Turn The Page

"This Blog is being created to document my feelings, thoughts and creation process in creating the future World Championship BBQ team. White Trash BBQ."

Oh how full of myself I was. That's from my first blog entry way back in June of 2004. And oh, how far this blog has strayed.

Since the birth of the blog, I've done some of the things I set out to do and a lot of things I never meant to do.

• I've become a Certified Kansas City Barbecue Society Barbeque Judge.
  
• I've judged contests for both NEBS events and for KCBS events.
  
• I spent some time cooking contests with Phil Rizzardi and other members of the Barbeque Brethren and I've walked a couple of times at contests with the Brethren thanks largely to Phil's expertise.
  
• I've met some great people who have led me to other new endeavors I never dreamed of before. One of the first was Robert Richter of Hill Country Barbeque who introduced me to my good friend Matt Fisher which in turn led to Matt and I hosting NYC's only barbecue contest, Grillin' On The Bay.
  
• With Matt and the ever giving Andrew Fischel at RUB, we brought the legendary Paul Kirk to New York City for the first Barbecue class taught by this legend in New York.
  
• I've been quoted in The New York Daily News, New York Magazine, Newsday, Edible Brooklyn and a couple of other places I can't recall.
• I've been on the Food Network, TV Tokyo, WOR Radio, Maxim Radio, News 12 and there's been a few other TV and radio appearances which I also don't recall right now.
• I've been to some incredible foodie events, like the annual Meatopia hosted by New York Magazine's Josh Ozersky whom I now count as a friend.
• I've assisted at the Brooklyn Pig Fest and the Big Apple Barbeque Block Party.
• I've met and partied with some of the legendary people of the barbeque circuit, Paul Kirk, Dr. Barbecue, Chris Lilly, Adam Perry Lang, Jack McDavid and many many others.
• I've made some good friends, far to many to name here, on the circuit and I know I've probably made some enemies too.
  
• I've gotten Servsafe certified, NYC licensed and have actually sold my barbecue to the public.
  
• I've grown this blog to the point where people I've never met actually know who I am and read this on a daily basis for which I am incredibly thankful.
  

I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of things, places, events and people, but boy, what a long strange trip its been.

So where's my team? Well, it's finally happening. After all that diversion I've gotten back to my original plan. Well sort of. But, on the weekend of August 19th, me and three buddies from Brooklyn will be cooking at the Hudson Valley Ribfest.

Turn the page.