More than 60 competitive BBQ teams came together at the Falls Township Community Park on Friday and Saturday for the ninth annual Que For The Troops.
The annual competition began in 2010 and is a Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned event. The event raises money to benefit Liberty USO. This year, contestants from as close as Levittown and as far away as Virginia took to the field to make their case to judges.
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One of those teams, The BBQ Guru, is headed up by Bob Trudnak. Trudnak. He traveled to Levittown with his teammate, friend, and neighbor, Mike Coyle from Landsdale. The 45-minute drive they took is nothing compared to some of the distance the duo has traveled for competitions in the past. Each year, the team will compete out of state and even internationally in Europe.
Trudnak got involved with BBQ competition through his work. His company sells BBQ equipment, Trudnak said, so he started to do research and learn the industry. Now, he and Coyle will compete every other weekend throughout the summer.
The duo heard about the competition through the Kansas City Barbecue Society and makes an effort to compete at it every year. This is the third time that the team has competed in Falls Township’s Que for the Troops.
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“I think they do a great job with taking care of the cooking teams,” Trudnak said.
The competition at Falls Township Community Park has power, water, ice, and anything else that a cooking team might need access to during a competition, Trudnak explained. He added that the organizers do a great job making sure every need is met.
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In addition to enjoying the competition itself, Trudnak mentioned his appreciation for the good cause of the event.
In order to be eligible for a competition’s top prize, a team must compete in the four main categories of competition: brisket , pork, chicken, and ribs. Optional categories include dessert and chef’s choice. In the past, The BBQ Guru has taken home first prize in the brisket category and second place in the chef’s choice category.
“I will be back every year,” Trudnak said.
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“I enjoy competing and I enjoy being outdoors,” Trudnak added.
In addition to the spirit of the competition and the ability to make great food on the road, the team talked about the caliber of people you meet while competing.
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“There are a lot of great people out here,” Coyle said.
