Hurry Up and Grill

09/06/2026

Still recovering, still smiling.

What a weekend at the Kickback BBQ & Brew Throwdown.

Two big days of smoke, steak, stout, sauce, creativity, chaos, last-minute problem solving and getting those boxes in on time.

I’m so proud to have walked away with two second places on Day 1, some strong category results across the weekend, a heap of lessons, and a very full heart.

Day 1 results:
🏆 Anything Kick Back Brewing Stout — 2nd place
🏆 Anything Old Uncle Moe’s Hot Sauce — 2nd place
🥩 Steak 1 — 7th place
🥩 Steak 2 — 7th place

Day 2 results:
🥚 Appetiser — 8th place
🔥 Anything Pork Rib — 5th place
🥩 Steak 1 — 11th place
🥩 Steak 2 — DAL

This weekend pushed me across steak, stout, hot sauce, appetiser, ribs and dessert boxes. Some ideas worked, some things were learnt the hard way, and some moments were pure “just get it in the box” energy — but that is BBQ.

The biggest thank you goes to my family and the people behind the scenes who helped me get there. From lending gear, packing, taste testing, giving advice, helping with kids, cheering me on and talking me through the tired moments — I could not do this without that village. This also includes all of the amazing teams that were present that have now turned into some incredible friends.

A massive thank you to the organisers, judges, reps, volunteers, sponsors and fellow competitors who made the weekend happen. These events take so much work behind the scenes, and I’m grateful to be part of such a supportive BBQ community.

Huge thanks also to my sponsors and supporters for backing me and helping me bring these boxes together.

Proud, tired, grateful — and already thinking about the next one.

🔥🥩🍻 Big thanks to 👇🏻

20/04/2026

Meatstock Gippsland 2026 🔥

What a weekend. I drove over solo to compete in the SCA on Friday, and the crew at made me feel completely at home. Cooking alongside such talented legends is something I never take for granted.

The best part of BBQ comps will always be the people — meeting new teams, reconnecting with friends, and just soaking up the energy. It fills my cup every single time.

Alright… results 👇

This SCA was next level — 2 steaks + 5 ancillaries 😳
Steaks didn’t crack the top 10 this time 😔 but the ancillaries came in strong:

🥈 Wings – 2nd
🌶 Jalapeño Poppers – 4th
🌭 Hot Dog – 1st
🍕 Pizza – 4th
🐑 Lamb Cutlets – didn’t hand in

Honestly, I’m stoked to land top 5 in every ancillary I submitted. The standard was insanely high, and it was awesome seeing so many cooks absolutely nail it — especially some new faces making a big impact.

Wings were built with some SA flavour 💪🏻
Cluck n Bones
Garlic Goals
Mango Habanero Glaze

Hot dog came through again — 1st place and doing damage both here and in the States 🌭🔥
Sweet Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Dill Pickle Dry Rub
(Keep an eye out — coming soon to 👀)

Big thanks to Charcoal Kings for keeping us fuelled all weekend 🔥

Didn’t compete in ABA this round, but loved being around , helping out where I could and just taking it all in.

I loved using my new inkbird sous vide from for the first time 🌡️

And to my family back home — my boys are always my biggest supporters and loudest cheer squad 🫶🏻

Already keen for the next comp.

22/03/2026

20/03/2026

I feel honoured to be included in the Croix Valley team 🙏🏻

20/03/2026

Sunday 🔥 SCA World Championships Finals – Steak Category

At this point, I was still pinching myself that I’d even made it here. The goal was simple—do exactly what I did the day before and trust it.

I had my epic support crew around me the whole time, backing me and reminding me I’ve got this.

We were fuelled by briquettes, and my grill was humming perfectly—even in those awful winds. I kept it consistent, running the same Championship Blend, and it was all systems go. I was playing with the big kids now.

We did have a bit of an issue with thermometers during the cook, but I stayed focused and pushed through—and honestly, I was so happy with how it all came together.

