Congratulations to Byron Chism and Butt Rub Barbecue Seasoning's championship BBQ Team on winning 5 of 7 first place wins Great Britain's Grillstock BBQ and Music Festival in Bristol, England. The article is on the front page of the current Walton Sun, or linked here:
http://www.waltonsun.com/news/bad-7182-barbecue-rub.html
BAD TO THE BONE: Santa Rosa Beach-based Butt Rub wins barbecue battle with the Brits (PHOTOS)Deborah Wheeler
2011-07-14 16:32:44
Byron Chism and his Bad Byron's Butt Rub barbecue spice are poised to take on the world — and it begins with a British invasion.
Chism and crew took five first-place wins out of seven categories last week at the Grillstock BBQ and Music Festival in Bristol, England.
Touted as the largest festival of its kind in Britain, Chism likens it to Woodstock.
"It's the biggest east of the Atlantic," he said.
Chism beat out 19 other teams to take first in the chicken, ribs, pork, beef brisket, and dessert categories. Each team had to compete in all seven categories and it all had to be done on a grill. Yes, it is possible to bake a cake on the grill, he said.
Since most competitors brought their grills with them, he was a bit surprised but proud to bring home his first full sweep.
"You almost never win an event flying in with just a suitcase," he mused. "But we were prepared."
The festival's theme this year was a tribute to the American culture and featured States-side music as well as food. The head judge was the author of the Dr. BBQ cookbook, American Ray Lampe.
"They were very hospitable," said Chism. "They were so excited to have an American team competing."
Chism has been competing since 1998. This was his second European competition. His first was in Switzerland in 1999, where he won one award.
"Their meat is different over there and they have no experience with barbecue. Our strength was overall competition experience," he said.
During his 13 years on the road, he has racked up four national titles and 31 grand championships. The number of trophies, ribbons and awards on display at his Butt Rub headquarters in Santa Rosa Beach number in the hundreds at least. He stopped counting.
Chism earned his degree at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., in 1996. He cooked at Bud & Alley's for three years, as well as at Café Thirty-A, Criolla's, and at the old Lake Place restaurant before founding Butt Rub in 1997.
"Barbecue was something I enjoyed and I got more and more into it. When I developed Butt Rub, I first gave it away as gifts, but then people started calling for it, so I decided to sell it and gave it a label," he said of the seasoning's austere beginnings. "It was an interest I had and a natural fork in the road."
Butt Rub is now distributed in stores nationwide. In the United States it is in approximately a dozen warehouses that distribute to about 3,000 stores. Many additional stores and all Internet orders are shipped directly from the Santa Rosa Beach headquarters.
By Labor Day, the product will be in all of Winn Dixie's 520 stores and in Food Lion's 1,200.
"We have hit our stride in the U.S. We're in good shape here," he said. "Europe is the next frontier."
The product is already distributed in the United Kingdom through one warehouse to several dozen stores. It was his distributor there who suggested he compete in Grillstock. The results were reported in major newspapers there.
Following the two-day event, Chism spent four days touring the countryside around Worcester, which he says is gorgeous and lush. He also visited stores that carry his product.
"That was a trip to see it on a shelf somewhere else besides in the U.S.," he said. "This is new cuisine for them, but we're growing strong. I'm going to visit Germany next month and I plan to do more competitions over there."
Chism also distributes Jubilee Seafood Seasoning, Miss Lil's Honey, Geaux Juice, and coffee, but his major focus is Butt Rub.
For more information visit www.buttrub.com.
© Copyright 2011 Freedom Communications. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.waltonsun.com/news/bad-7182-barbecue-rub.html
BAD TO THE BONE: Santa Rosa Beach-based Butt Rub wins barbecue battle with the Brits (PHOTOS)Deborah Wheeler
2011-07-14 16:32:44
Byron Chism and his Bad Byron's Butt Rub barbecue spice are poised to take on the world — and it begins with a British invasion.
Chism and crew took five first-place wins out of seven categories last week at the Grillstock BBQ and Music Festival in Bristol, England.
Touted as the largest festival of its kind in Britain, Chism likens it to Woodstock.
"It's the biggest east of the Atlantic," he said.
Chism beat out 19 other teams to take first in the chicken, ribs, pork, beef brisket, and dessert categories. Each team had to compete in all seven categories and it all had to be done on a grill. Yes, it is possible to bake a cake on the grill, he said.
Since most competitors brought their grills with them, he was a bit surprised but proud to bring home his first full sweep.
"You almost never win an event flying in with just a suitcase," he mused. "But we were prepared."
The festival's theme this year was a tribute to the American culture and featured States-side music as well as food. The head judge was the author of the Dr. BBQ cookbook, American Ray Lampe.
"They were very hospitable," said Chism. "They were so excited to have an American team competing."
Chism has been competing since 1998. This was his second European competition. His first was in Switzerland in 1999, where he won one award.
"Their meat is different over there and they have no experience with barbecue. Our strength was overall competition experience," he said.
During his 13 years on the road, he has racked up four national titles and 31 grand championships. The number of trophies, ribbons and awards on display at his Butt Rub headquarters in Santa Rosa Beach number in the hundreds at least. He stopped counting.
Chism earned his degree at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., in 1996. He cooked at Bud & Alley's for three years, as well as at Café Thirty-A, Criolla's, and at the old Lake Place restaurant before founding Butt Rub in 1997.
"Barbecue was something I enjoyed and I got more and more into it. When I developed Butt Rub, I first gave it away as gifts, but then people started calling for it, so I decided to sell it and gave it a label," he said of the seasoning's austere beginnings. "It was an interest I had and a natural fork in the road."
Butt Rub is now distributed in stores nationwide. In the United States it is in approximately a dozen warehouses that distribute to about 3,000 stores. Many additional stores and all Internet orders are shipped directly from the Santa Rosa Beach headquarters.
By Labor Day, the product will be in all of Winn Dixie's 520 stores and in Food Lion's 1,200.
"We have hit our stride in the U.S. We're in good shape here," he said. "Europe is the next frontier."
The product is already distributed in the United Kingdom through one warehouse to several dozen stores. It was his distributor there who suggested he compete in Grillstock. The results were reported in major newspapers there.
Following the two-day event, Chism spent four days touring the countryside around Worcester, which he says is gorgeous and lush. He also visited stores that carry his product.
"That was a trip to see it on a shelf somewhere else besides in the U.S.," he said. "This is new cuisine for them, but we're growing strong. I'm going to visit Germany next month and I plan to do more competitions over there."
Chism also distributes Jubilee Seafood Seasoning, Miss Lil's Honey, Geaux Juice, and coffee, but his major focus is Butt Rub.
For more information visit www.buttrub.com.
© Copyright 2011 Freedom Communications. All Rights Reserved.
