Come rain or shine the stage is set for the 4th Annual Smokin’ Hot BBQ Competition at which defending champions Da Snapper Crew (DSC) and inaugural competition winner Bahama BarB King will be looking to add additional titles and bragging rights to their portfolios with their return in search of another victory. And a portion of the approximate $2,450 prize purse won’t hurt either.
The Smoking Hot BBQ competition winner will receive a paid team entry to the 10th Annual Smokin' Hot BBQ in Puerto Rico, February 2017, and be invited to represent Nassau in one of the top three BBQ competitions in the world -- The Jack Daniel's World Invitational, The Kansas City Royal, or Memphis in May 2016.
DSC is going into the Nassau competition fresh off a sixth place overall finish in Puerto Rico in February. They competed in a field of six Grand Champions from the United States and seven Grand Champion teams from Puerto Rico.
Approximately 20 teams have to date registered for the Nassau competition, with another few teams expected teams expected to register ahead of the competition according to Mike Compton, president and founder of the Caribbean BBQ Association and president of Smoking Hot Ventures LLC.
"[Patrons] will see some of the best BBQ cooked anywhere in the Caribbean cooked right here in Nassau. You guys have some really good cooks who have come a long way in the four years that we've been here working," said Compton.
Over 3,000 pounds of chicken, ribs, pork and brisket will be up for sampling at the competition that will be held this year on Sunday, April 17, at its new site at Club Waterloo, East Bay Street, to avoid clashing with the Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational. The BBQ competition will be held between 12 noon and 7 p.m.
Grill masters will vie for the titles and their purses of Grand Champion ($600), Reserve Champion ($500) and $300 third place prize.
Category breakdowns show $50 for first place, $40 for second, $30 for third, $20 for a fourth place showing and $10 for a fifth place finish.
Showmanship awards are $100 for first, $750 for second and $50 for third; hamburger purses are $100 first, $75 second and $50 third.
Compton was also pleased at the return of the Culinary Hospitality Management Institute's (CHMI) culinary department who he said have done a wonderful tasting station in the past and are expected to put a good foot forward again this year.
"The students over there are so hungry to learn and did an excellent job last year and are coming back. These guys do a wonderful tasting station. They have hamburgers, hot dogs, polish sausage sandwiches with grilled onions and peppers. They cook about 200 pounds of chicken and 300 pounds of pork shoulder. They make great BBQ that they're giving out to the public all day long, in addition to the teams that are cooking and do that also," he said.
According to the Caribbean BBQ Association founder, the Nassau leg of the competition is important as they build the BBQ circuit around the Caribbean.
"It just adds strength and validity to the program when you get a good one started and you're able to keep it running and carry on," he said.
Shavaughn Moss
Guardian Lifestyles Editor
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