Legacy Grillworks receives Grand Champion at LAAL’s first Tailgate Cook-off Classic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Center, Texas – Oct. 19, 2009 – The parking lot at 305 Nacogdoches Street was transformed into a tailgate arena filled with all types of cooking grills and sports décor at the Lakes Area Arts League’s first Tailgate Cook-off Classic cooking competition and food tasting event held Sat., Oct. 17, 2009.

Food judges sampled the tailgate foods prepared by the cooking teams and awarded the Grand Champion $1000 prize to Legacy Grillworks Gabriel Parks, chief cook and team members, Kevin Rushing and James Tyre. Legacy Grillworks also received the second place $350 award in the Tailgate Food Division and second place $300 award in the Tailgate Space Division.

Winners in the Tailgate Food Division include First Place $750 award Tinkle’s Tailgaters - Steve Tinkle, Walter Rainbolt, Jonathan Wulf, Jordan Horn, Josh Wulf and Third Place $250 award, Taking A Chance – Chance Shoop, Josh McAdams, Colt Bush, Billy Bob McAdams, Don Wright.

Winners in the Tailgate Space Division include First Place $400 award to The Knuckleheads – Charles Tarver, Ron Springfield, Chris Thomas; Third Place $200 award was presented to Laissez Les BonTemps Roulez - Bob Lacher, Terri Lacher and Michael Guzman.

The Cowboys 1st & Goal Cookers – Jimmy Andrews, Rick Lee, Neal Stevenson, Tom Hairgrove and Tom Andrews received the Fan Favorite Tailgate Food and Space awards based on public vote.

The Apron Cutting ceremony was held to officially “start the grills” with all participating cooking teams, Cowboys 1st & Goal Cookers - Jimmy Andrews, Rick Lee, Neal Stevenson, Tom Hairgrove, Tom Andrews; E-Z Cookers - Ann Peters, Howard Peters, Nathan Kaluza, Lynn Kaluza, Kyle Peters; Up In Smoke - Brian Bibby, Jody Coleman, Will Crawford, Ruby Rees, Barbara Bibby; Farmers State Bank - Joey Lawson, David Chadwick, Brian Dean, Terry Allen, Mark Leach; Pappy Bear Cookers - Tom Roberts, Ryan Mooney, J. D. Bryant, Leisha Bryant; Texas Tigers - Danny Foster, Matt Foster, Brittany Davis; Legacy Grillworks - Gabriel Parks, Amber Hicks, Kevin Rushing; The Knuckleheads - Charles Tarver, Ron Springfield, Chris Thomas; Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez - Bob Lacher, Terri Lacher, Mike Guzman; Tinkle Tailgaters - Steve Tinkle, Walter Rainbolt, Jonathan Wulf, Jordan Horn, Josh Wulf; and Taking A Chance - Chance Shoop, Josh McAdams, Colt Bush, Billy Bob McAdams, Don Wright.

Teams were invited to compete in either one or both event categories - the Tailgate Food category preparing food items on-site or the Tailgate Space category creating a “tailgate atmosphere” within a designated space by decorating with a theme of the team’s choice. The competition was open to anyone age 18 and above with a limit of five team members.

The LAAL extends gratitude and appreciation to the following contributors for their assistance in making the Tailgate Cook-off Classic competition a success – event sponsors Attoyac River Gallery, Austin Street Marketplace, Boles Enterprises, Bounds Insurance Agency, Doodle Bug Antiques, Farmers State Bank, The Frame Gallery, H&A Service Source, K-Bar Motorsports, Loblolly’s Garden Marketplace, Lone Star Design, McAdams Propane, Morrison Insurance Agency, Nacogdoches Coca Cola, Shelby Medical Clinic, Texas Glacier Ice and Vieux Carre´ Photography; food judges Liz Ware, Executive Director, San Augustine Chamber of Commerce; Shelley Brophy, Shelley’s Bakery Café and Sammie Price, Cotton Patch, both from Nacogdoches; all LAAL volunteers; student volunteers Ana Angel, Jessica Romero and Casey Fountain; the offices of the City of Center and Judge Rick Campbell; all media outlets, including KDET, Light and Champion and Shelby County Today; musical entertainment by Homegrown and Homemade band members, Thomas Morrison, Megan Wellborn, Reese Monroe, Jim Sawyer and Bubba McGean; Nancy Dickerson, apron designer; Delbert Beckham, salvaged-steel sculptor, owner of db metal art Studio & Outdoor Sculpture Gallery; all cooking teams; Carrie Weeks and her Super Saturday Series children; event patrons and the community.

Homegrown and Homemade is a music series highlighting local Shelby County guitar-pickers and songwriters. Spanning many different styles, ages and musical influences, five musicians showcase local talent including Colby Miller, Thomas Morrison, Tim Hopkins, Grant Harris and Danny Paul Windham. The musicians share the stage and highlight a handful of songs hand-written in and about Shelby County. For additional about Homegrown and Homemade, contact Thomas Morrison via email at homegrownandhomemade@gmail.com or visit the website www.myspace.com/homegrownandhomemade to check out samples of the songs by the group.

Interested in sponsoring or entering a cooking team in Tailgate 2010, please contact Karen Thompson 936.590.0070 or Carolyn Lamb 936.598.2421.
The Lakes Area Arts League is a non-profit organization established to promote interest and knowledge of all areas of the visual and performing fine arts through education and appreciation while enhancing the culture and tourism of the community and surrounding areas.

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Contact:
Andi Foster
foster_andi2@hotmail.com
936.590.0298