Cooking Class Swamp Boys Q School in FLA

Man there's a lot of classes out there right now! Here is a link to mine on Feb. 10-11: http://www.swampboys.com/wordpress/?p=530 I am a very active one man team cooking 25+ contests each year for the past 5 years, and placing 2nd, TOTY, TOTY, 4th, and 3rd in the FBA Team of the Year race for those 5 years. This is not a mega-class, it will be kept small so there can be lots of one on one interaction. I have over 23 years of teaching experience, 8 years of competition BBQ experience, 31 GC's and 24 RGC's. I've had people come in from Canada and almost 20 states to take it.

This is a techniques class and has produced and continues to produce lots of first time GCs, RGCs, category winners, etc. Read more about it at the link above.

This class is outside and lakefront; it should be a beautiful setting :becky: Come to Winter Haven in February and let's talk barbecue.

Wow, really?

First off you and your buddy stiffed me $100 on the class fee. You still owe me. I have never been cheated out of money in all of my dealings with BBQ people, hell – any people for that matter - so that tells me something right there.

The class was advertized as being outside, and it was stated again in my email to everyone who signed up. I can’t help that you showed up in shorts and a windbreaker and came unprepared. It did not snow the entire class. Friday was beautiful. Saturday it snowed. Yes it was cold, what a great teachable moment. We don’t always get to compete in ideal situations, we have to adapt and overcome. I figured if I, being born and raised in Florida, was doing fine in the cold that you northern guys were too. None of the women said anything to me about being uncomfortable. I am sorry that you were cold, but take responsibility for yourself and dress appropriately like the other 22 people were.

I was not unorganized. I flew in and I borrowed 95% of everything I used. Granted it was not at my fingertips as it is in my own trailer, but it was not unorganized.

My class has NEVER been advertized as a “tell all” or “recipes” class. I typically don’t give any of my recipes but since I was in another state where I don’t compete I decided to give the details and every step of my 1st place pork at The Jack, from injection to rub to sauce to presentation. That’s not on YouTube. Neither are the other half dozen to a dozen other unique things on top of everything else I’ve already mentioned to you. My class is a class to teach the winning techniques and methods that I use to put myself in the best position to win contests. And they work. A few of them may be common to those who compete regularly, so what? I bet there are more techniques in common among winning teams than not. It doesn’t make them basic or ineffective. It proves that they work. If you paid attention there was plenty in this class that you had never heard nor seen before for you to earn your money back within a contest or two.

As far as Rod’s, Trigg’s, or David’s classes go, I bet they are great. I know I would really enjoy taking any of them. There is always plenty to learn from people who are winners. But once you learn it, it's up to you to practice and use it and make it your own. Spend some time doing that.

I have taught over 115 people my Techniques class in the past year and a half, and you and your buddy are the only 2 unsatisfied students. That’s over a 98% satisfaction rating and I’ll take it, especially considering the source of the complaint.

You have my address, when are you going to pay the money you owe me?

There’s nothing funny about the $100 you stiffed me on. That makes you a crook. I sleep every night with a clear conscience knowing that I am honest; I give everything I say I will and then some. You on the other hand are a thief. When you guys gave me the folded bills it never crossed my mind to not trust you and count it. I folded it up and put it in my bag, and didn’t unpack for a couple of days. A word of warning to the other guys teaching classes – get and count the money up front from Big O’s.
You asked for a refund – I don’t do refunds. You signed up for the class, left early Friday, came back well over an hour late Saturday morning after apparently a wild Friday night, and left early Saturday. I held up my end of the deal. What you choose to take from it or use is up to you. I offered you both a free second class down here where it’s warm and you will be more comfortable. Take it or leave it.
You’re right; there are a lot of classes to choose from. I am humbled when people pick my class to spend their hard earned money on so I bust my butt to give them their money’s worth.
Kyle, Bob, Steve, Steve, and Roger - thanks for the good words of support, I appreciate you guys. Reputation, results, and word of mouth is what counts with classes. I want to keep my good standing.

And Steve/Porkerface, you're being modest. You didn't mention the RGC you just took a couple of weeks ago. :thumb: