Festival chairman Chuck Britton said he was so pleased the girls were going to be part of the excitement at this year’s event that he invited them to participate further by taking one of the hourly slots at the cooking demo tent, where festivalgoers gather to get cooking tips from the experts.
“They obviously have some sound techniques, and we are happy to encourage them,” he said.
High praise for the young team came from BBQ veteran Jim Tabb, who founded the Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival 19 years ago.
“They did so well at that youth contest,” he said, “and I am so proud that they have enough nerve to tackle our competition. It is so good to see young people get involved in cooking – it’s something they can hang onto for a lifetime.”
When he learned the young cookers planned to enter the whole hog event, Tabb said, “I am really shocked that they would do that – shocked in a pleasant way,” he quickly added. “I don’t know of a team that young ever taking on such a challenge.”
Tabb was present at the event last October when Allison and Madison first competed, along with Mike Mills, known as “The Legend” for his many BBQ championships. The event was licensed by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and judged by its rules.
The two dads will be part of the Hogs & Kisses team when their daughters compete at Tryon, but they insist they’ll just be in the background, as they were at the Future Legends event.
“All we do is stoke the fire and help cut the meat – the cooking is strictly left up to the girls,” Hembree said.
– article submitted
by Brenda Bradshaw