Second Annual
DALLAS KOSHER BBQ
CHAMPIONSHIP
OCTOBER 30, 2016
MEDIA GUIDE
Please note the following contents:
• General News Release
• Schedule of Events
• Background about the Championship
Questions? Problems? Contact Brian Rubenstein, 314-496-3986,
or Mike Precker, 972-977-1743.
DallasKosherBBQChampionshipReturnsOctober30
TheNationalCuisineofTexasmeetstheDietaryLawsoftheBibleinthe
SecondAnnualDallasKosherBBQChampionshiponSunday,October30.
PopularKLUVradiohostandTexasRadioHallofFamerJodyDeanwill
hostthecompetition,whichissanctionedbytheworld-renownedKansas
CityBarbecueSociety(KCBS).DallasKosher,theorganizationcertifying
thatlocalfoodandfacilitiesadheretoJewishdietarylaw,willsuperviseevery
aspectoftheevent.
TheMen’sClubofCongregationBethTorahinRichardsonis
organizingthechampionshipbenefitingthesynagogueandCHAI
(CommunityHomesforAdults,Inc.),whichprovidesgrouphomesfor
adultswithintellectualdisabilities.
Nineteamscompetedinlastyear’sinauguralchampionship,which
drewover1,000barbecuelovers.BrianRubenstein,co-chairofthe
championship,saysheexpectsatleastadozenteamstoshowofftheir
smokingandgrillingskillsthisyearastheeventcontinuestogrow.
“We’veputDallasonthekosherbarbecuemap,andwe’redrawing
interestfromaroundthecountry,”hesaid.“Andwe’reproudtobringthejoy
ofkosherbarbecuetothecommunityasawhole.Ofcourse,youdon’thaveto
beJewishtoattend,ortocompete.”
ThecompetitionwillbeheldSunday,October30,from10a.m.to4
p.m.intheparkinglotofSunnylandFurniture,atthecornerofSpringValley
andCoitroadsinDallas.Theday-longfestivitieswillincludemusic,cooking
demonstrations,silentauctions,akidsplayarea,hotdogandpickleeating
contests–and,ofcourse,barbecue.Admissionisfree,withplentyoffree
parkingonsite.
Kosherbarbecuecompetitionshaveoneobviousdifference–nopork–
butthereareotherdistinctions.Toensureadherencetodietarylaws,the
Men’sClubprovidesallgrills,smokers,utensils,condimentsandspices–as
wellasthefourmeatsincompetition:chicken,turkey,beefbrisketandbeef
ribs.
BecausenoworkcanbedoneorfireslitontheJewishSabbath,teams
preparethemeatsonThursdaynight,thenstartcookingaftersundownon
Saturday.
KCBSofficialswillconducttheofficialjudgingforthechampionshipin
private.Butonthemainstage,apanelofcelebrityjudgeswillawardtheirown
setofprizes.
“It’sgoingtobeagreatday,”Rubensteinsaid.“Everyonehadaterrific
timelastyear,andwecan’twaittogetbacktoit.”
-30-
SCHEDULEFORMEDIACOVERAGE
ReportersandcameracrewsarewelcomeattheDallasKosherBBQ
Championship.Itwillbeheldrainorshine.Advanceregistrationor
credentialsarenotnecessary.
Pleaseconsiderthefollowingeventsforcoverage:
• Thursday,October27,6-9p.m.:TheBBQteamswillmeetat
CongregationBethTorah,720W.LookoutDrive,Richardsontoprepare
theirmeatsforthebarbecue.Whentheyarefinished,themeatswillbe
placedinarefrigeratedtruckuntilSaturdaynight. RepresentativesoftheKansasCityBarbecueSocietyandDallas
KosherwillbeatCongregationBethTorahonThursdayeveningand
availableforinterviews.TheBBQteamswillalsobehappytodiscusstheir
techniquesandtheirpassionforbarbecue.
• Saturday,October29:OfficialsofDallasKosherwilllightthefiresfor
theBBQteamsaftersundown,about8:30p.m.Manyoftheteamswill
begincookingimmediately,andsomewillbeupallnight,fine-tuning
theirentriesandenjoyingthecamaraderie.
• Sunday,October30:TheChampionshipopenstothepublicat10a.m.
Therewillbemusic,food,vendorbooths,children’splayareasand
cookingdemonstrations.Theteamswillturninthefourmeatsfor
judging,oneatatime,atnoon,12:30p.m.,1p.m.and1:30p.m.The
actualjudgingwillbeclosedtooutsiders.Thewinnerswillbe
announcedandtrophiespresentedaround3:30p.m.
Pleasenotethisstoryandaccompanyingvideosfromthe2015
Championship:
http://www.thecooleststuffintexas.com/food/dallas-kosher-barbecuechampionship/
Ifyouhaveanyquestions,orwouldliketoarrangeinterviewsoutside
theabovetimes,contactPublicityCoordinatorMikePrecker,at972-9771743,[email protected].
ABOUTTHEDALLASKOSHERBBQCHAMPIONSHIP
TheChampionship
Sunday,October30,istheSecondAnnualDallasKosherBBQ
Championship.Thisisnowanannualeventandapopularcommunity-wide
celebrationofkosherbarbecue.ItisbeinghostedbySunnylandFurniture,an
outdoorandcasualfurnituresuperstore,inthestore’sparkinglotatthe
cornerofCoitandSpringValleyroadsinDallas.
