Page 8 - July 2020 Barbecue News Magazine

bbq profiles
BBQ PROLFILE: Carolyn Wells
T. Michael Garrison
The Flying BBQ Judge mgarrison8@sbcglobal.net
This BBQ Profile is unquestionably the most prestigious and certainly the most interesting profile I have prepared and probably ever will write. She is fondly known to all as the Queen of BBQ and other times as the First Lady of BBQ. Certainly known to all and clearly someone who has contributed to BBQ in just about every dif- ferent way possible. None other than Carolyn Wells. I have had the distinct privilege of know- ing Carolyn for many years, back before the for- mation of the Kansas City BBQ Association (KCBS). She is a high profile participant in just about all major contests like the Royal, The Jack, Memphis in May, and many others. We always see her at our major Florida contests like the Pig Jam and the Pig Fest. Competition BBQ would not be what it is today without the input of Car- olyn and many others.
Carolyn’s BBQ roots go back to her childhood. She was a Southern Girl, raised in Nashville. As far back as she can remember she was eating meat cooked over open fires. As a child she didn’t really appreciate it as much as she does today, and she considers that a shame. Her Grandfather was a doctor and in the old days, in the South, people could not always pay their medical bills. Her Grandfather frequently was paid with BBQ and many times that was dinner in her family. She went to work for two attorneys. They had a line of BBQ sauces and she ended up managing that part of their business. This introduced her to serious BBQ cook- ing, and she met a lot of the key people in the BBQ World. In 1980 she participated in Memphis in May (MIM) and that introduced her to competition BBQ, in a big way. And she admittedly was “Hooked”. She still participates in MIM today, it is still one of her favorite contests. It also introduced her to the “BBQ Family” which, to her, is probably the most important part of competition BBQ, the BBQ Family.
Also during her time in Nashville she met Gary Wells, who, for 32 years, was the Budget Director for the Hospital Corporation of America. They developed a relationship that lasted for both of their lives, including marriage. The name of Gary Wells is cer- tainly well known among the BBQ Family. Carolyn has probably worn just about every hat in the BBQ World. She started judging from the beginning of her involvement in BBQ and she judged MIM for 28 years. She has been cooking in contests from the very beginning of competition BBQ and her cooking experiences
brought her all over the World. In her last cook- ing experience, she earned two Grand Champi- onships and two last places. That was when she stopped competition cooking. She has organized numerous events as an organizer and continues to serve as a Rep today, in KCBS’s major events. Where she feels she can contribute the most is in the background, getting the things done that are necessary for a successful contest, but not so evident to others participating in the event.
One of her early involvements was the Great Lenexa BBQ Battle in Lenexa, Kansas. Lenexa is in the KC area. HCA was a sponsor of this event which today has well over 200 teams competing. Lenexa was also my first contest and where I began as a judge. This was 1980, before KCBS
was ever formed. Neither Carolyn or myself ever thought this BBQ world would ever grow to what we see today. As more and more contests grew and certainly Kansas City is one of the most influ- ential hubs of BBQ, the Wells felt like a BBQ organization might be a good idea. Gary and Carolyn teamed up with Rick Welch, in 1985, to form the Kansas City BBQ Society. Initially it was a lark and their creed was, if anyone took anything serious they were out. Their intent was to have fun and eat some good BBQ. We all know that didn’t last very long. Their membership exceeds 20,000 today, extends all around the World, and they administer 500 con- tests. She considers the BBQ Family that has grown out of this whole effort is the number one benefit of membership in KCBS. They set the standard for cooking meat over open fires. There are numerous examples where this BBQ Family will bend over back- wards to help a competitor during a competition, lend them needed items, and welcome them right up until turn in time. You can see their standards and procedures mirrored in many other similar organizations, further extending the BBQ Family. I am an active Master Judge in the Florida BBQ Association (FBA) and their procedures are very similar, and they definitely have the BBQ Family spirit, throughout their organization. I am also a Prime Judge in the Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) and I see many of the same competition methods and certainly a very strong SCA Family. Members in these and many other organiza- tions around the world are also KCBS members and all part of this wonderful BBQ Family. KCBS has paved the way for many success- ful organizations, building an even larger BBQ Family. She feels the “highest form of flattery is imitation”. KCBS cosponsors events with Memphis in May and other organizations. Frequently
BarbecueNews.com - 8
JULY 2020