Welcome to an exploration of the sport of competition BBQ and the people who are committed to it. Born out of an accident of good fortune, this project has become a way to capture my personal revelations about what competition BBQ 'REALLY' is and to share with you some of the people who love it.
I never intended to start photographing BBQ, or food in general, for that matter. But new opportunities create other new opportunities, and I happened upon the Florida BBQ Association purely by chance. Professional BBQ Comps are huge undertakings, and the planning can take months. I had a VERY limited time to pull one together and without the advice and assistance of some Pitmasters, FBA Reps and the Board, I would never have been successful. Many of those individuals are now close friends and they have continuously encouraged me to try new things. After that first shoot – which is included on this page, I was at home editing the shots and explaining the process to my husband. His response was, “well, I guess we thought we knew BBQ.”
I spent several years photographing competitions, with the highs and the lows and the laughs and the tears. These are astoundingly committed individuals and the complexity and intricacies of the sport were eye opening. These competitors spend thousands of dollars each weekend to do what they love, with very little in return except for time with good friends, the spirit of competition and, in a few lucky cases, a small trophy or payout if they do well. This is not a ‘get rich’ sport and it is not at all like what you see on tv, however, you may recognize a few names from your local store shelves. (Check the BBQ sauces section)
There are hundreds of people committed to these events, not only the competitors but the organizers, the sponsors, the judges, the Reps… the moving parts sometimes seem endless. This is not an all-inclusive view of everyone involved, it’s just a small window into the beast that it BBQ.
So, we find ourselves here – U Thought U Knew Q… I hope you enjoy the ride.
Competitors
The art of creating good BBQ has developed over hundreds of years, but Championship BBQ is an art unto itself. Competitors spend years perfecting their craft.
Forget what you think you know about cooking Q... you know nothing...
Crawfordville, FL
“Passion for what you do is essential to success in any profession.”
Jacksonville, FL
“It’s another day to go to work and try to play and play well.”
Lakeland, FL
“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”
Apopka, FL
“It’s not sacrifice if you love what you are doing .””
Winter Haven, FL
“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.”
Lakeland, FL
“On a team, it’s not the strength of the individual players, but it is the strength of the unit and how they all function together.”
“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.”
Going on a journey such as this one, and it has been a 'Journey' in every sense of the word, would have never have been possible without the people who have invited me into their spaces and trusted me with their secrets. To each and every one of them, I am profoundly grateful. Not only for their hospitality but for their friendship and the hundreds of laughs we have shared together.
My thanks to the Florida BBQ Association for their support throughout this project, they are a group that I am proud to now be affiliated with. If you'd like to learn more about Competition BBQ in Florida or this group in particular, please visit www.fbabbq.com.