The idea for the documentary began with this letter that Scott Jones reads in this video.
The back story:
During the summer of 2003, we began research on a documentary film about barbecue competition that led us to The American Royal Barbecue, one of the biggest BBQ competitions in the world. After interviewing a number of teams to find one veteran team and one novice team, we found veteran Larry Mayes (2-Fat Larrys) and “newbie” Scott Jones (Northwoods Mesquite-toes), who had never before competed in an barbecue competition. From the start, it was clear that Scott had the personality to leap into something new, and make things happen.
As his wife commented, Scott likes to do things big. Inside The World of Championship Barbecue (our first DVD) was completed in January of 2004. In August of that year, Scott sent us a letter updating his progress since his first event that we had filmed for the DVD. Since that time, he had invested a considerable sum of money in new equipment, including his new cooker and a garage he built to house it. More significantly, since the Royal, he had invested considerable effort perfecting his barbecue and entering contests throughout the Midwest. His letter formed the basis for our decision to return to the American Royal in October of 2004, to examine the passion behind competition, focusing again on Scott Jones and other competition cooks.
Who are these people and what are the effects of the extraordinary commitments to competing on barbecue friendships and family members? Why are they willing to endure the mental, physical and financial burdens this sport requires to succeed? Of course, the logical name for this film came about through sheer luck. Although Scott Jones is not the only competitor featured, he embodies the spirit of these extreme competitors.
The BBQ jones is about passion and unending commitment toward reaching a goal. Is the passion an addiction or is it a recipe for leading a rewarding life? Perhaps, as this film will reveal, it’s more than just a little of both.