Competition Classes... What Makes a Class a Value?

Leatherheadiowa

Leatherheadiowa

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I have seen a great deal of advertisements for compeition classes in the last few weeks and for someone that has never been to one because of the costs and the timing, can someone answer the following?

* Do the people that put these classes on share ALL of their secrets?

* What makes a class that costs $1000 better than a $650 class, better than a $375 class?

* Classes taught by teams that haven't won or been competitive in the last few years seem to forget to realize people want to know what is winning now. Do the classes run by teams that aren't as successful recently help today's cooks?

* What are some ways people should judge which class they should go to before spending their money?
 
Results matter
When you know who took what where
and practiced what was presented
You know where you want to go
 
Last edited:
BJ, its funny you asked, myself and IowaWildhogs just had this same conversation minutes ago on the phone. To me one of the reasons I would like to take classes is the opportunity to learn a different approach with a more hands on approach. Then if I am doing something wrong to be critiqued by someone that knows what they are doing. My family and buddies might be saying what I am doing is great but yet at a contest might not do worth a darn. But someone that has been successful could give me valuable info.

I think the internet is a fantastic thing for learning but nothing beats a hands on approach. I dont know about secrets but to be honest I am more worried about techniques.

This year I did 2 classes but neither of which were on competition BBQ. I did the Iowa BBQ Society spring training and learned a bit and the price was reasonable but it was in a classroom setting. Another class I took was basic BBQing techniques and wasnt too much but like I say neither was on the Competition aspect.

I am going to try to take a competition class this year and how I will determine which one I do is by location and or the instructors and price. A few other things I will look at but wont be as important is stuff like 1 day or 2 and the kind of cookers used because certain techniques may work great with one kind of cooker but may not work the same way with what I have and then I spent so much money to not help that much.
 
Myron Mixon holds competition classes. If I'm not mistaken, he charges $175 for the hands on class. The man has won a mountain pile of awards so he would be worth listening to. Johnny Trigg used to hold classes.
 
SouthernMagicBBQ said:
Myron Mixon holds competition classes. If I'm not mistaken, he charges $175 for the hands on class. The man has won a mountain pile of awards so he would be worth listening to. Johnny Trigg used to hold classes.
Click to expand...



From Myron's web site:

Starting at: $750.00
January 20th to 22nd, 2012
Jack's Old South Cooking School will be held at my home in Unadilla, Georgia. There will be a meet and greet dinner on Friday January 20th at night, and the class starts at 9:00am on Saturday, January 21st with Whole Hog. We'll then move on to Ribs, Chicken, Brisket, and Pork. The class will end on Sunday, January 22nd at 3:00pm. The school will be run as close as possible to a contest format. So, come over to my house and let's cook a little Q! See you there! ... Myron


His BBQ Memories class is $1500.00
 
What makes a class good to me

I think a true example of what the instructor is winning with. When I took Myron's class I had the ablility to be around Myron at contests after taking his class. He did the same thing at the competition as he taught in the class. To me seeing and tasting a winning product is what make it worth the money. If the teacher is not willing to show how he cooks and what he is using to achieve the product then the class has no value.
 
Great thread!! I would like to hear some opinions of those that have taken some different classes and if they would do it again.
 
To me, the value of a class is based on what you get out of it rather than the price. If you spend $1,000 on a class that talks mainly about how to use the hottest new stickburner and you are a drumhead, you may get less out of the class than a $100 class dedicated to cooking on a drum. It also depends on how well the instructor presents the material and how well they can make it understandable.
 
After cooking agianst Tuffy and watching him mess with his pit I think I am gonna hold a fire managment class:becky:
 
Great thread and I am biased...I produce Johnny Trigg's California classes and we just finished the second sold out one.

