of the spaces, including the stage.
Will Guidara and Anthony Rudolf kicked off the morning, telling the story of how they grew from rivals to friends, and how they came up with the idea for the conference.
The theme of the 2nd annual event was “Being Right,” and the 12 speakers each spoke eloquently and emphatically about what that means and what that looks like in our worlds. None of us knew how the others would interpret that theme, and yet our messages overlapped and seamlessly wove together.
My dad introduced me and brought both me and the audience to tears.
My talk was titled “Recognizing Right,” and I opened with the major influences in my life who made being right a mantra in our family: My grandmother, Mama Faye, who was the matriarch and a guiding force in our family, followed by my aunt, Jeanette Hudgins, the strongest female figure in my life …
… and of course, my daddy. NO PRESSURE.
Here’s the actual video:
This was a powerhouse group and I can’t say enough about those with whom I was fortunate to spend time and get to know. Budding new friendships are the biggest bonus when participating in a program like this. I also met attendees from the midwest and south, people who felt a kinship with me because of a similar background and/or upbringing. The stories shared, and the questions, compliments, and conversation, were an unexpected and treasured gift.
This day was a modern version of an old-fashioned tent revival for believers in hospitality. From access and the power of saying “yes” to memorable moments and the time wasted being right, these powerful messages resonated and left a lasting impression on everyone in the room. All of the videos of the presentations are available on this link, and if you’re in the business, or if you ever need a dose of inspiration, I highly recommend watching these one or two at a time. Each video is about 20 minutes in length.
An event of this magnitude takes a village to orchestrate. This ace team, headed by Aaron Ginsberg, worked the magic behind the scenes.
And I have to give a special shout out to Chase Bank, one of the gracious event sponsors. They totally get it.
That evening, the speakers and other guests attended a reception previewing Anthony Rudolf’s new Journee headquarters.
And then Julie and Bill Golderer, of Broad Street Ministries, Sarah Robbins, of 21C Museum Hotels, Banjo, Meira, and I went in search of food, ending up at Craftbar, where they graciously served us a round and rustled up charcuterie and cheese boards, even though their kitchen had just closed. (Thanks, Rosser and staff!)
Finally, we retired to The Library at the Nomad, where we were joined by a contingent from Chicago: Gary Obligacion, Alinea group, Kevin Boehm, Boka Restaurant Group, and a few of their colleagues.
We cocktailed and chatted and toasted the day and new friendships with Amaro. (Thanks, Nomad!) A magical ending to a most magical day.
I concentrated on the speakers and the messages, so I didn’t take many photos. Thanks to Andrew Dornenberg, Woody Tunnicliffe, and Colin Wilkinson, who so graciously sent these to me!
Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!
