How much does it cost to get into competitive cooking?

[Podge]

It was sort of bottom feeding, but 3 weeks ago we left the $45k rig + truck at home and took 3 UDS' and 1 EZ Up to a 10 team KCBS event. Arrived at 6am Saturday and won.

only 'cuz yer a hell of a cook.. other people's results may vary..

 

[jbrink01]

Thanks Podge. There were a few strong teams we had to overcome and the judges were CBJ's.....:roll:

I guess total equipment cost was $500?? Used the truck tailgate for a table.

 

[indianagriller]

It was sort of bottom feeding, but 3 weeks ago we left the $45k rig + truck at home and took 3 UDS' and 1 EZ Up to a 10 team KCBS event. Arrived at 6am Saturday and won.

I was afraid you were going to do the same at Jasper...:wink:

 

[jbrink01]

I was afraid you were going to do the same at Jasper...:wink:

Nope. I thought I had good chicken, and when it didn't get called I figured I was out. Rib call was cool, but the judges didn't like the rest. 16th O/A.

 

[CBQ]

My buddy Chris with Dizzy Pig hauls 7 Big Green Eggs to every contest in an enclosed trailer. I've helped him load & unload those suckers many times. Dont let that hold you back if you already have the equipment.

As far as I know he's never broken one. We were in a nasty wind storm in Covington, VA about a month ago and several UDS's were trashed. The Eggs held their ground fine.

What a sharp looking background photo :becky:

There is something to be said for using a cooker you already know, so moving your Egg is certainly something to consider.

There are a lot of nice options if your budget is 2K. Backwoods (Party or Fatboy are big enough for a KCBS comp), or a fleet of Weber Smokey Mountains would be my recommendation.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Start up costs never stop lol. You gotta have more, bigger or better.

I started last year with unsanctioned contests and at first one had a basic 93 Dakota truck. A Big steel keg and an 18 WSM. I bought a canopy(no lights) and a table and the biggest ice chest I could find. I also made sure I had 3 wash bins. Then my next unsanctioned. I added another cooler, lights,table, pellet grill.

Then this year I have done 3 KCBS and 1 unsanctioned. I had to get a bigger truck another WSM(22) 2 BBQ Guru Party Q another cooler and another table and a 2nd canopy.

I still have 1 more unsanctioned contest this year but then I am done this year because I think I am just starting out and I know I have to buy more things starting out. A camper or trailer, decent knives, cambro,and a good class, etc etc etc......i dont think it ever stops.

 

[Balls Casten]

How many contests are you planning on doing?
To us ... That's where the costs come in.

 

[GreenDrake]

Start up costs never stop lol. You gotta have more, bigger or better.

I started last year with unsanctioned contests and at first one had a basic 93 Dakota truck. A Big steel keg and an 18 WSM. I bought a canopy(no lights) and a table and the biggest ice chest I could find. I also made sure I had 3 wash bins. Then my next unsanctioned. I added another cooler, lights,table, pellet grill.

Then this year I have done 3 KCBS and 1 unsanctioned. I had to get a bigger truck another WSM(22) 2 BBQ Guru Party Q another cooler and another table and a 2nd canopy.

I still have 1 more unsanctioned contest this year but then I am done this year because I think I am just starting out and I know I have to buy more things starting out. A camper or trailer, decent knives, cambro,and a good class, etc etc etc......i dont think it ever stops.

Bingo. It never stops. I have four pits out in my "meat manger" now and am looking hard at a R&O Fat Girl or Pitmaker. You always find more stuff you need but our comp kitchen is pared down to the essentials now, which is nice. I am trying to get it down even more, makes packin easier. I have an old dual door truck pickup box I can get most everything into now, plus ez up, coolers, banners, lights and all the other paraphernalia we tend to bring along for comps.

 

[Candy Sue]

In 2004, I started out with a Tucker behind pickup with shell over the bed. A couple of tables, a Carlisle and a LaFuma recliner. Moved to a FEC100, which I laid on it's back in the pickup and loaded stuff around it. Got a trailer, another FEC100, a Fatboy, a bigger truck. Biggest advantage to the trailer is it made setup/take down much easier and faster. Disadvantages -- fuel consumption and you can carry more stuff you don't need. When I got the Geer Pit converted to burn pellets (not Jambo one of the first 20 something pits that Jamie made), I went back to cooking out of the back of the pickup truck. Got lucky in 2009 and won a GC, took my prize money and made a down payment on a class B van. I love traveling and cooking out of this setup, but I think I sleep too well based on my results. Point is, you can cook contests and do well as simple or as complex as you can afford. That's the beauty of blind judging! If your food is worthly, what you use to get it there can be anything legal from an UDS to a WSM to a Jambo.