New BBQ show sets Bristol alight
HIS weekend’s biggest ever barbecue party proved a real fire-starter for visitors, exhibitors and competitors alike and saw Bristol restaurant The Cowshed Bar and Grill take the crown in the ‘Napoleon King of the Grill’ competition.
Over 6,000 people visited Grillstock for the two-day festival of food, fire, music and meat in Bristol’s Harbourside. More than 240 kilos of quality British meat was smoked, basted, grilled and sampled by the public and two-tonnes of charcoal and wood was burnt by the ten barbecue teams and exhibitors. The appreciative audience consumed a total of 12,000 pints of English ale and cider while 23 fearless competitors downed a total of 652 chillies in the Fiery Foods chilli-eating contest!
Cowshed were worthy winners beating off weighty competition from the UK’s top pro and semi-pre BBQ teams including: UK champ Andy Annat aka Blazing Barbecues; Dr Sweetsmoke, who hails from California and now lives in Swindon; and Bodean’s – the top London BBQ restaurant. The team won a place in the BBQ World Championships in Memphis next May to represent the UK where the top prize is $100,000 and the all expenses trip for the whole team.
Adam Denton, owner was delighted: “We are absolutely thrilled to win – it came as a big surprise but just proves that by sticking to The Cowshed way – sourcing everything locally from the West Country, keeping it simple and being guided by taste – is a winning formula. We do all of these dishes in our restaurant (except the kangaroo – which was in the Mystery Round box) and the team know how to deliver great results every time.
Grillstock founder, John Finch said: “It was a fantastic weekend and proved a big hit with all our visitors. There was something for everyone but the real spectacle was the Grill Pit where the teams competed all weekend long cooking up some absolutely superb dishes, which were tasted and scrutinised by our professional team of judges headed by Ray Lampe aka Dr BBQ, the State’s top BBQ chef and TV personality.
“It was very close but The Cowshed Bar and Grill took the crown. Adam and his team delivered consistently great dishes in every round – they really demonstrated creativity, quality and flavour from the BBQ wowing our judges and visitors who enjoyed the chance to sample all of the teams dishes and vote for themselves.”
Sponsors and exhibitors were already booking up for next year so Bristol can expect an even bigger Grillstock festival next year. Check the website www.grillstock.co.uk for a taste of Grillstock and view hundreds of pictures from the weekend – you can almost smell the smoke.
Ends.
The Cowshed, Grillstock Winner 2010
Photo from left to right: Ian Wheatley, MD of Napoleon Grills congratulating the BBQ team from The Cowshed Bar and Grill – Catherine Andersson, General Manager Mikael Georgelin, Head Chef Jethro Lawrence and owner Adam Denton. The team won a place in the BBQ World Championships in Memphis next May to represent the UK where the top prize is $100,000 and the all expenses trip for the whole team.