09/03/2024
This Labor Day weekend has been the most emotional Labor Day weekend of my life.
As some may know there was an amazing event held this weekend the 3rd Annual BBQ & Sweet Tea Festival and BBQ competition in the CSRA - Aiken South Carolina, My parents' hometown as for me I am a native of NY but Aiken is where my heart is (Home) I consider myself you can take me out of the city and country but you can't take neither out of me, LOL! Stamp!!
I would like to thank Velshonya Hickson for believing in me and my passion for BBQ, she texted me the link for the competition over a month ago. I signed up the next day.
The moment I signed up, I reached out to my friend/brother (how we met but God) Thyron Mathews and Terrishane Mathews and I told them of the event and placed an order of their award winning rubs and sauces and with no hesitation they came through.
Now we are getting closer to competition time and I was at work one day and my Co-worker Arvind Singh was asking me about the comp and I told him I was nervous. He replied - NO! you don't be nervous, you are Tron - Z, you are funny, people like you , be yourself and you will win, I know you will win!!
A week before competition I reached out to another one of my youtube guys I follow and now we are friends/brothers Ricky Farmer and we chopped it up, well I needed some more advice so not knowing if he would respond in such short time but he did Unkle Eddie full of competition knowledge and he drop some jewels on me. I also reached out to my cool as a fan brother Ro Carl
Now its time to hit I 95 south and after a 8.5 hour ride that took us 12 hours oooohhweee baaaeebbby its was rough but we arrived safely.
Next, we are at the event meeting other pitmasters, umm my gear was nothing compared to the gear they had, ok.
I was welcomed and felt good in the circle. I first meet Jay of J&C BBQ, I then meet the organizer Antonio "Tone" Jones - Realtor and I later meet this real cool guy Kurt of Ironhead BBQ and few other Awesome pitmasters.
Now we 1 hour or so before the vendor event start, I was only going to vend on Saturday and focus on getting ready for the comp cook all night for me,lol
I was about to leave and get stuff to prep and Kurt was like No
Man! its about to get crazy busy and convinced me to stay - Glad I did thanks Ironhead BBQ it was Lit and I had a awesome time and it prepared me for the process.
Game time its Saturday and we done cooked all night - I walk over to my guy Jamie grand champion pitmaster 20 min be my pork turn-in and asked him how he cut his money muscle and he gave me some tips, with no hesitation this is how We roll in BBQ, well some of us and I am thankful for all that are in my circle old and new.
I remember telling someone as far as competition, I will be ok with just a piece of paper and it read - Bertrand Spann of E & E Soul Good BBQ drove the farthest 8.5 hours, LOL and Tone Jones laugh and was like ok my man lol! I did also say I would love to carry on the legacy of my dad shop E&E Upholstery as it was back in the early 80's his shop was in the same area on Park Ave.
I said a 3rd place win in something would be an honor to the E&E Legacy of Ernest and Elizabeth Spann because they brought people together and BBQ does the same. I want to continue to fellowship and bring people together with good BBQ,
Final results of the competition were as follows:
E&E Soul Good BBQ
3rd Place Ribs
5th Place overall out of 11 teams
Aiken Standard newspaper recognized my Marland tags and did a story on how far I drove.
I thank God for this moment, Southern BBQ Network and all my supporters and last but definitely not the least my nephew Javaire Layne, I could not have done it without you nephew.
Tron -
