Who was your inspiration?

Cooking: My parents. Although when I had a question I usually asked my Dad.

Professional cooking: The Executive chef and the other Sous chefs I worked with at the Holiday Inn.

BBQ overall: My Dad. An original "low and slow" kind of barbeque technique.

Competition BBQ: Ford (member) Scottie (member)

Maintaining Inspiration or addiction: Cooking as much as I can and attending all the cook offs possible.

BBQ my father although in his later years eating his food was challenging.
Competition BBQ- my sons and a friend of my sons- The team
Maitaining Inspiration- having fun with my team and the Brethren- what a great group of people

Who was your inspiration?

Cooking: Mom. She cooked at a hunting lodge close to my house owned by Ralston Purina, and host to Senators, Dignitariea and the Busch (beer) family. I would get off the school bus there and wait in the kitchen for her to finish work.

Professional cooking: See above. Mom

BBQ overall: My dad. His sucked and I wanted better.....

Competition BBQ: I wanna be a Plowboy!

Maintaining Inspiration or addiction: Goerge, Abe, Jackson and Franklin....$$$$

Cooking: Mom and Aunt Jennie. Both are gone but never forgotten.

Professional: Most anyone of FoodTV. Almost

BBQ overall: Have to give that one to Poo Bah. Before I joined this site, I was just a griller.

Comp BBQ: John Atkins with Pigs on the Run (Member here)

Maintaining Inspiration: Brethren

Who was my inspiration?

Cooking: Me. When I moved out (of my parents house) it became a "Cook or Die" scenario.

Professional cooking: None. I have never cooked professionally, nor do I see it in my future.

BBQ overall: Again, none. I decided I was going to learn how to do it, and I did. I had things pretty well figured out and turned out some great food. Finding the Brethren has just made it better.

Competition BBQ: RonL, Parrothead, Pimpsmoke were the first guys I ever met at a comp or cooked with at a comp. That first trip to Libertyville and all of the fun I had set the hook. I have only competed once, and Pimp was on my team. We did well for our first comp. Papa Hogg, Coz, ZBQ, BBQBubba, Curt, Spydermike, SmokeandBeer, Divemaster, ChineseBob, Patrick, and all of the guys who were at A Pretty Good BBQ (sorry if I forgot anyone) gave me just enough encouragement to cement my resolve and to do a comp.

Maintaining Inspiration or addiction: The BBQ Brethren. Absolutely the finest group of people one could hope to know. Great people and great cooks.

Cooking: My Grandmother. She had a clandestine catering operation. Friends would buy the food and she would cook for their parties. You could never go to her house when there wasn't food cooking.

BBQ: Started out as my own inspiration. I knew I liked BBQ, but knew there had to be something better than Chili's and Tony Romas. I struggled for quite a long time until I found some boards and started reading.

Maintaning Inspiration: Definately the Brethren. Seeing what all the guys here cook makes me want to fire up every chance I get.

I hope to one day be able to compete, but I am not geographically in the best area for it.

Cooking: My mom, my dad, then my grandparents on dad's side, then grandma on mom's side, grandpa on mom's side didn't cook, but he did teach me some valuable lessons in work ethic by getting my arse outta the house in the summer to go help him cut lawns and stuff.

Professional: Emeril.........Didn't know any professional cooks and his show was the first that really got me looking at how expansive food can really be.

BBQ: Me and the internet, I guess. Dad's a beast on the grill, but no one in the family ever really did slow and low in a pit until I bought one and self taught myself along with all the help from the internet and countless board members everywhere that took the time to answer all my newbie questions. Still learning to this day though. (Brethren Mod)

Competition: Never really done it outside of a few grilling contests with Dad years ago. Actually took 3rd place overall one year. I'd say Dad, just cause he's a fierce comeptitor.

Maintaining.......................Everyone here!

Who was your inspiration?

Cooking: My wife (Bride of Roo(B-Q'n) Grew up in a large family and most meals were about the caliber of a school cafeteria. Wasn't until I started dating Char that I really figured out their was a lot of good food out thier and she knew how to cook it.

Professional cooking: Never really cooked with a pro before, but as we are now catering, I could say my wife.

BBQ overall: Like most I started out by myself and found this place and have learned alot from many of you.

Competition BBQ: Char- Bride of Roo (B-Q'n) (Member), Scott - We'll Smoke U (Member), Andy - Smoke on Wheels (Member), Todd - Plowboy (Member), Pat - Dirty Pig BBQ (Member here known as Pat)

Maintaining Inspiration or addiction: I would say many members here inspire me, but then again I have to go back to my go to gal my wife, who inspires me in many aspects of my life just not cooking.

cooking , my dad Comp cooking my partner firewagon and my chief together we have acomplished much in a shoet amount of time!!!

Cooking: Both parents (my Dad's love of liter fluid on the kingsford, LOL!)

Professional Cooking: Home Ec in high school???

BBQ Overall: My brother Al

Competition BBQ: Paul Kirk. Taking his class this summer made me realize that we really were ready for the next step. WOW!

