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| The first International FBA Sanctioned event was held in the Figali Convention Center in Panama City, Panama. Not only was it a first for us, but it was also a first for the country and the excitement showed in the faces of the cook teams. Here's Ricky Ginsburg, FBA Rep, running the cook's meeting on Saturday afternoon. Most of the cooks spoke English, but a good interpreter helped out! |
| Here's an overall view of the contest site. Cookin' on concrete was the order of the day. Most of the cooks wore gloves without asking. Those that didn't got a stern warning from the health inspector. These guys, prepping spare ribs, got the word moments after I took this picture. |
| The Pigbones team relaxing now that their meat's been prepped. A chef working on his chicken entry. Lots of grilling with the occasional smoker and the grill of choice was a Weber. |
| Notice the border of sauce bottles on this table. All of them along with spices from McCormick were given away to each team. Few used them, preferring their own secret recipes. This team disassembled their first chicken and then tried a second before starting to cook them both. |
| One cook working on the ribs, the other injecting his chicken with a yellow sauce (mango and something else he couldn't translate.) Most of the teams started their charcoal with kindling. |
| The teams knew to cover their prepped meat and put it on ice. This team had a whole case of these throwaway pans with clear covers. No, I wasn't drinking when I took this picture of the stage, although with the temperature at 97 degrees, I should have been. |
| It didn't take long for the smell of smoke and cooking meat to fill the air. This was the central wash station setup by the organizer. Sinks on three sides, no waiting. |
| A pork cutlet coming off the grill; just a test for the head cook's approval. This cook is squashing vegetables for his sauce by hand. |
| Pork cutlets on the left and Panamanian ribeye on the right (not even close to what you and I know as a ribeye steak, by the way.) Peppers waiting to be pureed for sauce. |
| Beer Can Chicken ready to cook and a Gulf Oil drum smoker. |
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