For the estimated 16,000 rib lovers who made the pilgrimage to San Juan Bautista on May 16-17, the journey was more than worthwhile.
Visiting residents immediately were enveloped in a drifting cloud bank of smoke comprised of a sweet-smelling bouquet of hot kettle corn and barbecue sauce, then a twinge of nostalgia with Patty Kistner Band performing Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville.
This was barbecue nirvana.
Jason Williams is a former actor who, after three-years in reality TV, said he was pulled back into the family-run business, Williams Ltd., the event promoter headquartered in Reno, NV. He said he looks forward to coming back twice a year to San Juan Bautista for the rib cook-offs.
“We’ve been doing different types of events in San Juan Bautista for about 30 years and rib cook-offs since 2008,” he said.
Williams’ dad in the 1970s was an exhibitor at craft shows and a couple of people came to him about starting an event. He held his first craft show in Idyllwild and it grew from there. While the Reno/Tahoe Nugget Rib Cook-Off can attract as many as half a million people, Williams said he enjoys the smaller venue in San Juan Bautista because everyone knows each other.
“San Juan Bautista is probably one of the most popular places for rib cookers to go and have the bragging rights if they win there,” Williams said. “It’s something that they really covet. They take it seriously.”
Williams said the competitors also enjoy coming to San Juan Bautista for the town’s charm and reputation. “If you go to Sparks on Labor Day for the rib cook-off, you see the SJB banners and trophies, and they’re bragging about winning there,” he said.
According to the New Yorker, because of American’s obsession with food, barbecue gadgets and reality cooking shows like Pitmasters, semi-pro barbecue events are expanding at a rate of about 25 percent per year, with over 500 events nationwide. Besides the money on sales of ribs, they sell their own branded sauces and rubs. But the big money comes from Sam’s Club, which supports a 31-stop competition in its stores’ parking lots.
Known as barbecue tourism, hundreds of thousands will travel untold miles to savor their favorite meats, as well as to hobnob with pitmasters, some of whom have reached celebrity status as they travel a circuit called the BBQ trail.
In San Juan Bautista there are plenty of banners and trophies, but no prize money. In fact, the rib cookers pay a fee to be there, but most say it’s more about the bragging rights and spending time with good friends.
Six teams began setting up for the two-day event well before sunrise.
“We’ve been here since 2 a.m., getting the grill started,” said Matthew Cole, pitmaster for San Juan Bautista-based Mansmith’s Gourmet. “This is a business and we try to win the competition, but win or lose, we come out here and try to have some fun.”
Before the first of the barbecue tourist had arrived, Mansmith’s crew was cooking some 1,200 pounds of ribs and tri-tip for sandwiches. Cole said Mansmith’s was originally a spice company. “Mike Mansmith started it about 20 years ago,” he said. “Then we started putting spices on tri-tip and selling off the grill and it turned into a barbecue company.”
While Cole may have thought Mansmith’s had the home field advantage to garner it the highly prized People’s Choice Award, that didn’t dissuade others from trekking here in the hope of pilfering the bragging rights and trophies in order to haul them back home. Five other competitors came to town for the friendly competition and “to make some money.” Trails End BBQ definitely could receive an award for longest distance traveled, journeying nearly 600 miles from Sisters, Ore. Fox & Hound BBQ, Stateline Nev.; Carson City BBQ, Carson, Nev.; Joshua’s Ribs & Barbecue, Sacramento; and Community Fellowship BBQ from San Martin rounded out the competition.
If there were a take-no-prisoners category in the competition, Phil Hayatt, co-owner of Carson City BBQ, would take the People’s Choice Award, which he has with eight consecutive wins.
A showman, he was eager to show off the multiple banners and huge trophies in front of his stand.
“There’s always room for one more trophy,” he said, adding that the company has also won numerous medals for its sauces.
The company does not have a storefront.
“We’ve been a catering and events business for nineteen years,” he said. “We come here to make money, but we love the bragging rights.”
Yvonne Wilson, owner of Joshua’s Ribs & Barbecue, comes to San Juan Bautista each year in remembrance of her late husband, David, who started the company in 1998.
“Every year he came out here, so I wanted to keep the tradition going,” she said. “I only go to this one because my husband and Jeff Williams were longtime friends.”
Wilson said it’s more about friendship than money.
“We just come here to be around Jeff Jr. (Jason). I call him Jeff Jr. because he’s just like his dad was. I just want to be around him and share the atmosphere. I’m serious about the competition because it honors my husband. By doing it, I feel like he’s still with me. I’m doing it for him and keeping our family together.”
While for some it’s all about the ribs, many come to the event to check out the wares from more than 100 artists, craftsmen and food network wannabes. Many of the vendors have traveled not only great distances, but throughout much of the year in their pursuit of rewards and adventure.
Irit Perla came from Israel via New York, Los Angeles and now Seaside to sell her jewelry. She said she’s been coming to San Juan Bautista for the past three years.
Patrick Caldwell is a traveling baker who specializes in white, sweet potato pies.
“It’s a family recipe that goes back three generations,” he said. “I’m the first one to actually sell it.”
He said he will soon open a manufacturing plant in Lathrop as he branches out to retail sales.
Pam Wood, of Pam Wood Photography, set up her tent to display stunning color photos of California coastlines and sea life. She has spent a number of years on the road showing her work. This was her first time back in San Juan Bautista in 20 years.
Joe Rangel has been coming to town for 22 years to sell his Native American jewelry.
“This is the first time I’ve been at this show, though,” he said, and added that he has been traveling all those years throughout the southwest selling hand-made jewelry from Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and Santo Domingo tribes.
On Saturday, as thousands of rib and craft fanciers jostled elbow to elbow along Third Street, six judges were inside a building that long ago was a bank huddled over plates of ribs—and a cold beer or two—to determine whose ribs and sauces warranted the Judges’Award.
This was serious business. Reputations hung on the outcome.
“They judge on everything from texture to overall appearance,” said Williams. “It’s a double-blind judging, so they don’t know whose ribs they’re voting for.”
This year’s judging panel was made up of: Darren Jackson, a captain with the Reno Fire Department; John Harper, former San Juan Bautista mayor; Todd Wilson of San Juan Bautista, who works at Granite Rock; Joseph Guevara of San Juan Bautista with the public works department; Jim West of San Juan Bautista and a city councilman; and Chris Prez of San Juan Bautista, who works for Granite Rock.
On Sunday the winners were announced.
In the ribs category, Trails End BBQ took first place; Carson City BBQ was second; and Joshua’s Ribs & BBQ was third. For sauces, Fox & Hound BBQ won first place; Mansmith’s Gourmet, second; and Community Fellowship BBQ took third.
And the Peoples’ Choice Award went to Carson City BBQ, yet again, for the ninth consecutive year.
You can bet Phil Hayatt will be trumpeting his win for all to hear come September, at the Reno/Tahoe Nugget Best in the West Rib Cook-Off.
