Those are excellent observations Okie. But arriving at the solution is the hard part of this equation.
John
Well now,
My cookmates know where some of my sentiments lie,but the FBA makes a concerted effort to sample the public.
We all turn in a "peoples choice' butt for the public to sample and vote for their favorite.
It is up to the locals to decide if it is free for the public.
GOOD IDEA!
As said above,local health department rules.
Yes, it is good for the organizer to understand that the public wants to sample,but the health dept butt is often on the line.
My cookmates know where some of my sentiments lie,but the FBA makes a concerted effort to sample the public.
We all turn in a "peoples choice' butt for the public to sample and vote for their favorite.
It is up to the locals to decide if it is free for the public.
GOOD IDEA!
As said above,local health department rules.
Yes, it is good for the organizer to understand that the public wants to sample,but the health dept butt is often on the line.
Giving samples to the public is problem in many places around the country because of the Health dept rules and many cooking teams are not setup to meet regulations. As someone who organizies competitions we allow sampling to the public where we can and in almost every case we have someone serving the public that is in compliance with the local Health rules.
I personely have no problem with garnish,as stated with KCBS it is not needed. As the Rep that will running the competition Dale is cooking I will be very interested in seeing the results of the reaction of the judges. I believe new judges may find it easier not putting weight on garnish.
Jim
I personely have no problem with garnish,as stated with KCBS it is not needed. As the Rep that will running the competition Dale is cooking I will be very interested in seeing the results of the reaction of the judges. I believe new judges may find it easier not putting weight on garnish.
Jim
The points about samples to the public are valid, but I've also worked with Health Depts to allow it.
But it misses the point I made, what IS the point of the contest?
To pay the contestants and don't care if the public comes?
Make money for some organization only?
Make money for some charity?
I'd venture to say, if we don't cater somehow to the public that comes through the front door, then we're missing an opportunity for the sport to grow and become popular. I've talked to a LOT of public and can't tell how many times the comment is..."well, if that's all I get for my entry fee, it's a waste of my time and my money and I won't come back"
Can you tell I've got a Soap Box for sharing Public Knowledge at these events
But it misses the point I made, what IS the point of the contest?
To pay the contestants and don't care if the public comes?
Make money for some organization only?
Make money for some charity?
I'd venture to say, if we don't cater somehow to the public that comes through the front door, then we're missing an opportunity for the sport to grow and become popular. I've talked to a LOT of public and can't tell how many times the comment is..."well, if that's all I get for my entry fee, it's a waste of my time and my money and I won't come back"
Can you tell I've got a Soap Box for sharing Public Knowledge at these events
Russ
We almost always have a charity recieving the profits from vending. We try to find companys willing to donate meat and other supplies. Once a year we will as an organization, bank the proceeds help pay for the cost of running the business.
I have heard teams say that they want to cook and not have to deal with the public, I find that shorted sighted when it comes to the business of competitions. You have to give the sponsors exposure to the public or there is no reason for them to give the competition the money.
As a cooking team interacting with public goes along way showing the sponsors there money was well spent. The good news is many teams get it and our great with the crowds.
Setting up demo stages and giving samples to public goes a long ways towards making the public happy and it gets folks interested in what we do.
There is no one answer but working on involving the public needs to addressed at every competition.
Jim
We almost always have a charity recieving the profits from vending. We try to find companys willing to donate meat and other supplies. Once a year we will as an organization, bank the proceeds help pay for the cost of running the business.
I have heard teams say that they want to cook and not have to deal with the public, I find that shorted sighted when it comes to the business of competitions. You have to give the sponsors exposure to the public or there is no reason for them to give the competition the money.
As a cooking team interacting with public goes along way showing the sponsors there money was well spent. The good news is many teams get it and our great with the crowds.
Setting up demo stages and giving samples to public goes a long ways towards making the public happy and it gets folks interested in what we do.
There is no one answer but working on involving the public needs to addressed at every competition.
