Attention So-Cal Brethren!!!

I would love to, but have to work that weekend. Since I have to switch with someone to move end of the month, I am commited. I may be able to swing through after work on 4/16 to say, hi,m and cheer on the sucess of the brethren

Go find the Mandalay Bay train wreck from October!

That will show you what happens with a cattle call attempt at a cook team.

If I were you I'd plan on going just to see what's up.

I lucked out when Tim and I hooked up last year - but it took months of planning and coordination before our first cookoff.

Just my $.02 worth - your mileage may vary! :mrgreen:

A relatively short list of things to consider:

Who's paying the fees?
Who's in charge?

Things to bring:

Cooker(s)
Charcoal
Wood
Fire extinguisher
How to light the wood/charcoal
Bus tubs for sinks
Hot water?
Table(s)
Canopy(s)
Chairs
Meat
Ice
Ice Chests - 1 for meat, 1 for ice, 1 for drinks, 1 dry for holding meat, etc.
seasonings - who's rub are you using - extra salt, sugar, turbinado sugar, etc.
foil
plastic wrap
storage bags
breakfast food
munchies
beer/water/sodas
dish washing stuff
hand washing stuff
tongs/spatulas
coffee maker and makings

Where are you sleeping - are you sleeping. Who is responsible for lighting off the cooker(s). Who must be at the cook's meeting - who's the team captain? (this can be different than who's in charge!)

And so on.

Maybe we just over planned the first time and Tim and I can certainly throw together a team in a hurry now - but with "new" members and not having had all the stuff together you guys would really need to hump to make it in two weeks.

Phil and company have done it but only because Phil has all the crap in his carport! When I cooked with him in NJ I flew into Long Island on Thursday - we picked up the trailer and made a Costco run. I sorted and loaded stuff on the trailer while he and James were strapping down the BYC. We didn't get to Asbury Park until nearly mid-night and setup Friday morning. But, we could do this because he already had the crap ready (sort of!). We still hit Costco at home and then twice more in NJ. After doing this once you guys will be able to throw a team together too - I don't think Phil has cooked with the same team twice!

Now, these are just my thoughts. You guys can certainly make it happen but you'd have to straighten out who's paying what and when and then start exchanging checklists - if everyone is supposed to bring some things to the team.

One more thing:

A cook team IS NOT a democracy!

You'll need a captain and that's usually the one that's paying the bills. Also, the captain is THE FINAL word on what happens - what gets turned in, etc.

At NJ Rob and I could have a say but Phil was THE FINAL word on what got turned in and how it was cooked.

Tim and I have cooked together enough now that we defer to one another now and then. He usually makes pit decisions and I do the seasoning and set the times. We discuss turn-ins and usually come to a mutual decision.

Again, these are just my thoughts.

I wish you guys would get a team together for the contest in SoCal and surrounding environ.

I'm out. Hosting a party Saturday night. Would love to have gone.

Bigmista said:

Guess it's just too close. There is another one later in the year. maybe we can all get together on that one.

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Good idea. That's what KC and I decided. It is better to have good plans in advance, rather than try to put something together last minute, or in our case, when things were just not coming into place.

What are the dates for that one?