Rib Cookoff Raises $11,500 for High School Sports

Local student-athletes got a big boost from a barbecue cookoff held last week.

The Second Annual Big Rib Cookoff, hosted April 28 by Rookies Sports Bar, raised $11,500 for the Benicia High School Athletics Department.

Ellen Maday shared this recap of the event:

A beautiful Sunday morning started at 6 a.m. with a line of barbecues, from big barbecue trucks and Webers to homemade barbecue contraptions, all in the hopes of winning the prize BEST RIBS in 2013.  Master of Ceremonies Ken Paulk sent the teams to their locations and said, “Let’s get to grillin’.”  Contestants, onlookers and children of all ages walked through the parking lot in awe during this amazing event.

By 11 o'clock, Rob Storelee and his crew had organized 50 football players, coaches and volunteer parents to help sell ribs, water and sports memorabilia.  At 2 o’clock our judges began sampling the 23 different contestants' ribs.  There was an eager crowd in the parking lot as everyone waited for the results.  Separated by just three points, the third-place title went to the Benicia Boys “Fu Man Que” (Lee and Matt).  Second place was locked in by another Benicia barbecue team, “Smokin Hobo." (Wes and Vince ) The plaque on the wall for the first-place winner in the 2013 Rookies Big Rib Cookoff will hold the name “JC’s Fantastic Ribs" out of Oakland. 

In eight hours, the Rookies Crew raised $11,500 that was donated to the Benicia High Athletics Department. (Second year in a row!)  Kinder's Meats of Benicia did an awesome job cooking and serving 160 slabs of ribs and donating their time to support this great event. 

A special thank you to Master of Ceremonies Ken Paulk, DJ Ken and the judges Phil Joy, Mike Ioakimedes and Gary Wing. 

Thanks to all the wonderful customers that came out, donated, supported and ate some great barbecue on Sunday.  We are already looking forward to next year!!

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