COOKING TEAMS

Johnson's Q Colonel BBQ
(Chesapeake, Virginia)
Rasta Joes BBQ
(Plymouth, Indiana)
Porky 'N Beans
(Port Saint Lucie, Florida)
Famous Dave's of America
(Minnesota)
Aussom Aussie Australian BBQ
(Sydney Australia)
Cowboy's Barbeque & Rib Company
(Weatherford, Texas)
California Grilling Company
(Oakland, California)
Chicago BBQ Company
(Burr Ridge, Illinois)
Smokehouse Specialities
(Dos Palso, California)

Johnson's Q Colonel BBQ
Dan Johnson cooks his ribs with indirect heat and won't add his award winning sauce until the bones are ready to come off the grill. The sweet Texas-style sauce is an old family recipe that originated in North Carolina. The top-secret recipe won the Chesapeake, Virginia, grilling team a third place finish for "Greatest Sauce in America" last year. Johnson's BBQ is always a crowd pleaser and the long lines at the grill prove it! Dan dares brave rib fans to take the heat and experience his infamous "Thermonuclear Sauce." It's an electrifying concoction that is blazin' hot!

Rasta Joes BBQ
Considered by many to be one of this country's top BBQ chefs, Rasta Joe continues to win National Rib Cook-Off competitions from Coast to Coast

PorkyNBeans
Porky 'N Beans has been a proud member of the National Award Winning Rib Cookers of America since 1983. We are national rib cook off contenders and travel between 10,000 and 15,000 miles a year competing in cities from St. Paul, Minnesota to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We have won numerous rib cook off titles such as the prestigious Golden Rib Award and Best Ribs in America.

Famous Dave's of America
With more than 100 locations across the country, Famous Dave's of America knows a thing or two about serving good BBQ. Based in Minnesota, this award-winning grill team has been part of the Cleveland rib tradition for more than 12 years. Famous Dave's crew of traveling Pitmasters thrive on competition and have won more than 300 awards. Owner Dave Anderson has spent more than 25 years perfecting his famous "Rich & Sassy" sauce and prides himself on offering the most succulent meats, savory seasonings and lip smackin' sauces around!

Aussom Aussie Australian BBQ
Australia's most accomplished BBQ chef with over 150 awards for best BBQ in the USA and Canada. Bringing traditional Australian "Barbie" to your backyard.

Cowboy's Barbeque & Rib Company
One of the most popular “People’s Choice” vendors in the US, Cowboy’s has been mastering their award-winning recipes for the past 15 years on the World Rib Tour. Cowboy’s owner Dallas Green likes to “leave a little sizzle on the table” in the events they compete in and “Guarantees that the girls will kiss better and the boys will like it more” at Cowboy’s. “Where the hugs, kisses, smiles and smells are always free!”

California Grilling Company
The California Grilling Co. caters to the California lifestyle specializing in Grilled Poultry, Seafood, and Vegetables. And yes we have not forgotten our Vegetarian friends. Cheers!

Chicago BBQ Company
If you're looking for the sweet taste of Chicago-style barbecue, look no further than the Chicago Barbecue Company. Their pride and joy is the actual sauce used in the Chicago area's famed Giovanni's Restaurant, nationally known for its sweet ribs and great Italian cuisine. Folks in the Chicago area like their ribs lightly smoked with a sweet, succulent taste. Hailing from the Windy City, Tom Ferguson joined the rib competition circuit in 1985. While vending and competing for over 20 years all over the world, the Chicago BBQ Company has won numerous awards and honors. Tom specifically likes to mention the 2003 Tops Great American Rib Cook-Off award as he thinks it describes his ribs most accurately as the "Greatest Ribs in America." According to Ferguson, flavorful ribs start at the bone and sauce is simply a tasty compliment. Ferguson marinates his ribs for 24 hours before smoking them with the finest seasonings. Tom admits taste is taste, but after 20 years he has perfected his process and is fond of saying "you can't bottle passion, but you can taste it!"

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN COOKING....

Thank you for your interest in participating in the Bay Area Barbeque Cook Off. The Bay Area Barbeque Cook Off is an invitational event with room for just 7 outstanding cooking teams. Most of the cookers compete on a national level. Currently, there are no openings for 2008.

We are always taking information from rib cookers interested in participating in the Bay Area Barbeque Cook Off. Now, before you send any information, please read below to determine if the Bay Area Barebeque Cook Off is for you.

To participate in the Bay Area Barbeque Cook Off you must be a professional cooker with all your own equipment and be accustomed to adhering to state health department requirements. You should be able to cook at least 100-150 cases of ribs during the three day event. And you must pay the entry fee by the determined deadline. This is not an event for the recreational rib cooker—this is hard work!

We recommend you come out this year as an observer, talk to the cooks, and make sure it is something you want and can be a part of. If you and your cooking team fulfill the criteria and qualifications listed above, and are interested in being considered as a Bay Area Barbeque Cook Off participant, send a letter with a resume telling us about your experience as a rib cooker and photographs of your set-up, preferably at another event. Remember, you are competing against rib cookers who compete nationally, so be creative and make yourself and your cooking team stand out from all the others.

If you would like to be considered, please mail your information to:

Bay Area Barbeque Cook Off
484 Lake Park Avenue, Suite 318
Oakland,Ca 94610