Leon Drew is the Nevada Barbecue Association's Director of Judges and a KCBS Certified Master Judge. When he's not judging, he also enjoys competing as the head cook of team Squat and Gobble Barbecue.

 

His first contest was one of the biggest in the country – the American Royal Open.

 

"When we were living in Laughlin, Nevada, in 1992, some friends of ours traveled with us to the American Royal.  A guy that I went to school with had a team cooking at the Royal, and after visiting with him for a while, I decided I wanted to compete when I got a chance. That chance didn’t come until 2005 when we retired," he said.

 

He competes cooking on Weber Smoky Mountains with his wife, Mary, and Randy and Lori Drew, plus Bruce and Kris Hubbard.

 

The team got its name from a Clint Eastwood movie.

 

"Clint and Clyde were sitting in the truck at a strip mall, and there was a big neon turkey wearing a bib and the words 'Squat and Gobble Café.' I remembered the sign when I was thinking about a team name," said Leon.

 

He enjoys the challenge of making a good rib and said it's the most requested BBQ by his family and friends.

 

His advice for other competitive teams: "Take your time and enjoy the cook. You can’t rush BBQ."