Broadmoor's Barbecue University Is Hot Off the Coals

Incentive: Travel

Broadmoor's Barbecue University Is Hot Off the Coals
October 08, 2009

By Andrea Doyle

Rotisseries, smokers, grills, direct heat, indirect heat, infrared. . .24 barbecues of every imaginable style and size were roaring in mid-June at the famed Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs for Barbecue University, also affectionately known as “BBQ U.” The professor was Steven Raichlen, award-winning author of 28 books on barbecue (including the Barbecue! Bible series), PBS television show host, and cooking teacher also known as the “Guru of Grilling.”

The students at Broadmoor’s second annual BBQ U were an eclectic mix that included famed jazz musician Earl Klugh and Olympic gold medalist Peggy Fleming and husband Greg Jenkins, co-owners of Fleming Jenkins Vineyard & Winery in Los Gatos, CA. Interest in BBQ U was global, as journalist Bob Hart traveled from Australia for the three days of classes and Grant Robertson, an Emirates Airlines pilot, came all the way from Dubai. The dishes, as well as aromas, were delectable.

It was the fifth BBQ U for John Hartsell, senior software engineer for IT network provider NetScout Systems, and his second at the Broadmoor, after attending three at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV. So what keeps him coming back?

“I like Raichlen’s way of making everything straightforward and accessible, with a dash of history, evolutionary science and cultural anthropology, and literature thrown in for good measure,” he says. “The historical and cultural background is as much a seasoning for the class as a dry rub is for a brisket.”

Adds Hartsell: “The Broadmoor is an island of transcendent resort grace in a sea of ordinary motels and hotels. It’s a beautiful place for a restful getaway, whether it’s BBQ U or quality spa time or whatever you fancy. It’s a great place for trial separation from the real world.”

Grillin’ and Chillin’
In each three-hour class at BBQ U on June 15, 16, and 17, students learned to make at least eight dishes. Popular dishes included Barbecued Oysters on the Half-Shell, Grilled Caesar Salad, and Caveman T-Bones, thrown directly on glowing hot embers, plus Spit-Roasted Pineapple with Cinnamon, Sugar, and Cloves.

The setting for BBQ U at the Broadmoor was lavish, as the resort has been since it opened in 1918. There are 744 guest rooms and suites including the brand-new Broadmoor Cottages; 185,000 square feet of flexible event space; an extraordinary spa; three championship golf courses; a tennis club; 25 retail shops; 18 on-property eateries, restaurants, and lounges; and a world-class spa. In May, the resort debuted the 44 cottage rooms, which line the 18th fairway of the East Course and offer spectacular views of Cheyenne Mountain.

In the Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge, students sat on four levels of risers overlooking Raichlen’s preparation table. Two flat-screen TVs on each side of the table offered close looks of the guru as he diced and spiced. Before introducing the day’s recipes, Raichlen lectured about subjects ranging from the history of barbecue to the differences between various cuts of meats. If he wasn’t so engaging, one could have gotten lost taking in the Rocky Mountains just beyond the lodge’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

After student volunteers prepped each dish, it was out to the patio and the grills. Each day, an entire meal—appetizers, entrees, and desserts—was cooked and enjoyed by the group. Although Raichlen demonstrated each dish before students rolled up their sleeves and put on their aprons, the master reassured them, “There’s no such thing as a mistake in the kitchen, just a new recipe to be discovered.”

Adding Meat to Incentives
With 24 grills and knowledge imparted by Raichlen, the Broadmoor’s culinary team can easily incorporate BBQ U into a corporate incentive program.

“Barbecuing encourages camaraderie as the group stands around the grill talking,” explains Craig Reed, the resort’s director of food and beverage, stealing a minute from overseeing BBQ U. “It’s perfect for networking and building team spirit.”

Last July, in conjunction with the 2008 U.S. Senior Open golf tournament, the resort hosted 40 meeting and incentive professionals, who were treated to a similar barbecue experience one evening. “The catalyst for the idea was BBQ U,” says John Washko, the Broadmoor’s vice president of sales and marketing. “This is experiential learning at its finest. Part of the whole experience is the grilling. Group members were walked through pre-preparation and serving and could help cook the meal if they liked. Each attendee left with all the recipes.”

Diane Silberstein, president of Global Connections, an Atlanta-based meeting and conference management company, was one of the attendees. “This was such a novel approach to a cooking demonstration that was engaging for both men and women of all ages,” she notes. “The entire evening, from our greeting by an exquisite gray wolf and his handler, to the cooking methods we learned, to the aromas you get with wood-fire cooking, was very special.” Attendees also found copies of Raichlen’s best-selling Barbecue! Bible waiting in their guest rooms.

Class will be in session at BBQ U next June 10-13 and June 13-16 at the Broadmoor. Raichlen has a comprehensive website, complete with barbecue recipes, how-to advice, and grilling tips. Take a tour at www.barbecuebible.com and, as he often exclaims, “Grill on!”

Incentive Magazine

SUBSCRIBE | ADVERTISE
Contact Incentive Magazine about this article at
feedback@incentivemag.com

SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR |

RSS |

Back to Incentive Index