I placed 34th out of 56 finalists with a score of 250.5:

50 – Appearance
50 – Doneness
49 – Texture
52.5 – Flavour
49 – Overall Impression

But between hand-in and results… chaos hit 😅
This steak cook lost her ticket 🫣 Absolute panic stations.

My crew had my back immediately—even diving into the trash to find it. Luckily, Jeff spotted it under a bin and the relief was unreal. Knowing you’ve got people in your corner willing to literally dumpster dive for you… that’s something special. Thank you Cori and crew 😬

A massive shoutout to fellow Adelaideian Adriano for coming SECOND IN THE WORLD 👏 To be competing alongside him and so many incredibly talented cooks was such a privilege. I never imagined I’d find myself here.

It’s been a wild ride. I’m so proud—of myself, my crew, and everyone who supported me both here in the US and back home in Australia.

And now… I want to come back and do it all again 🔥

20/03/2026

Sunday 🔥 SCA World Championships Ancillary Finals – Side Dish (Steak Dinner) using Croix Valley sauces

I was really proud of how this dish came together.

I created a potato and celery root (celeriac) pavé—layered with thin slices, baked, then fried in duck fat until perfectly crisp. It was finished with a chilli honey glaze and served over Croix Valley Sweet Carolina Gold Sauce, with balsamic pearls, crispy prosciutto, and a fresh side salad tossed in white lemon balsamic vinaigrette.

The flavours came together beautifully, with the Sweet Carolina Gold as the hero of the dish. I was especially stoked with how the plating turned out.

Out of around 50 finalists, I placed 21st—and I’m honestly so proud of how far I’ve come.

It was also incredible to see fellow Adelaide local and former Ancillary World Champion Amanda Griffiths take out 4th place—so inspiring to watch.

And a huge congratulations to Damon Holter on taking the championship 👏

Thanks to everyone that supported me to get here it means so much to me and all.of those that were around me on the day Team Croix Valley also helped provide feedback on further refining this dish which helps build that confidence.

Can't wait to try all this again next year!

19/03/2026

Saturday 🔥 SCA World Championships Semi-Finals – Steak Category

Stepping into steak semi-finals, I knew this cook was all about trusting the process and executing under pressure.

I placed 3rd in my group, which locked me into the Steak Finals 😳 I was honestly blown away.

Standing there knowing I’d be joining Adriano —Australia’s #1 steak points champion—in the finals was a total pinch-me moment.

I bloody made both finals. This whole weekend has been beyond my wildest dreams… something I never expected.

I was incredibly lucky to be running on a grill, generously lent to me by Steve Noble —especially in those windy conditions, it performed like an absolute dream.

Fuelled up with briquettes and paired with grill grates, I had everything I needed to get that perfect sear.

For seasoning, I kept it simple and trusted the process—using Championship Blend as recommended by Jeff Lanham ...and nothing else. Jeff I can't thank you enough.

I also used the Thermomix to sous vide my steak, locking in consistency before hitting the grill.

It was also so cool to be grilling next to Nomes who has also taught me so much on my journey ❤️

I’m so grateful for everyone who helped make this possible by lending equipment, offering advice, and backing me along the way—both here in the US and back home in Australia. It truly takes a village 🙌

19/03/2026

Friday 🔥 SCA World Championships Ancillary Semi-Finals – Hot Dog Category using Croix Valley sauces.

Coming into this event after taking 1st place at the Azle SCA comp the week before, I felt confident in my flavour profile—this time it was all about ex*****on and refinement.

I placed 10th in my group, which meant I was heading into the Ancillary Finals 😳 I was honestly so proud in that moment.

My hot dog: a pepper jack cheese dog wrapped in pretzel dough, baked, then topped with Croix Valley Sweet Carolina Gold Sauce, pink sauerkraut, crispy prosciutto, pickle chips, and finished with Fat Plate BBQ dill pickle dry rub.