Maintaining Inspiration: definitely this site and the fact my husband and I have an absolute blast doing it together.

Cooking - Lita Thomas, my dad's mother. In those days I could not be in the kitchen, had to sit outside on a stool and look in. I was 6 or so. My sister, twins, hated cooking but where charged with it. First thing I cooked for grandma alone at 6 or so was vienna sausages in BBQ sauce. When she died, and my sisters went to college, the microwave dad got went on the kitchen table and we never ate meals there anymore... always on TV trays. Eventually, as a 12 year old, I began to cook... my father, still upset over my grandmother dying, and My mom could never cook anything like her, my father came home and started bitching about the mess in the kitchen. He sat down and tasted my roast (which I had remembered how Grandma fixed it from year back watching)... My father cried. I never saw him cry before or ever til he passed. I had nailed her roast the first try. He just cried and left the kitchen with tears in his eyes. From then on it was, "Pat (my mother) can you fix me some (this or that) not how you make it but how Donnie makes it.

Professional Cooking - Justin Williams, Paula deen and someone I have worked with Susan Suput. Simplicity.

BBQ Overall - Busing and tabling for Rick Schmidt and Nena Sells before the split.

Competition BBQ - Barbara Milroy, Denton Texas (1984 to 1992) Hands down. I doubt anyone here knows who that is.

Maintaining Inspiration - My music....Soul, funk, and Rythm and Blues and the heat I get here. If I am ruffling feathers I know I am pointed in the right direction as far as my business. If I wanted to compete anymore maybe I'd be different... but I am focused on feeding my family and my clients first.

Cooking-My Mom. She could always whip up something outta nothing. It was always tasty.

Professional Cook-Emiril. He just makes cooking fun. He makes it seem like I, the mere, mortal, could prepare meals that would rival 5 Star Chefs.

BBQ Overall-My FIL. He nailed the whole lifestyle of BBQ that I enjoy today. He once told me BBQ isn't a food type, it's a place. A place to tend the fire, and enjoy life, music and drink.

Competition BBQ-The Paulsen Inc BBQ Team. My company team introduced me to the sport a few years back. I was a pit bitch, and beer boy. Now, I pretty much hold the reins. But, if my boss didn't know good BBQ, I may not be competing right know.

Maintaining Inspiration- The BBQ Brethren. However, Wyatt is the one that inspires me most. His ideas about doing things are fresh, and he's always willing to experiment.He lets me know if I'm in a rut.

Cooking: My grandmother on my mom's side. When she was alive she was the best cook I know. I liked helping her cook. I also used to watch cooking shows with her.

BBQ: My dad bought a smoker and I saw how much he and my brother enjoyed it.

BBQ comp: Havin fun with my team and meeting new people. And the small possibility of getting called.

Continuous inspiration: seeing the joy on peoples face when they try our Q.

What got me started? ;>-

Inspiration; this could be a very interesting thread


Cooking : Mom,Pop(although his tended to be rather rustic),GranMa and Aunt Hazel(for her Hazel Taters and my first ever Calf Fries).

Professional: My friends and colleagues at Maumee Vally Chefs Assoc.,The French Quarter for granting me the privilage of cooking for them,and not to be forgotten-Ray&Jet's Cafe in Genoa(man what a party-HOT AUGUST TONGUE! 1999 :arrow: (Trish and I put the whole thing together:wink

BBQ Overall: Homer Page (for taking an 18y/o dummy under his wing and teaching me how to really BBQ)

Compitition: Haven't had the chance to go there,want to, can't afford it:-?

Maintaining my Inspiration:My family,friends,neighbors (I've got 'em all fooled)LMAO and the high spirited hyjinks of the Brethern here...

THANKS-

Cooking: My mom and her mom.

Professional cooking: Friends. "Hey, you should open a restaurant!"

BBQ overall: The results. Tastes so good!

Competition BBQ: No inspiration here. Not in an area where I even have a chance to do this.

Maintaining Inspiration or addiction: The Internet ... writing and reading. Certainly here and many blogs.

barbefunkoramaque said:

Competition BBQ - Barbara Milroy, Denton Texas (1984 to 1992) Hands down. I doubt anyone here knows who that is.

Click to expand...

Barbara and Bill Milroy, Texas Rib Rangers.


But i don't know that.. I'm a Northeastener.
:mrgreen:sorry.
couldnt resist.

off to my room now.

Ironically it was a "grilling" book by steven rachelin - How to Grill... where I cooked my first indirect pork shoulder. Really put me over the edge to get into real barbecuing - Now I have 2 smokers and am competing! Loving it.

overall cooking....my mother and grandmother....they were excellent cooks/bakers
outdoor cooking my grandfather....rotisserie pigs, porkchops, homemade sausage

BBQchef33 said:

Barbara and Bill Milroy, Texas Rib Rangers.


But i don't know that.. I'm a Northeastener.
:mrgreen:sorry.
couldnt resist.

off to my room now.

Click to expand...

Beat me to it Phil!! Of course I am in the Great Lakes region are we in the same boat as the Northeasterners ?? :biggrin::biggrin: OK I am going back to bed!!