Food & Wine: Well Seasoned BBQ On The Bypass

By Doreen Jung. Smoky and spicy, the tantalizing aromas drew the crowds to the 6th annual Well Seasoned BBQ on the Bypass in Langley.

Editor’s Note: All photos by Doreen Jung.

Teams from around the Pacific Northwest gathered on September 18th to compete for cash prizes, trophies, and ribbons. The Grand Championship is awarded to the team with the highest overall points.
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Barbequing began at 7:00 pm on Saturday evening and some meats were cooked at low temperatures for up to 16 hours. Chicken, ribs, beef brisket, and pork butt were the four categories that teams could compete in.
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The chef’s choice category this year was burgers and teams prepared tasty burgers with meats of their choice.
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Emceed by Abbotsford food columnist and culinary instructor, Chef Dez, BBQ on the Bypass is a family friendly event with live music, entertainment, concessions, and free BBQ food samples.
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The panel of judges included celebrity Chef, Anthony Sediak, Global TV anchor, Steve Darling, co-host of Breakfast Television on CityTV, Dawn Chubai, Grant Sigaty from STAR FM; and Langley Mayor Peter Fassbender.
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On the main stage, Chef Dez entertained the crows with cooking tips and information about the competition.
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This is the 5th year that Chris McBride and Shirley Watters of the Lynn Valley Butts team have competed at the BBQ on the Bypass.
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Shirley loves the camaraderie between the participants at the event. “It is very well organized,” says Shirley. “Organizer Angie Quaale has competed herself so she knows what teams need.”
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Dave McKay of Bad Ass Competition Cooking Team carefully checked his meats. “I’ve been here since year one,” declares Dave. It’s always great. We love our food.”
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Sampling barbecued meats had visitors moving in a choreographed dance. Morsel in mouth, moan and chew, mop sticky sauce off face and hands.
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Taste buds sing. Quick step along to the next sample offering.
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Some of the barbeques were large enough to warrant their own license plate. Charles and Allegra Wilson cook on a unit that is almost a kitchen on wheels. It had smokers, a large grill, two stove top burners, a double sink, and a large work surface.
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Visitors who stopped to study their custom barbeque would then notice their motto “Get Naked”.
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As backyard grillers for many years, the Wilsons have traditionally used rubs over sauce. Charles, who is originally from North Carolina, said, “Where I come from, they ask you how you want your BBQ meat – wet or dry.
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“If it’s dry, without sauce, you call it ‘naked’. We had a joke that sauces are used to cover up mistakes.” Under the label, C-Dub, they have created BBQ rubs which they package and sell.
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For more information, check www.cdubsrub.com.
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Entertainment was provided by OS5 (also known as Other Side of 5) and country music star, Karen Lee Batten.
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Find out more about BBQ on the Bypass at www.bbqonthebypass.com.
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Editor’s Note: Doreen Jung is a member of the Abbotsford Arts Council and former Arts Administrator. Her columns appear here regularly.

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About Well Seasoned

Well Seasoned Owner Angie Quaale

Well Seasoned is a true foodie’s paradise for the gourmet food lover. The store carries a wide array of the finest gourmet ingredients with a specialized selection of hard to find ingredients, spices, sauces, condiments and cookware.
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The Well Seasoned cooking school offers year round culinary instruction by many of Canada’s most renowned chefs. Cooking classes are intimate and interactive and designed to provide culinary inspiration for the home chef with a passion for great food.
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As the only culinary destination of its kind in the Fraser Valley, Well Seasoned has quickly established itself as the ultimate destination for all things gourmet.
www.wellseasoned.ca