Jim
Seems to me that Peoples' Choice shows that Health Depts. are not a problem in a lot of places.
it has been one year almost since this thread was started.
i stated my opinion. which at that time was my honest appraisal.
after one years worth of experience and review i am coming to an understanding of what craig,ribdog and drbbq and others were pointing out to me and their reasons based on long experience. i am going to give the contest in starke a go since they need teams but after that i am going to do some soul searching for next year. we have always been dues paying members of the fba, kcbs and nbbqa since we feel that the promotion of bbq is paramount and well carried out by these organizations but it is hard for me to fathom that a double blind judging could be carried out when the judges can see the turn in area (as was the case at minneola) and since i was so vocal in my support of the fba i felt it was only honest and honorable to say at this point i feel that i have stood corrected
i stated my opinion. which at that time was my honest appraisal.
after one years worth of experience and review i am coming to an understanding of what craig,ribdog and drbbq and others were pointing out to me and their reasons based on long experience. i am going to give the contest in starke a go since they need teams but after that i am going to do some soul searching for next year. we have always been dues paying members of the fba, kcbs and nbbqa since we feel that the promotion of bbq is paramount and well carried out by these organizations but it is hard for me to fathom that a double blind judging could be carried out when the judges can see the turn in area (as was the case at minneola) and since i was so vocal in my support of the fba i felt it was only honest and honorable to say at this point i feel that i have stood corrected
Jack,
I don't see it that you stand corrected. I see it that you have modified or changed your opinion.
But it is especially big of you to come on the forum here and discuss this. Whether any of us are right, wrong, or have a different opinion, everyone is welcome to be here at this forum.
Take care.
I don't see it that you stand corrected. I see it that you have modified or changed your opinion.
But it is especially big of you to come on the forum here and discuss this. Whether any of us are right, wrong, or have a different opinion, everyone is welcome to be here at this forum.
Take care.
Hey Jack,
Good to see you and Peggy at Minneola. Anyway, just to shed a little light here. The turn-in, and judging area is really determined by the organizer. And, I have seen it either way (visable and not visable) at many contests (KCBS or FBA).
I hate to say this, but it really doesn't matter. I had a birds eye view of how they handled the boxes before they went back to the judges. They waited until all the boxes were there before they routed them to the tables (maybe an advantage to turn-in late). There is literally no way for the judges to know who's product they were getting as a result of being able to see the turn-in area.
Anyway, Clara is finally home, so we are on our way out the door heading to Douglas.
Good to see you and Peggy at Minneola. Anyway, just to shed a little light here. The turn-in, and judging area is really determined by the organizer. And, I have seen it either way (visable and not visable) at many contests (KCBS or FBA).
I hate to say this, but it really doesn't matter. I had a birds eye view of how they handled the boxes before they went back to the judges. They waited until all the boxes were there before they routed them to the tables (maybe an advantage to turn-in late). There is literally no way for the judges to know who's product they were getting as a result of being able to see the turn-in area.
Anyway, Clara is finally home, so we are on our way out the door heading to Douglas.
kevin,
good luck at douglas!!!!
thanks for making good rub
and thanks for all your good help to us even though you probably didn't know you were doing it!!!!!!!! i have always used you and clara as my standard for professionalism
ribdog,
thanks for the good words. coming from you i really appreciate them!!!!!!!
jack
good luck at douglas!!!!
thanks for making good rub
and thanks for all your good help to us even though you probably didn't know you were doing it!!!!!!!! i have always used you and clara as my standard for professionalism
ribdog,
thanks for the good words. coming from you i really appreciate them!!!!!!!
jack
Thanks for the comments, Jack.
They were good coming from a professional chef,who like many of us admits to still be learning.
I was taught, many years ago,that professionalism was attention to detail.
I echo John and Kevin's comments.
drbbq usually would input that "it isn't always doing wrong,but the perception of doing so,that upsets the cooks".
They were good coming from a professional chef,who like many of us admits to still be learning.
I was taught, many years ago,that professionalism was attention to detail.
I echo John and Kevin's comments.
drbbq usually would input that "it isn't always doing wrong,but the perception of doing so,that upsets the cooks".