By now, you have probably looked at the pics posted by Scott and Jim...And they are great, but they tell about 1/20th of the story...
I knew this event was going to be special... but it turned out even better than I had imagined. All the elements came together in a way that can only be described as magical. So I am going to try to break it down for you, as best I can...
First, the people:
BPS/EBMM team - These folks (18 I believe) gave 125% all week. Knowing the work in the setup before we got there and the long days -- there was not a single person in a red shirt that didnt have a smile, and genuinely wanted to help you with anything you needed. Yes, BP, Jessie, Jody, Brad were the "faces"... but most were on radios, and anything you needed just happened. seamlessly. flawlessly. period.
EVERYONE worked their tails off.
LaQuinta Team - Jim, Jose and their entire staff were also amazing. The chefs were also. Steven, Mike, et all were constantly out with us, wanting to take in what we were doing, and it was a great exchange of information. They had folks everywhere ensuring we had anything we needed from the resort. They provided meals that were wonderful, and they worked hand in hand with the BPS crew. At one point on Friday afternoon, Jim and Sterling greeted all the teams on a John Deere Gator full of ice and beverages in the back. (how could I turn down a cold Tacate?!)
The Reps - Kelly and Kathleen were top notch. Every question that came up, they had a clear consise answer for. They were professional, and took great care of the teams, I even got an email offering to send data electronically today, in case we lost our sheets during the travel.
The Teams - What a great eclectic mix of folks. There was a buzz amongst the teams, and everyone was thrilled to be there. From stalwart stewards of BBQ like Johnny Trigg and Rod Gray, to new comers like "The California Legend - Dave Malone"
2nd - The event -
Let's just look at it... there was not a detail that was not addressed.
Thursday evening, we had a great "welcome" with a dinner and cocktail hour at the mountain dunes clubhouse...
Friday morning, the BPS team brought in gear, items shipped, and the items supplied. (Every team had all the sundries they needed supplied... EZUP with team banner, Tables, Chairs, foil, pans, gloves, charcoal/wood, and then our team gift bags were stellar - Items similar to what you saw in the Judges bag pics, plus team tees, visors, an incredible Messermeister Elite carving set, engraved with our team names, in a wonderful gift box.
Friday over lunch - the LaQuinta staff brought us all box lunches - the BPS teams ensured all the details were in place; right down to the oversized KotS trash boxes.
Our meat coolers were picked lottery style... with a randomized list of team names, then randomly given a pingpong ball from the roller.... YES, I got the #1 Ball!! Everything was well put together, and off we went to prep for meat inspection, then trim and prep!
Cooks meeting started on time! and finished in short order. Then Sterling set to making a dinner for all the teams, and his other guests. The food was stellar, and company was great! (here comes an example of the people at work..) We ended the evening with a surprise! Since it was my daughters birthdays on the 4 and the 8th, we had requested that LaQuinta make a cake for the the girls... Jessie helped get in touch with the right folks, and they made it happen... and by did they... it was a 1/2 sheet cake, chocolate, with choc ganache in the center, with a choc. mousse frosting. IT was also incredibly good... and they provided enough to feed anyone that wanted some after dinner! AND, they provided it as a gift to the girls; and would not charge us for it. So between Jessie and LaQuinta, the evening was also very special for our girls!
Quiet time at 9, gave us plenty of time to chat and enjoy the beautiful evening...
SAT! - First thing, Sterling was around checking on us, and leading us on to Breakfast at Adobe. The sunrise is one of the best I have ever experienced, and then the breakfast was amazing. What a way to get ready to nail down the catagories! The contest went off without a hitch. Turn-ins over, the public were starting to filter in, and were managed wonderfully through all the teams, and demos/discussions. (here comes example #2 of how AWESOME everyone was) - while this was occuring, and I was prepping for my Spedini/Marinade demo.. Kim decided to try knife juggling with my 14" slicer... she failed and got a nasty cut.
By the time walked out the door, I had a medic cart in route, and lot of folks looking to help. Stabilized, and ready to go for stitching, Brad personally took her to the local urgent care, and got her back to me patched up and in one piece. As you saw, Lauren got to be my assistant in the our demo, in lieu of Kim... But huge thanks to BPS and LaQuinta for keeping my wife safe, and in good hands.
