West Newsmagazine 10-4-17

16 I NEWS I
October 4, 2017
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
14855 N. Outer 40 Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017
Shuttle Availabe from 14805 N. Outer 40 Road
www.delmargardens.com
MAKE WEIGHT
LOSS SIMPLE
Lose up to 20 pounds
your first month! †
BEFORE
Wildwood BBQ Bash grand champions, Bringing the Heat with Reserve Grand Champions Rippel-Que
Bringing the Heat claims second Grand
Champion title at Wildwood BBQ Bash
BY ELLEN LAMPE
The Wildwood BBQ Bash has grown
and gained popularity continuously over
the past 13 years, drawing in steep competition
from across the state – all vying
for the prestigious title of Grand Champion.
This year, team Bringing the Heat claimed
that title – with a secret ingredient that
must be in their DNA.
“It’s just me and my mom,” Andrew
Ahrens said, of team Bringing the Heat.
The mother-son duo is a force to be
reckoned with, taking home two Grand
Champion titles in just four years of competing.
“Every good man has a good woman by
his side. In Andrew’s case, it’s his mom,”
Wildwood BBQ Bash founder Frank
Schmer said. “They have foodie personalities
that excel in barbecue. People respect
that team.”
Ahrens always has had a passion for
cooking. After attending culinary school,
he eventually found his niche in barbecue.
“Fine dining wasn’t really my thing ... I
bought a smoker and said, ‘Hey mom, let’s
see how good we are.’ We were hooked
ever since,” Ahrens said. Now, the duo
competes in about 22-25 events a year.
“It’s like a second full-time job.”
Ahrens noted that the Wildwood BBQ
Bash is one of his favorite places to compete.
“I love it. We’ve competed in a lot of
events. There’s nothing else like it around.
The size, the activities, the people that
come out ... You’re just not going to see
that at any other contest.”
The two-time champions know firsthand
that competing is no leisurely task.
“It’s a lot of mental and physical [work]
in this contest, a lot of work for a small team
like us. You have to use your resources,”
NIM OITA TAERT RON
Ahrens said.
During intense competitions like this
DLEIFRETSEHC
daoR retxaB 1261
dlefiretsehC , OM 71036
501.984.636
moc.ssolthgieWideM
one, Ahrens said he’s grateful for his sister,
brother-in-law and other family and friends
who step in to help as needed – indicating
that Bringing the Heat is a team truly built
on love.
Ahrens needed all hands on deck when
his team overslept by two-and-a-half hours
Sunday morning, the final day of the competition.
“I thought about just packing up and
going home. I had three hours to cook pork
butt, chicken and brisket, and that’s almost
impossible to do,” Ahrens said.
The family unit stuck together to pull off
another win.
When asked the key to the team’s success,
Ahrens responded instantly. “My
mom’s sauce ... sweet with a little bit of
heat,” he said.
The 13th annual Wildwood BBQ Bash
tested the waters this year with a new location,
St. Louis Community College - Wildwood.
The event went off without a hitch,
drawing hefty crowds. Both Schmer and
Ahrens declared it a success.
“We liked the big, open spaces and the
parking plan,” Schmer said. “A lot of really
positive takeaways from our first year over
there.”
“This year was the best year I’ve ever
seen it,” Ahrens said.
The bash started 13 years ago in the front
parking lot of Schmer’s store. Throughout
the years, it’s grown from a parking lot
party into a well-known festival, which
Schmer said is now “bigger than itself.”
Competitors are judged over eight categories:
ribs, brisket, pork, chicken, pork
steak, dessert, chili and chef’s choice.
Team Rippel-Que, led by Jeff Rippel-
-ideMeht htiw tnailpmoc stneitap ,egareva nO† .sliated rof reirrac ruoy tcatnoC .derevoc eb yam secivres ro/dna stcudorp lla toN*
®
ssol thgieW
htiw detaicossa eb yam ssol thgiew dipaR .htnom tsrfi eht sdnuop 41 dna kew tsrfi eht
EHT :ylno stneitap adirolF roF .etairporpa yllacidem era ohw esoht yb dere
RO ,TNEMYAP LECNAC ,YAP OT ESUFER OT THGIR A SAH TNEMYAP ROF ELBISNOPSER NOSREP REHTO YNA DNA TNEITAP
MIEREB YAPROFDESRUB AROFTNEMAXE NIM ,ECIVRESREHTOYN OITA TAERTRO,N ROFREPSI ASADEM TAHTTNEM
RO , EF DETNUOCSID , ERF EHT ROF TNEMESITREVDA EHT OT GNIDNOPSER FO SRUOH 27 NIHTIW DNA FO TLUSER
.devreseR sthgiR llA .CL ,PI ideM6102© AXE ,ECIVRESEFDECUDER .TNEM
meyer, took home the second-place title of
Reserve Grand Champion this year.
Visit westnewsmagazine.com for a complete
list of competitors and photos from
the Wildwood BBQ Bash.