Theeventopenstothepublicat10a.m.andshouldendabout4p.m.
Admissionisfreeandfoodwillbeavailableforpurchase..Amongthe
attractionswillbefood,livemusic,vendorbooths,silentauctions,cooking
demonstrationsandalargechildren’splayarea.
Formoreinformation,seewww.dallaskosherbbq.com
JodyDean
JodyDean,whowillhostthechampionship,isaveteranradioand
televisionjournalistinNorthTexasandamemberoftheTexasRadioHallof
Fame.Hisillustriouscareerhasincludedstintsasatalk-showhost,a
televisionnewsanchor,executiveproduceroftheDallasCowboysRadio
Network,andthepublicaddressannounceratAT&TStadium.In2005he
succeededthelegendaryRonChapmanashostofthepopularKLUV-FM
MorningShow,featuringmusic,newsandtrafficreports.Heistheauthorof
FindingGodintheEveningNews:ABroadcastJournalistLooksBeyondthe
Headlines.
KansasCityBarbecueSociety(KCBS)
KCBS,whichissanctioningtheChampionshipandconductingthe
officialjudging,isanonprofitorganizationdedicatedtopromotingand
enjoyingbarbeque.Itistheworld'slargestorganizationofbarbequeand
grillingenthusiasts,withover19,000membersworldwide.KCBS
sanctionsover450barbequecontestsannuallyaroundtheworld.From
volunteeringtoactualeventproduction,itsmembersassistcivicand
charitableorganizationstoorganizeevents.Formoreinformation,see
www.kcbs.us.
AbouttheChampionship/2
CelebrityJudges
Inaseparate,unofficialcompetition,celebrityjudgesalsoratethe
barbecueentries.InadditiontoJodyDean,judgesforthe2016Championship
include:
• ChefRichardChamberlain,ownerofChamberlain’sSteakand
ChopHouse,oneofDallas’leadingrestaurants.
• MarleneHilton,trafficreporterforWFAAChannel8.
• RichardPollak,foodwriterknownasTheTravelingGourmet.
• LarryHardy,formermajorleaguepitcherwiththeSanDiego
PadresandHoustonAstros,andTexasRangerspitchingcoach
from1995to2001.
KosherBarbecue
Kosherbarbecueisanincreasinglypopulartopicincontemporary
cuisine,aswellasbarbecuecompetitionsaroundthecountry.Hereisa
recentarticleonthetopicfromtheJewishTelegraphicAgency:
http://www.jta.org/2015/08/10/arts-entertainment/meet-the-rabbi-qkansas-citys-kosher-bbq-star
Kosherbarbecuecompetitionshaveoneobviousdifference–nopork–
butthereareotherdistinctions.Toensureadherencetodietarylaws,the
Men’sClubprovidesallgrills,smokers,utensils,condimentsandspices–as
wellasthefourmeatsincompetition:chicken,turkey,beefbrisketandbeef
ribs.
BecausenoworkcanbedoneorfireslitontheJewishSabbath,teams
preparethemeatsonThursdaynight,thenstartcookingaftersundownon
Saturday.
CongregationBethTorah
CongregationBethTorahisaConservative,egalitariansynagogueof
about340families,ledbyRabbiElanaZelony.Thesynagogueislocatedat720
W.LookoutDriveinRichardson,nearthecrossroadsofCentralExpressway
andBushTurnpike.ItsmemberscomefromDallas,Richardson,Plano,Allen,
Frisco,McKinneyandbeyond.TheMen’sClub,whichisorganizingthe
Championship,haswontheInternationalQualityChapterAwardfromthe
FederationofJewishMen’sClubsforthepastnineconsecutiveyears.
Formoreinformation,seewww.congregationbethtorah.org.
AbouttheChampionship/3
CommunityHomesforAdults,Inc.
PartoftheproceedsfromtheChampionshipwillbenefitCHAI
(CommunityHomesforAdults,Inc.),anonprofit,nonsectarianorganization
whichoperatessixgrouphomesinDallasforadultswithintellectual
disabilities.Italsoprovidesnonresidentswithindividualservicesanddaily
groupprograms.PeopleintheCHAIprogramareparticipatinginthe
Championshipbyhelpingwithpreparationsandvolunteeringattheevent.
Formoreinformation,seewww.chaidallas.org.
DallasKosher
DallasKosherisanonprofitagencythatcertifiesthatsupermarkets,
bakeries,restaurantsandmanufacturingfacilitiesadheretoJewishdietary
lawsintheirpreparationoffood.Formoreinformation,see
www.dallaskosher.org
TheGrandPrize
ThisuniquetrophywillbepresentedtotheGrandChampionofthe
DallasKosherBBQChampionship.Itisa21-inch-wideheavysteelgrillgrate
craftedbyCACreativeMetalsofThousandOaks,Calif.Thecompanyproduces
customgrillgrates,artworksandwindchimes,andcreatedthispiece
especiallyfortheChampionship.
Formoreinformationaboutthecompany,see
www.cacreativemetal.com.