Page 7 - MAY 2020 Barbecue News Magazine

really cook and
Casey’s compelling
backstory earned
them a spot on the
show. In the one-
hour live show, they
had to cook fifty din-
ners with the diners
deciding their fate by
determining whether
or not they would
pay for the dinner.
Being accomplished
cooks, they were
ready to prepare
practically anything.
Well, except fried
chicken which Casey
had been struggling with for years trying to find the right recipe. You guessed it; fried chicken was the entrée Gordon Ramsay taught them to make along with a side of sweet potato hash. With Casey, his daughter and son-in-law sweating in kitchen, Judy did double duty working in the kitchen and working the crowd and that powerful combi- nation won the crowd over. They were the first team to ever have 10 diners out of 10 ten wanting to purchase their dinner. Their efforts earned them the win for the episode even though they weren’t chosen to be in the finals. A great experience that showcased their passion for cooking and their love for their family and friends who watched their efforts via a house party hosted at their home in Florida during the live event. You can Google “F Word Live US episode 5” and watch the intense 45 minutes the Jones’ experienced.
Next came World Food after Dari Bos met Casey during episode 6 of The “F” Word Live. They tried their hand in the seafood category and came in a humbling last place. Their optimistic approach to life brought them back the following year where they placed in the middle of the pack in steak. The third year was the charm when their hard work was rewarded with 4th place finish with their Asian style chicken wings. I asked if they ever competed in a BBQ contest and with a laugh, the response was “BBQ is a marathon and we are sprinters”. A style that is a perfect fit for a Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) event.
One of their friends, Bryan Lewis, suggested they try a SCA competition. By coincidence, there was one near by the very next weekend. With less than a week to practice, they took 3rd place at their first SCA competition and were hooked. It wasn’t too long, and they were competing against their friend Bryan. They battled hard, with the Mir- acle in the Kitchen team ending up in the money by taking 3rd place with Bryan right on their heels with a 4th place
finish. Judy is a force to be reckoned on the SCA circuit. She placed 7th in her first solo SCA outing. Just last year, Judy took 1st place in her steak flight at the SCA World Steak Cookoff Championships and 11th place in the final cookoff against the top steak cooks in the world in 2018.
Taking the advice of Terry Roan, they upped their game by competing “together” versus “against” each other. They still compete individually with their own recipes but lever- age their combined knowledge and experience to continu- ously improve each of their respective efforts. One of their new favorite events is The Shed in Ocean Springs, Missis- sippi which was held in January before we all began shel- tering in place. And did Miracle in the Kitchen ever have a great event with a 2nd in steak, 2nd in turkey, 3rd and 6th in bloody Mary’s and 4th in ribs competing against 185 world class, highly competitive teams. Judy is currently the ancillary points leader in the SCA after finishing 2nd last
year and 3rd the year before. Congratulations on all the calls and a successful start
BBQ HERO TRIBUTES
(L to R) Casey and Judy “Sassy” Jones at the 2019 SCA World Championships in Fort Worth, Texas
MAY 2020
BarbecueNews.com - 7
Casey Jones as Joe Wilson
to 2020!
“Life is short – never spare someone’s feelings for a good line” ... Casey Jones, 2020
Through all the things that life has thrown at the Jones’, humor has been one of their constant friends, and everyone is fair game. Just check out their Miracle in the Kitchen Facebook page for three parody videos of their friends in the SCA. Humor right up to
the edge, but never over the line. Both Casey’s and Judy’s performances will bring a smile to your face and laughs to your heart. Spoiler alert ... Casey’s unforgettable rendition of Joe Wilson can’t be missed!
The camaraderie of our BBQ and SCA families is what is going to get us through this pandemic and help our com- munity recover. Stay safe, stay healthy as we all look for- ward to getting back on the competition circuit.
Let’s keep our sense of humor about us until we can meet in person (of course by still staying 6 feet apart). We can all learn from the Jones family’s optimistic outlook and adopt Casey’s personal mantra “I believe in miracles”. We will get through this!
In the world of BBQ ... it’s the people you meet ... and the friends you make.