I absolutely love these flavours—and thankfully, the judges did too.

Huge thank you to all my support crew and taste testers back home in Australia, especially my husband (who cleaned up an unbelievable amount of flour and sesame seeds in my wake 🤣).

To my RV crew—Nomes, Dave & Jeff—thanks for putting up with my constant jokes about “playing with my wieners” 😂

Big thanks to Jeff Lanham for lending me his brand new pellet smoker to bake these.

for the TM6 so I could make my dough using a Cookidoo pretzel recipe.

for helping coordinate all the gear I needed.

And to everyone in the US who supported me with equipment and encouragement—I appreciate you so much 🙌

02/11/2025

🎉 Celebrating my milestone 40th birthday in style on Saturday, October 25th, by diving into the world of BBQ at the Australian Barbeque Alliance competition! The Bend Classic at Shell-V Motorsport Park in Tailem Bend was awesome with classic car racing, whip cracking, wood chopping, country tunes, and some wild weather adding to the excitement. 🚗🔥🎶

This was our second appearance as "Hurry Up and Grill," and I couldn't have done it without my incredible family, especially Dave. Huge thanks to Nomes and her partner for their invaluable mentoring and logistical support—truly the Yin to my Yang on this BBQ journey. Shoutout to Dan Heinz, one of our inaugural team members, who joined us for part of the day. 🍖🔥

Competing was no small feat; the level of skill and dedication from all the participating teams made the event both challenging and inspiring. The respect we hold for our fellow competitors is huge. Congratulations to GC RGC.

A big thank you to our sponsors: The Rub Society, Charcoal Kings, and the amazing Stirling Variety Meats for keeping us well-stocked!

Special thanks to Barbecue Revolution, Skinnymixers, The Smoking Joint, Meatgraffiti, Low 'n' Slow Basics, Fire House BBQ, Butchers Axe, Chad Whittington, Beers, and Jeff Lanham for your unwavering support and for imparting your BBQ wisdom over the last 18 months. 🙌

Here's how we fared:
🥇 8th out of 10 teams overall
🍗 Chicken: 10th
🍖 Pork Ribs: 8th
🐖 Pork: 5th
🥩 Brisket: 6th

What an unforgettable experience! Can't wait for the next one! 🔥👨‍🍳

02/11/2025

Throwback to an unforgettable week at The Bend Classic at Shell-V Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend! 🚗💨 The event was a mix of classic car racing, whip cracking, wood chopping, and country music. Despite the unpredictable weather, which added an extra layer of excitement, the camaraderie among BBQ legends was undeniable.

The Friday Night Steak Shoot Out, I revved up the Valkry Rover Grill using Redneck Charcoal and flavours from the Rub Society. My efforts earned me 6th place, a result that had me beaming. But the excitement didn’t stop there. On Sunday, I managed to climb to 4th place in the steak category, securing a coveted golden ticket to the SCA World Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, set for 2026! 🎟️

The wild weather made Sunday’s Ancillary competitions particularly challenging. My "Anything Red" entry, inspired by the Weber cake pops I made for my 40th birthday, turned into a comical disaster due to the gale-force winds. My table was overturned twice, scattering everything everywhere. Despite the chaos, I managed to submit all my entries, including the cake pops that hilariously embodied the blustery conditions. It was a moment straight out of a “Nailed It” episode, but I was proud of my resilience and creativity.

None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, especially Dave, and my incredible mentors. A massive thank you to my sponsors: The Rub Society, Charcoal Kings, and The Smoking Log Co., whose support has been invaluable. Special thanks to Barbecue Revolution, Skinnymixers, The Smoking Joint, and all the legends who have stood by me. Here's to more thrilling BBQ adventures ahead! 🔥

Results recap:

Friday Night: Steak Shootout - 6th

Sunday:

Taco - 8th

Anything Red - 9th

Steak - 4th (Golden Ticket 🎟️)

Dessert - 9th