(Editor's Note: Francis Dutton will be writing a series of 6 guest columns on a variety of Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) topics, from the perspective of a contest organizer, and a KCBS Master BBQ Judge. This is the third column in the series. Enjoy!)
Being a KCBS Certified Master BBQ Judge (MCBJ) is the next step in the progression of judging. On page 25 & 26 of the official Judges Certification Manual you will find the requirements for becoming a MCBJ.
You must receive 30 credits (one credit equals one signature from a KCBS Rep). You keep record of these signatures in the back of your judges manual. Any KCBS sanctioned contest counts towards your 30 credits. Including KCBS sanctioned backyard contests. Ancillary categories and other categories held at a KCBS sanctioned contest DO NOT COUNT in your 30 credits.
At least 1 of the 30 credits and not more than 10 credits must be as a “Volunteer.”
If you have been reading and following along with all the articles I have submitted, in Article 1, I talked about how being a volunteer is a crucial part of the judging process. Volunteer duties include: Table Captain, turn-in table, left over table and help with any other duties assigned by the KCBS Reps.
It will be designated on your sheet with either a “V” for volunteer or if you are a Table Captain “TC.”
Next in the MCBJ process is cooking with a team at a KCBS contest. It is highly suggested, per the manual, that you cook with a team prior to your 15th contest. But most judges seem to cook with a team after they have completed their 30th contest.
Once you have completed cooking with a team, you fill out the verification paperwork completed by the team head cook and signed by the KCBS Reps, turn it in along with a copy of your 30 credits to the KCBS office. Once they review it for accuracy they will then set a time for you to take the online MCBJ test. Once you pass the test, you are now officially a KCBS Master Certified BBQ Judge (MCBJ).
This is where my article is going to take a HUGE turn in focus. Before I start, everything from this point forward is my own personal opinion and something I have been working on for a very long time. I truly believe in this part of the article. I do not have all the particulars worked out yet but I am very close. So I will give you the 1000 foot overview of this plan. I have been working on this idea for close to 6 years.
When I completed my Masters in Music at UNI, I took all the required courses, passed all the tests, wrote papers and completed all assignments. Then at the end I was required to take “comprehensive” final exams. Larger final tests of all the course work to show that I actually learned the required material for my Masters Degree. Much like the MCBJ test, only my exams were multiple in length. Then, I had to complete either a full 1 hour recital or write a paper on a specific subject approved by my graduate committee in order to receive my Masters Degree. I chose to do both. YES both!
I told you all this to set up the scenario for what I feel is an excellent way to prove that you are truly a “Master” of your craft as a MCBJ.
So, what does it mean to truly be a “Master” of your craft?
“Mastery" is the highest level of accomplishment within the craft. It's achieved by developing a comprehensive knowledge skill in the subject (or the art of perfecting or seeking perfection in your craft). Masters are always looking for new ways to perfect their craft, to set themselves apart from others. True growth happens outside your comfort zone when perusing excellence.
So, what does it mean to Master your craft as a MCBJ?
I feel there needs to be a new label or name for judges who are “In Between” a regular CBJ and MCBJ (still working on the name for this position). But a MCBJ should also be a Table Captain as part of the progression. Then you should perform the task of Table Captain at least 1 or 2 times at a KCBS sanctioned contest. Then the progression to be a MCBJ should follow this “New” path. You judge your first 10 contests, then you cook with a team. Then you judge you next 10 contests and cook with a different team. Finally, you judge your last 10 contests and then you show your “Mastery” at the end stage by going out of your comfort zone.
You would complete the following stage of your MCBJ by picking a backyard contest or if you are so bold to pick a pro-series contest. Sign up, pay your entry fee, purchase your meats, seasonings, take or borrow a smoker(s), get your charcoal, travel to that contest and compete. This will be part of how you show “Mastery” of your craft by going outside your comfort zone.
Just like when you cooked with a team, you now get the full experience of being your own team, your own cook. This is where the real growth happens. You must have some “Skin” in the game to experience all sides and all aspects of being a MCBJ and calling yourself a “Master.” Then there will be verification paperwork completed and filled out by both you and the KCBS reps at your contest. Then you will send it in to KCBS. The final and last step will be to complete the continuing education courses know a the “J-Cup”. Once all this has been completed, you will earn your MCBJ status.
I know this all sounds wild and overwhelming. You might think “how can I do this or I don’t want to do this?” You might even think I (Francis) am out of my mind for even suggesting this path to becoming a MCBJ. I do truly believe this will make you a much better MCBJ in the long term. I guarantee there will be people willing help you figure it out. Especially me!
The BBQ community is full of people willing to help you succeed in your en devour to become a MCBJ. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it will be worth it in the end.
There are other fine points to be worked out for this whole process and I am working on them at a very regular pace in order to have a document that I can present to KCBS in the very, very near future.
The document will also outline and contain information of how to get current MCBJ’s up to speed for the final part of this path (cooking at backyard contest). In the mean time, all you MCBJ’s who have not taken the continuing education J-Cup series need to get busy and take those tests now! Even though they are not required, I believe they should be. They are great refresher of classes on judging. KCBS worked really hard to have these classes created because many, many judges and reps requested continuing education for CBJS.