Some whisper that Johnny only won one GC this year so why take his class? I could go into a bunch of reasons why Johnny doesn't win more...maybe a little old school...blah blah blah but I believe that if he didn't spend way too much time at comps with his fellow cooks answering questions...posing for pics, signing autographs for the fans... getting carried away telling stories he stlll could win more often.

Johnny has won over 100 GC's...certainly someone can pick up something from that experience. I know that 4 out of the 20 cooks at the last class won their first GC's...Big Poppa Smokers won it's first one the week after the class.

Classes have accelerated the quality of cooks...made it tougher for more of the cooks who teach....some of the great cooks aren't ready to share their secrets.....some charge a lot of money and dont tell all of their recipes and techniques.

There is always one cook at the class that when it comes time for the food to be tasted is judging....That is funny for all of us...The Teacher is teaching first...cooking second. They have the pit open way more...the timeline is interrupted all the time....It isnt a private meal...its a class. That being said...Johnny is amazing at how much energy he gives...including his cell phone number to all class participants and works the room for 22 hours our of the 24. He is the 73 year old energizer bunny.

Lets not forget Trish either....the rock.
 
I attended Trigg 1 at BP
The limited class size was central to why the class works so well
You really get to talk and connect with the Triggs
My experience changed much of what I do in catering and the few comps I cook
And the hospitably of the Big Poppa Crew was top notch making for a great weekend

The first question on a class should be who is leading ?
and second how many max will be there ?
 
Big Poppa said:
Great thread and I am biased...I produce Johnny Trigg's California classes and we just finished the second sold out one.

Some whisper that Johnny only won one GC this year so why take his class? I could go into a bunch of reasons why Johnny doesn't win more...maybe a little old school...blah blah blah but I believe that if he didn't spend way too much time at comps with his fellow cooks answering questions...posing for pics, signing autographs for the fans... getting carried away telling stories he stlll could win more often.

Johnny has won over 100 GC's...certainly someone can pick up something from that experience. I know that 4 out of the 20 cooks at the last class won their first GC's...Big Poppa Smokers won it's first one the week after the class.

Classes have accelerated the quality of cooks...made it tougher for more of the cooks who teach....some of the great cooks aren't ready to share their secrets.....some charge a lot of money and dont tell all of their recipes and techniques.

There is always one cook at the class that when it comes time for the food to be tasted is judging....That is funny for all of us...The Teacher is teaching first...cooking second. They have the pit open way more...the timeline is interrupted all the time....It isnt a private meal...its a class. That being said...Johnny is amazing at how much energy he gives...including his cell phone number to all class participants and works the room for 22 hours our of the 24. He is the 73 year old energizer bunny.

Lets not forget Trish either....the rock.
Click to expand...

I've heard some of those things about Johnny. My usual response is that he can challenge for GC just about any time that he wants to. If somebody starts the smack talk he can honestly tell most people that he has won more contests than they have cooked, and he has. He's 73 and still cooking. I can only dream of being out there like he is in 27 years.

The gold isn't in his recipes, it's in his thought process, attention to detail, and experience. Ask him any question you want, but remember that it's your responsibility to deal with it whether you like it or not. He's not shy about speaking his mind:becky::becky: People that know him much better than I, have told me that he's been having the time of his life the last several years. I'm glad, because he's earned it.
 
I've got to chime in on this one. I'll admit that on the 4 hr flight to LAX early this year I was thinking "This has to be one of the DUMBEST things I've done in my life". It turned out to be an awsome time!
Sterling's set up is second to none! Johnny's stories are worth the entry fee alone.
As far as what classes to take I say any and all. You can't put a value on them. I've posted this before but I had a little over $2k (travel included) in Plowboy-Butcher and Triggs classes last winter. From what I learned and incorporated into what I was already doing earned me over $21k this year and 20 consecutive comps that I cashed a check. I'm not trying to brag here. I'm just sayin that if you want to win you've got to see & learn what the top guys are doing.
Am I going to take more classes? H3LL yes.:thumb:........rant over.:tsk:
 
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