Barbecue Academy now booking for the fall season

A few years ago I launched Barbecue Academy^ⓒ. It's a day-long corporate teambuilding workshop that teaches participants about championship barbecue in a fun, relaxing atmosphere with plenty of room for socializing.

I think it's the only event of its kind in the world. There are lots of hands-on barbecue workshops for the public, and some of the big barbecue celebrities in the U.S. do corporate cooking demos and catered events. And there are even some corporate team building workshops based on cooking contests. But, as far as I know, this is the only corporate workshop that creates a competitive environment for participants, who divide into teams, prep and cook real barbecued chicken and ribs, and vie for cheap plastic trophies just like the big boys.

I've done three of them so far, for energy companies in Calgary, with positive feedback.

Here's what some of the participants have said:

 “You learn a little about smoking and barbecue, and a whole bunch about some folks that I don’t normally work with. We all had fun!”

“A great teambuilding event. The service was outstanding.”

“Lots of laughter, lots of concentration, great tastes, lots of enthusiasm from everyone.”

“An opportunity to mix in a creative environment.”

“It was a great day and I am full!”

“This was an exceptional workshop. It is filled with the science, the art and the lifestyle of barbecue. Ron is very knowledgeable and entertaining.”

“Ron’s team is terrific! Everyone is friendly, fun and extremely knowledgeable. I thoroughly enjoyed myself!”

“Fostered good camaraderie while incorporating some healthy competition. Highly recommended!”

I love putting on these workshops, and I want to do more. So far, I've done them only in Calgary, where I've found a great facility, but the concept is portable. I'm now booking sessions into this fall, and I'd like to do at least one in Vancouver.

Here's a promo sheet:

Download BBQ Academy promo

Please pass it on to anyone you know who might be interested.

Comments

[Angie]

Does this mean we will see you teaching some classes around the launch of the new book ?

I'd love to get you back out to the valley to show us a thing or three !

I will commit to dates as soon as you are ready. Sign me up !!
Angie

[Joan H.]

I think you should bring this traveling show up to Alaska! When I was a kid we used to have a big neighborhood bear roast every 4th of July. An old geezer would drink and baste and turn the meat all night long, and then everybody in the neighborhood would gather for food, a softball game, music and dancing, and anything else anyone could think of. You should definitely plan to come show us a thing or two on the barbecue front! Maybe not so much an academy as a community event. I'll even find someone to take you salmon fishing, if you'd like.

[Ron Shewchuk]

Angie, you're on me like the fog! It's so nice to be wanted. Maybe I'll do a class or workshop next spring, but right now my focus is on the corporate market because, for that kind of a gig, I can do it as part of my consulting role at Longview Communications, the firm I work for.

And, Joan, you have NO idea how much I want to visit your beautiful country, er, state. If you can find a big organization that wants to bring me up there for a teambuilding session, we can work a bear roast (or other such Alaska-style celebration) into my itinerary. That would be so cool.

[Teambuilding in Cape Town]

Hey Ron, this sounds fantastic. I'm working for a Teambuilding outfit based in Cape Town, where barbecues, or "braais" as we like to call them are ingrained in our national identity.

This is something definitely worth trying here. Thanks for the brainspark!

[Ron Shewchuk]

You're welcome, Tom. I look forward to my royalty checks!