Thursday, December 17, 2009

Hey Joe! Welcome to Canada, Eh!





This post is dedicated to Jimi Hendrix. A unique and unmatched visionary in his time!



Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Folks!

I'm hoping as per usual that all my grilling friends out there are rockin the decks even though the deep freeze has set in, "in the true north strong and free"! There's never a dull moment it would seem for yours truly as my adventures continue to lead me to some great people, new relationships and innovative products that relate to the "GTO" lifestyle and the world of ceramic grilling!

My latest story goes something like this. Star Date: Dec. 17, 2009, its 7am and -20 celcius but really feels like -30 with wind chill. I'm bookin eastbound at a buck thirty along Hwy 417 towards Montreal to conduct some business and over night it with family. The G-TOTE (Grilled To Obsession Toyota Enterprise) is fully loaded with all the necessary survival gear for the trip, LOL! I've got a head full of Hendrix going on as "Hey Joe" blasts through the speakers at the usual 400 decibels! I'm loving it as I haven't played any classic Jimi in ages and then I start thinking back to this great conversation I had with a gentleman by the name of Bobby Brennan who happens to be the commander & chief of a company called "Kamado Joe" based out of Flowery Branch Georgia and then it hits me! This is a perfect time to welcome what looks to be the possible and official contender/competitor to "The Big Green Egg" or any other kamado styled ceramic cooker for that matter to land in Canada to date and mark my words yet again fellow grillers, its time to sit up and take notice, especially if you are new to this grilling lifestyle and here's why.

Salvador Dali was once quoted for saying "genius's steal while talent merely borrows" and at first glance the "Kamado Joe" looks like a direct spin off of "The Big Green Egg", but not so fast I say, Jedi grilling knights, until you really take a good long look. As all of you know, I love it when I can speak and engage directly to the principle of a company who can share the same kind of passion as me for this cooking medium and I admit I've been fortunate to have spoken to almost all the owners with exception to only a few and that speaks volumes in my humble opinion to have access to these people.

So, I just took delivery a few weeks back of my brand new "KJ" cooker thanks to the help and generosity of the great folks out at Pacific Specialty Brands in beautiful Burnaby, B.C. As we all know, first impressions are lasting ones and to my pleasant surprise this baby which is the only model and size currently available in red go's toe to toe with the large BGE, comes fully assembled, incredibly well packaged and what do ya know, the entire kit n' kaboodle also includes bamboo side shelves ( major environmental plus and benefit I might add) and a stainless steel, powder coated cart for the record! While I'm on the topic of stainless steel I think its of huge importance to mention that these guys have done their homework in regard to the smaller details which make significant differences at the end of the day, especially for us Canuks because of the varying climates we live in.

You want examples as usual, right? Right, it only makes sense to justify my comments. We all know because I have been promoting, inspiring and engaging with people everywhere for a decade now on why anyone getting into outdoor cooking/grilling needs and should want a kamado style cooker wether on its own or to compliment the gas range as well. So, no more preaching about what you already know, here are the added features and benefits that no one else in the market place is offering currently like Kamado Joe.

1. stainless steel fittings and fastenings

2. stainless steel, powder coated side shelf brackets and band assist's.

3. stainless steel cooking grid with smoke chip trap door

4. bamboo side shelves and handle as already mentioned are extremely resistant to mildew and overall harsh weather like we get in Canada but great environmental story here indeed!

5. extra large, easy to read thermometer means no more squinting!

6. did the "griller" mention that it all comes fully assembled and all one has to do is unload, unpack and fire off the "GTO" invites to your friends and family for those weekly parties? If not, I just did!

7. as of 2010 "KJ" will be offering up color options as well!!!!!!!!! Yeah Baby! Finally, more color's to choose from!

If all this added detail isn't enough "KJ" will also be offering up the option of selling their clients a cooker without side shelves or a cart if you happen to be more inclined to want a larger table to house your new kamado. Now that's awesome, and yes, "KJ" will be selling and marketing their own full size tables in 2010! More details on this later! They have also got all the additional accessories cinched up to enhance your cook outs with a great pizza stone and their own very logical plate setter for those long low "n" slows. Price you ask for the entire enchilada? Hold on to your hats grillers! In and around $1200.00 Canadian currency out the door! That's literally hundreds in savings compared to BGE or anyone else currently!

If any of you "Grateful Grillers" are curious about warranty policy which you should be, no worries, Kamado Joe has you covered with the industry standard 20 years on ceramics, 5 years on metal parts (excluding cast iron topper) 1 year on cast iron parts and 30 days on gaskets and thermometer's.

I can already report that my early cooking test results are blowing my mind with this new product and I'm throwing everything and anything with the exception to the kitchen sink at it! At day's end what matters to me is can it cook and is it great quality and does the company stand behind it? The industry benchmark to date as we know is and has been the BGE but like I predicted a year ago and I've since made reference and drawn parallel's to my "shape ski" business analogy as it relates to the bbq industry a few posts back, healthy competition is a great thing and we are about to see that healthy competition take shape with Kamado Joe in the North American marketplace and quite frankly, I'M STOKED! Ouch, bad joke, I know!

What's not a joke however, is it would appear that this well organized, passionate bunch of folks down in Flowery Branch GA. have brought a shiny new "Smith & Wesson" to what has been up to now an amateur knife fight from a marketing perspective in the uber niche market of kamado styled cookers. For this reason alone I congratulate "Kamado Joe's" efforts and there's no doubt in my mind whatsoever that their guns will be blazing for many years to come as they like myself help spread the "GTO" message to the masses!

So my grilling friends, stay tuned for future updates and stories from yours truly as I continue to grill, smoke, bake and sear my way through life with those who matter most to me!

Feed the fire and the desire to always take it higher and next time you hear some classic Jimi Hendrix playing, just know "Kamado Joe" ain't far behind you.

The Grateful One