Again, not a single detail stuck out as "missed".
Awards start exactly on time, and with a backdrop of the uber cool EDS trophys (yes, working drums) we found out that the weekend had generated Well over $150K for the Casey Lee Ball Foundation for Pediatric Kidney Disease. $12k from "the door". AWESOME!! Everyone is wondering how this will play out, and who will hit and who wont. All the word is that our cooks went well... so expecting a tough judging, ANY of us could come in first or last. We got our call out of the way early.. Guess that #1 was for First call... 5th place chicken! But the weight was lifted. I heard my name!!!! Several stellar teams didn't. At the end of the day, the Deloitte managed scoring was kept secret -- but by the time we got to GC, we all figured that it was Big Bob Gibson's name in that envelope!!! -- Yes you got that right... the awards were academy award style... The promoter didnt have a clue who one! it was secretly scored, and validated by Deloitte... and Sterling found out as he opened the envelopes!!! IT was a very cool touch.
Sat. night.... well lets just say, we again had a wonderful cocktail hour. I enjoyed the best tamarind margarita out there!!!! Dinner was stellar, again, and then Andy McKee was off the Chain. What an artist. I wish I knew how to get my bootleg video posted here. He was such an amazing artist live... and so humble. My daughter has some ambitions to learn guitar, and loved talking with him after the show.
This with all the other details... frame ready posters... UPS shipping for our products; all the details --- NAILED.
This event changes the game.
BPS and the crew of folks that gave it thier all... get HUGE kudos for this event. IT will be talked about for the next year, there is no doubt in my mind.
Sunday morning we all pinched ourselves, and said our goodbyes. Most reflecting on how great it was for us, as cooks, to have been afforded the opportunity to shine in this environment. Most I talked to hoped they did the event proud. It's rare you come away feeling like you were a part of something special. I think most had that feeling as they departed LaQuinta.
So that is the overview... It would take days to give all the detail. so better bring a cigar, and a chair for that stuff, that will be campfire fodder, for the foreseeable future.
Thank you Sterling, for the opportunity to show that BBQ can take it up a notch when the right ideas come to fruition.
I knew this event was going to be special... but it turned out even better than I had imagined. All the elements came together in a way that can only be described as magical. So I am going to try to break it down for you, as best I can...
First, the people:
BPS/EBMM team - These folks (18 I believe) gave 125% all week. Knowing the work in the setup before we got there and the long days -- there was not a single person in a red shirt that didnt have a smile, and genuinely wanted to help you with anything you needed. Yes, BP, Jessie, Jody, Brad were the "faces"... but most were on radios, and anything you needed just happened. seamlessly. flawlessly. period.
EVERYONE worked their tails off.
LaQuinta Team - Jim, Jose and their entire staff were also amazing. The chefs were also. Steven, Mike, et all were constantly out with us, wanting to take in what we were doing, and it was a great exchange of information. They had folks everywhere ensuring we had anything we needed from the resort. They provided meals that were wonderful, and they worked hand in hand with the BPS crew. At one point on Friday afternoon, Jim and Sterling greeted all the teams on a John Deere Gator full of ice and beverages in the back. (how could I turn down a cold Tacate?!)
The Reps - Kelly and Kathleen were top notch. Every question that came up, they had a clear consise answer for. They were professional, and took great care of the teams, I even got an email offering to send data electronically today, in case we lost our sheets during the travel.
The Teams - What a great eclectic mix of folks. There was a buzz amongst the teams, and everyone was thrilled to be there. From stalwart stewards of BBQ like Johnny Trigg and Rod Gray, to new comers like "The California Legend - Dave Malone"
2nd - The event -
Let's just look at it... there was not a detail that was not addressed.
Thursday evening, we had a great "welcome" with a dinner and cocktail hour at the mountain dunes clubhouse...
Friday morning, the BPS team brought in gear, items shipped, and the items supplied. (Every team had all the sundries they needed supplied... EZUP with team banner, Tables, Chairs, foil, pans, gloves, charcoal/wood, and then our team gift bags were stellar - Items similar to what you saw in the Judges bag pics, plus team tees, visors, an incredible Messermeister Elite carving set, engraved with our team names, in a wonderful gift box.
