HELP! New member about to host first big BBQ & sincerely appreciate your advice

Bbqlou, these will be short answers. I am on my phone and won't have Internet until next week. If you need something more PM me and I'll get you my phone number.

I like the weed burn, but find one with a shorter hose. Check out Harbor Freight. Their's are cheaper. I would also have a chimney on hand. Makes it easier to add out coals.

If you use regular charcoal, I would get chips and add as needed. They are easier to spread around. I personally prefer lump, but you will have to make that call.

With what you are cooking, you will need both, the longer, the better. The spatula for the fruit, mushrooms and burgers that will stick. Keep an oil soaked rag in a pan to run across the grates. This will help to keep things from sticking most of the time.

I would get several waterproof containers if you are using ice. You may consider dry ice. It won't take much to keep things cold.

Let me know if you need anything else.

I have soft, fancy hands now, so I like to wrap the oil soaked rag around a long spatula or stick, so I am not reaching over the grill and getting burned. I prefer a good pair of neoprene or PVC chemical gloves for handling hottish things, but, use the non-latex food service gloves for handling most foods. Long, heavy duty spatula will keep you happier, if you can get one from a restaurant supply store, do it, those things are rock solid, your hands will be happier. Same with tongs, the longer you buy, the stiffer and heavier you want. But, check the spring rate, you want a Goldilocks pair, just right for you.

I love County Restaurant Supply in San Mateo, if you can make time to get there, you will find the best prices for the highest quality products. I get my service tubs, food storage tubs, squirt bottles, cooking implements from there. Love that place.

Also, you will want a lot of towels, when you are serving food to others, there is never a good time for a dirty rag. Another thing that I always liked, and am sad to see is no longer the practice, wear a clean hat that covers your head. There was actually a reason chefs used to have to wear hats, it makes for a cleaner look, and you won't accidentally touch your hair while cooking.

My 2 cents in no particular order.

1) Ok maybe food safety course first order of business.

2) Document your food temps hourly on a clip board/notepad, it will go a long way with health inspectors. Also ice should be packed in layers throughout not just top and bottom of food.

3) we have found that cooking burgers in advance is best when dealing with concessions and potentially long lines. To keep them from drying out we take them off grill surface at about 140 deg and finish in a pan mixed with water and onion soup mix. This also adds a great flavor and they will be moist 4 hrs later.

4) It may be an east coast thing but here I'm lucky if I sell 1 veggie/bean burger a day. One day I sold 3 and thought I was a good day.

5) burgers where to buy? restaurant depot is the best place here for quality and price if you want to pick up yourself. Premade 80/20 frozen patties are $29 for 10 lbs. We prefer 1/4 lb patties at 40 per case. 4/5 oz are available too

6) cook from frozen state, they won't fall apart.

7) if you sell several different items like hamburger, hotdogs, veggie burgers, drinks and so on use of an ipad with free square app is very nice even if you don't take credit cards. This will allow you to run reports and determine what sells best, what time of day is busiest, cash management and several other options all for FREE!

8) hotdogs we cook some in advance as well and throw in a pan with enough water to steam and keep from sticking then cook more to stay ahead as needed.

9) Pulled Pork? while it may not sell as well in CA as it does here you may want to consider it. If you are smoking and pulling pork yourself you might find it to be more profitable. We find the price per lb of pork to be about $0.70 per lb cheaper than burger and yeld 6 servings per lb verses 4 @ 1/4 lb burgers. This equates to a min of $16 more profit per lb because of higher unit price and 2 extra servings.

Hope this helps..

Pulled Pork sells great out here. You need a better than cheap white bun though, and cole slaw is a huge risk, lots of folks get angry with cole slaw on the sandwich.

I had a friend who got two sandwiches literally thrown in his face by an irate customer.