Thank you for reading and I look forward to feedback on this particular article.
Please read my next article as it will be directly devoted to the continuing education modules created by KCBS for BBQ judges know as JCUP.
- FRANCIS
You must receive 30 credits (one credit equals one signature from a KCBS Rep). You keep record of these signatures in the back of your judges manual. Any KCBS sanctioned contest counts towards your 30 credits. Including KCBS sanctioned backyard contests. Ancillary categories and other categories held at a KCBS sanctioned contest DO NOT COUNT in your 30 credits.
At least 1 of the 30 credits and not more than 10 credits must be as a “Volunteer.”
If you have been reading and following along with all the articles I have submitted, in Article 1, I talked about how being a volunteer is a crucial part of the judging process. Volunteer duties include: Table Captain, turn-in table, left over table and help with any other duties assigned by the KCBS Reps.
It will be designated on your sheet with either a “V” for volunteer or if you are a Table Captain “TC.”
Next in the MCBJ process is cooking with a team at a KCBS contest. It is highly suggested, per the manual, that you cook with a team prior to your 15th contest. But most judges seem to cook with a team after they have completed their 30th contest.
Once you have completed cooking with a team, you fill out the verification paperwork completed by the team head cook and signed by the KCBS Reps, turn it in along with a copy of your 30 credits to the KCBS office. Once they review it for accuracy they will then set a time for you to take the online MCBJ test. Once you pass the test, you are now officially a KCBS Master Certified BBQ Judge (MCBJ).
This is where my article is going to take a HUGE turn in focus. Before I start, everything from this point forward is my own personal opinion and something I have been working on for a very long time. I truly believe in this part of the article. I do not have all the particulars worked out yet but I am very close. So I will give you the 1000 foot overview of this plan. I have been working on this idea for close to 6 years.
When I completed my Masters in Music at UNI, I took all the required courses, passed all the tests, wrote papers and completed all assignments. Then at the end I was required to take “comprehensive” final exams. Larger final tests of all the course work to show that I actually learned the required material for my Masters Degree. Much like the MCBJ test, only my exams were multiple in length. Then, I had to complete either a full 1 hour recital or write a paper on a specific subject approved by my graduate committee in order to receive my Masters Degree. I chose to do both. YES both!
I told you all this to set up the scenario for what I feel is an excellent way to prove that you are truly a “Master” of your craft as a MCBJ.
So, what does it mean to truly be a “Master” of your craft?
“Mastery" is the highest level of accomplishment within the craft. It's achieved by developing a comprehensive knowledge skill in the subject (or the art of perfecting or seeking perfection in your craft). Masters are always looking for new ways to perfect their craft, to set themselves apart from others. True growth happens outside your comfort zone when perusing excellence.
So, what does it mean to Master your craft as a MCBJ?
I feel there needs to be a new label or name for judges who are “In Between” a regular CBJ and MCBJ (still working on the name for this position). But a MCBJ should also be a Table Captain as part of the progression. Then you should perform the task of Table Captain at least 1 or 2 times at a KCBS sanctioned contest. Then the progression to be a MCBJ should follow this “New” path. You judge your first 10 contests, then you cook with a team. Then you judge you next 10 contests and cook with a different team. Finally, you judge your last 10 contests and then you show your “Mastery” at the end stage by going out of your comfort zone.
You would complete the following stage of your MCBJ by picking a backyard contest or if you are so bold to pick a pro-series contest. Sign up, pay your entry fee, purchase your meats, seasonings, take or borrow a smoker(s), get your charcoal, travel to that contest and compete. This will be part of how you show “Mastery” of your craft by going outside your comfort zone.
Just like when you cooked with a team, you now get the full experience of being your own team, your own cook. This is where the real growth happens. You must have some “Skin” in the game to experience all sides and all aspects of being a MCBJ and calling yourself a “Master.” Then there will be verification paperwork completed and filled out by both you and the KCBS reps at your contest. Then you will send it in to KCBS. The final and last step will be to complete the continuing education courses know a the “J-Cup”. Once all this has been completed, you will earn your MCBJ status.
I know this all sounds wild and overwhelming. You might think “how can I do this or I don’t want to do this?” You might even think I (Francis) am out of my mind for even suggesting this path to becoming a MCBJ. I do truly believe this will make you a much better MCBJ in the long term. I guarantee there will be people willing help you figure it out. Especially me!
The BBQ community is full of people willing to help you succeed in your en devour to become a MCBJ. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it will be worth it in the end.
There are other fine points to be worked out for this whole process and I am working on them at a very regular pace in order to have a document that I can present to KCBS in the very, very near future.
The document will also outline and contain information of how to get current MCBJ’s up to speed for the final part of this path (cooking at backyard contest). In the mean time, all you MCBJ’s who have not taken the continuing education J-Cup series need to get busy and take those tests now! Even though they are not required, I believe they should be. They are great refresher of classes on judging. KCBS worked really hard to have these classes created because many, many judges and reps requested continuing education for CBJS.
Thank you for reading and I look forward to feedback on this particular article.
Please read my next article as it will be directly devoted to the continuing education modules created by KCBS for BBQ judges know as JCUP.
- FRANCIS