Friday over lunch - the LaQuinta staff brought us all box lunches - the BPS teams ensured all the details were in place; right down to the oversized KotS trash boxes.
Our meat coolers were picked lottery style... with a randomized list of team names, then randomly given a pingpong ball from the roller.... YES, I got the #1 Ball!! Everything was well put together, and off we went to prep for meat inspection, then trim and prep!
Cooks meeting started on time! and finished in short order. Then Sterling set to making a dinner for all the teams, and his other guests. The food was stellar, and company was great! (here comes an example of the people at work..) We ended the evening with a surprise! Since it was my daughters birthdays on the 4 and the 8th, we had requested that LaQuinta make a cake for the the girls... Jessie helped get in touch with the right folks, and they made it happen... and by did they... it was a 1/2 sheet cake, chocolate, with choc ganache in the center, with a choc. mousse frosting. IT was also incredibly good... and they provided enough to feed anyone that wanted some after dinner! AND, they provided it as a gift to the girls; and would not charge us for it. So between Jessie and LaQuinta, the evening was also very special for our girls!
Quiet time at 9, gave us plenty of time to chat and enjoy the beautiful evening...
SAT! - First thing, Sterling was around checking on us, and leading us on to Breakfast at Adobe. The sunrise is one of the best I have ever experienced, and then the breakfast was amazing. What a way to get ready to nail down the catagories! The contest went off without a hitch. Turn-ins over, the public were starting to filter in, and were managed wonderfully through all the teams, and demos/discussions. (here comes example #2 of how AWESOME everyone was) - while this was occuring, and I was prepping for my Spedini/Marinade demo.. Kim decided to try knife juggling with my 14" slicer... she failed and got a nasty cut.
By the time walked out the door, I had a medic cart in route, and lot of folks looking to help. Stabilized, and ready to go for stitching, Brad personally took her to the local urgent care, and got her back to me patched up and in one piece. As you saw, Lauren got to be my assistant in the our demo, in lieu of Kim... But huge thanks to BPS and LaQuinta for keeping my wife safe, and in good hands.
Again, not a single detail stuck out as "missed".
Awards start exactly on time, and with a backdrop of the uber cool EDS trophys (yes, working drums) we found out that the weekend had generated Well over $150K for the Casey Lee Ball Foundation for Pediatric Kidney Disease. $12k from "the door". AWESOME!! Everyone is wondering how this will play out, and who will hit and who wont. All the word is that our cooks went well... so expecting a tough judging, ANY of us could come in first or last. We got our call out of the way early.. Guess that #1 was for First call... 5th place chicken! But the weight was lifted. I heard my name!!!! Several stellar teams didn't. At the end of the day, the Deloitte managed scoring was kept secret -- but by the time we got to GC, we all figured that it was Big Bob Gibson's name in that envelope!!! -- Yes you got that right... the awards were academy award style... The promoter didnt have a clue who one! it was secretly scored, and validated by Deloitte... and Sterling found out as he opened the envelopes!!! IT was a very cool touch.
Sat. night.... well lets just say, we again had a wonderful cocktail hour. I enjoyed the best tamarind margarita out there!!!! Dinner was stellar, again, and then Andy McKee was off the Chain. What an artist. I wish I knew how to get my bootleg video posted here. He was such an amazing artist live... and so humble. My daughter has some ambitions to learn guitar, and loved talking with him after the show.
This with all the other details... frame ready posters... UPS shipping for our products; all the details --- NAILED.
This event changes the game.
BPS and the crew of folks that gave it thier all... get HUGE kudos for this event. IT will be talked about for the next year, there is no doubt in my mind.
Sunday morning we all pinched ourselves, and said our goodbyes. Most reflecting on how great it was for us, as cooks, to have been afforded the opportunity to shine in this environment. Most I talked to hoped they did the event proud. It's rare you come away feeling like you were a part of something special. I think most had that feeling as they departed LaQuinta.
So that is the overview... It would take days to give all the detail. so better bring a cigar, and a chair for that stuff, that will be campfire fodder, for the foreseeable future.
Thank you Sterling, for the opportunity to show that BBQ can take it up a notch when the right ideas come to fruition.
