MINNETONKA, MN (BBQ CRITIC)
This will be my second year judging the Famous Dave's All-Star BBQ Series in Minnetonka, MN. The Famous Dave's restaurant here is a great place to hold the event. A gorgeous location, too!
You can kick back on the restaurant's outdoor wrap around porch overlooking a pond and a water fountain. The ambiance is a peaceful, tranquil setting.
You can kick back on the restaurant's outdoor wrap around porch overlooking a pond and a water fountain. The ambiance is a peaceful, tranquil setting.
Famous Dave's management and employees are extremely welcoming to all judges and cook teams. I walked around and greeted the cooks setting up in the parking lot. The teams are not only preparing their contest food, they are smoking chicken wings to hand out to the public for FREE. This family friendly event is a Saturday treat for the community.
All the cooks are passionate about their craft, eager to serve the public and especially the World Food Championship (WFC) judges. AKA, Me!
All the cooks are passionate about their craft, eager to serve the public and especially the World Food Championship (WFC) judges. AKA, Me!
BBQ CRITIC with Arlie Bragg, World Food Championship Contest Rep.
WFC Contest Rep, Arlie Bragg, gathered us all together for a quick review on judging. Right after that, I inducted Famous Dave Anderson into the BBQ CRITIC HALL OF FAME and gave him a plaque.
When I give out a plaque to a business or individual connected to BBQ, I do so because they affected me personally in some way shape or form. Dave did just that.
I met Dave at the original Famous Dave's in Hayward, WI in 2014. A few months later, this beautiful, historic restaurant burnt to the ground. It was a sad day for Famous Dave Anderson and all the people who love this location.
I wanted to make sure no one ever forgets where Dave started his first Famous Dave's store, the launching pad to a skyrocketing BBQ business. You can read the whole story by clicking on the photo below of Dave and I holding the plaque... FULL STORY...
When I give out a plaque to a business or individual connected to BBQ, I do so because they affected me personally in some way shape or form. Dave did just that.
I met Dave at the original Famous Dave's in Hayward, WI in 2014. A few months later, this beautiful, historic restaurant burnt to the ground. It was a sad day for Famous Dave Anderson and all the people who love this location.
I wanted to make sure no one ever forgets where Dave started his first Famous Dave's store, the launching pad to a skyrocketing BBQ business. You can read the whole story by clicking on the photo below of Dave and I holding the plaque... FULL STORY...
RIBS & CHICKEN
It is now time to judge BBQ! The ribs and chicken turn ins were above and beyond. Some of the best I have had all year.
One thing I am still training myself do is really pay attention to the EXECUTION score. It is very different from a KCBS contest, and allows the cook to expand their creativity by telling us exactly what to look for in their competition box.
If the flavor and ingredients described by the cook are missing, then the EXECUTION score will be lower. I like this because we know what the cook is trying to achieve, and what we judges should expect.
What I like about WFC scoring is that a cook can say the ribs are "spicy." In a regular KCBS or other contest setting, the judge just might score down because the judge doesn't like "spicy." Well with the World Food Championships, if the cook purposely gave us meat that is "spicy," they get awarded for it , NOT SCORED DOWN. I love this!
One thing I am still training myself do is really pay attention to the EXECUTION score. It is very different from a KCBS contest, and allows the cook to expand their creativity by telling us exactly what to look for in their competition box.
If the flavor and ingredients described by the cook are missing, then the EXECUTION score will be lower. I like this because we know what the cook is trying to achieve, and what we judges should expect.
What I like about WFC scoring is that a cook can say the ribs are "spicy." In a regular KCBS or other contest setting, the judge just might score down because the judge doesn't like "spicy." Well with the World Food Championships, if the cook purposely gave us meat that is "spicy," they get awarded for it , NOT SCORED DOWN. I love this!
WFC Contest Rep, Arlie Bragg, presenting the turn-in boxes to the judges
WFC thinks outside the box when it comes to a competition turn-in box. Their innovation in the scoring process encourages creativity, setting it apart from many other competitions. It's a welcome change, indeed
WILD CARD
My favorite part, folks - THE WILD CARD! This is the category where a competition cook can really shine by creating any dish they desire.
Today was a great day because everything was different. Just feast your eyes on the WILD CARD turn-ins presented to us on a Silver Platter. There's no other way!
The cook will walk up to our table and give us a really brief presentation on what we judges should expect to taste. This cook/judge interactivity makes judging a lot more interesting and exciting.
RACK SHACK BBQ won this category and nailed the EXECUTION score, the TASTE score and the APPEARANCE score. At the end of the day, Rack Shack's pitmaster, Wade Brelje, achieved a perfect 100 score. Everything about this dish was absolutely phenomenal. Wade described his turn in (see top middle photo below) as follows:
Today was a great day because everything was different. Just feast your eyes on the WILD CARD turn-ins presented to us on a Silver Platter. There's no other way!
The cook will walk up to our table and give us a really brief presentation on what we judges should expect to taste. This cook/judge interactivity makes judging a lot more interesting and exciting.
RACK SHACK BBQ won this category and nailed the EXECUTION score, the TASTE score and the APPEARANCE score. At the end of the day, Rack Shack's pitmaster, Wade Brelje, achieved a perfect 100 score. Everything about this dish was absolutely phenomenal. Wade described his turn in (see top middle photo below) as follows:
"Indulge in this Banana Pudding Smoked Cheesecake topped with root beer caviar and a banana bread tuile." - Wade Brelje
THE WINNERS
GRAND CHAMPION
VIDEO INTERVIEW
RESERVE GRAND
VIDEO INTERVIEW
WILD CARD & PEOPLE'S CHOICE
INTERVIEW
THE GOLDEN TICKET
In addition to the team's share of the $5000 prize purse, the Grand Champion and the Reserve Grand Champion winners take home the GOLDEN TICKET to compete in the 2024 World Barbecue Championships in Indianapolis, Nov. 8 - 12, 2024.
TRAVELING TO CONTESTS
When I travel to BBQ contests and I am ready to head home, I look for two things: Ice Cream or a White Castles. I do not have a White Castle in Iowa, so when I am out of state, I always search for one to bring back a stash of hamburgers to eat for later.
It's a family tradition for me and White Castle is where my love for food began as a kid. IT WAS MY VERY FIRST FOOD CRAVING. Luckily there are plenty of White Castles in Minnesota, so I grabbed a case of 20 burgers and headed home. Oh, yeah!
It's a family tradition for me and White Castle is where my love for food began as a kid. IT WAS MY VERY FIRST FOOD CRAVING. Luckily there are plenty of White Castles in Minnesota, so I grabbed a case of 20 burgers and headed home. Oh, yeah!
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Minnetonka, MN Famous Dave's restaurant is really an awesome place to visit and eat up Dave's made from scratch recipes. Of course, this day was special and people flocked in to sample free wings and take part in all the activities. An overall great time.
The People's Choice was won by Rack Shack BBQ. He handed out 100 wings and received 98 votes. That is absolutely amazing!
When we had just finished judging, a customer walked by our judge table and asked us, "Who won?" There was a brief moment of silence and I said, "We did!"
Famous Dave Anderson responded, "Good answer!"
- BBQ CRITIC
The People's Choice was won by Rack Shack BBQ. He handed out 100 wings and received 98 votes. That is absolutely amazing!
When we had just finished judging, a customer walked by our judge table and asked us, "Who won?" There was a brief moment of silence and I said, "We did!"
Famous Dave Anderson responded, "Good answer!"
- BBQ CRITIC
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