The Lorson Grilling Challenge

I'm doing something a little different with the NEBS Grilling Contest at the New Hampshire Rock-N-Ribfest in late June. I'm calling it the "Lorson Grilling Challenge."

Each of the four categories of the grilling contest will be cooked by a different member of my family. Here's the line-up:

First is my Mom, Sandy Lorson, pictured above. She has years of cooking experience, with her own small catering company and with a commercial one, not to mention having to deal with cooking for myself and my four complaining siblings for years. That's a lot of experience. Mom will be handling the sausage category.

Next is my sister Jenny Ramos, pictured above with her daughter Evie. Jenny is a 2001 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and has worked as a pastry chef at several top restaurants, including Zinc in New Haven, Mohegan Sun Casino and the Four Seasons in Dallas, Texas. Jenny will be cooking the shrimp category.

Next up is my lovely wife Sheila. Not only is Sheila an integral part of the team, my top adviser and our primary garnish queen, she is also no slouch when it comes to grilling. She has taken several awards for categories she has cooked on her own, including the first place dessert she had just won in the picture above. Sheila will be cooking the chicken wing category.

Last but not least is my brother Cristiaan. He is my assistant pitmaster and has plenty of cooking experience on his own. He has worked as a restaurant sous chef in the past, and currently is a part owner, manager and waiter at Le Jardin du Roi, a French brasserie in Chappaqua, NY. Cristiaan will be cooking the rib eye steak category.

I expect that this will be a fun day for all the cooks, as they will each have complete creative control over their dish. I fully intend to stay out of it completely. This is the hardest part for me, because I have issues relinquishing control, especially when it comes to the team. That is why I am calling it the "Lorson Grilling Challenge" because the challenge will be for me to stay the heck out of the way. But I expect to look like the picture below when the cooking is taking place.