05/25/2026
As we get ready to celebrate Grace's graduation and the next wild chapter of life at University of Louisville, I've been thinking a lot about where this whole HotMess journey started.
The truth is… there isn't a HotMess BBQ without Grace.
People see the trophies, the calls, the banners, and the occasional chaos… but they don't always see the person behind the scenes helping build recipes, refining cook processes, organizing contest prep, keeping timelines moving, and making sure we don't completely fall apart at in a muddy parking lot somewhere.
She's been there for all of it.
The wins.
The heartbreaks.
The "this brisket is perfect" moments that absolutely were not perfect.
And the emotional rollercoaster that is… me.
Most teams have a pitmaster.
HotMess has Grace.
At contests, she holds a special title nobody else will ever earn:
**Official Manager of Dad's Attitude.**
And trust me… this is a FULL-TIME position.
She has complete authority to tell me to calm down, stop overthinking, quit spiraling, stop touching things, quit "fixing" things that aren't broken, eat something, drink water, and occasionally just sit down and shut up.
Nobody else has that clearance level.
What makes me most proud isn't just what she's helped build with HotMess -- it's the person she's become along the way. Smart. Tough. Loyal. Driven. Calm under pressure. And somehow still willing to put up with me after all these years of BBQ madness.
Louisville is getting an incredible young woman.
And HotMess will never be the same without you.
Love you Grace.
Thank you for helping turn this crazy dream into something bigger than BBQ.
Now go make Louisville nervous. 🔥🖤
