Small-town event brings big-time flavor

“This is an opportunity for the community to get together and celebrate everything that makes Brentwood great,” Brentwood Mayor Joel Bryant added. “It’s great. It’s always nice to have something our families can be a part of and enjoy.”

Outside of the food on the plate, the event serves as the first big fundraiser of the year for the Brentwood PAL. According to Ruff, the event raised $4,850. The money raised from ticket sales, team registration fees, and the 50/50 raffle go towards the year’s upcoming after-school programs and, eventually, trips to sporting events as well. 

“It’s a big event,” said Ray Chavarria of the Brentwood Bombers, a local cornhole club that competed in Sunday’s barbecue contest. “It goes to a good cause and Brentwood PAL has always been good to us. It’s just a pretty awesome thing.”

The contest was divided into five different categories: appetizer, chicken, ribs, chili, dessert, and then a separate award for best overall. Philip Salgado and Russell Clark of P&R BBQ took home the awards for Best Ribs and Best Overall, Rio Good BBQ out of Rio Vista took home the award for Best Tri-Tip, while Brentwood teams Stewart’s Kitchen took home Best Dessert, and Finger Lickin’ won Best Chicken, Best Chili, and Best Appetizer, sweeping three of the five categories.

“That was a complete surprise,” Salgado said after his win. “I did not expect that, didn’t expect to win the ribs. I was just hoping to place. It’s humbling for me. And, for us, my son was here to help.”

Salgado and his co-worker Clark teamed up only six months ago for the competition.

“People kept telling me, ‘Russ, Russ, when are you going to enter your barbecue,” Clark explained. “So finally this year, I pulled the trigger.”

The other big winner, Finger Lickin’ led by Brentwood native Justin Altman, who swept through three of the five categories on Sunday.

“I’ve been doing this since I was 14, won Best Chicken once, never won Best Appetizer or Best Chili though,” Altman explained as he smiled looking at his new plaques. “I’m just excited to be here honestly. Every year I try to compete for the big trophy, so one of these years I hope to be able to get it. I love coming down here and cooking.”

Altman’s secret to his success is that he cooks everything over charcoal, which keeps the meat nice and tender. 

Brentwood PAL also awarded Mike Rucker a $5,000 scholarship to support the Give Back Garage, a community garage that not only assists those who cannot afford any kind of car maintenance, but also provides an after-school program for kids interesting in working in a garage and working on cars.

“I was just hoping to get enough money to get the kids shirts for the PAL program, for the afterschool program,” Rucker said. “It’s pretty special.”