Craig Verhage on BBQ Family, Tradition, and Keeping the Fire Burning

With twenty plus years of cooking competition BBQ, much of it as part of the famed Ubons BBQ family enterprise, Craig Verhage knows a thing or two about a thing or two. This conversation was a real pleasure for me, and I hope you enjoy listening to Craig’s stories and life lessons shared here.

Doin’ it for Poppie

Right off the bat, we get into a discussion about the friendship and family bonds developed between Craig, Pitmaster Garry Roark, affectionately known as Poppie. Craig makes no bones about it. Poppie was as much as, or more, a father figure and role model as he was a BBQ mentor.

Craig Verhage posing proudly with the 2018 Cleveland, MS Octoberfest Grand Championship Trophy – marking the 29th Anniversary from the year when Gary Roark cooked his first ever competition at the very same event.

Homage to Gary Roark – Friend, Role Model, and BBQ Mentor

Ubons BBQ on BBQ Crawl with DivaQ

Click the video still below to watch a nice video short of Leslie and her Dad, Gary Roark being featured and interviewed on the Travel Channel’s BBQ Crawl with Danielle Bennett (AKA DivaQ).

Ubons BBQ Travel Channel BBQ Crawl Video with Danielle Bennett - DivaQ — **Click the image above or visit this link to watch the Travel Channel’s BBQ Crawl Episode with Danielle Bennett (DivaQ) featuring Ubons BBQ.**

As the conversation moves on, we discuss the many opportunities and friendships that have come Craig’s way via his involvement with Ubons, including his many trips to some of the marquee BBQ events over the years as well the chance for he, Leslie Roark Scott (The BBQ Princess) her awesome son, Jacob, and the rest of the Ubons crew had cooking at the Beard House.

**Craig Verhage (far left) with Jacob, his Mom Leslie, and the rest of the folks from Ubons BBQ at the Beard House.**

The BBQ Ninja Origin Story

We round out the interview with a discussion of how the BBQ Ninja persona and brand came about. Though not quite sure about it at first, Craig embraced it fully once he realized how much people began to embrace it.

Contact Craig Verhage

As always, I urge you to reach out and contact my guests. Craig is a super open guy who will no doubt respond to your comments and messages with the same easy going manner that you hear in this interview.

Be sure to reach out to Craig via the following channels:

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