The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off is back. Twenty-three rib cookers are set up on Victorian Avenue in Sparks, hoping to take home the first place trophy. Joe Sutphen is the owner of Joey's Texas Thunder, and the only cooker who has been to the event, all 30 years.
"The Nugget, they like me and I like them and I try to do a good job. All the cookers do, and I think that's part of it," Sutphen said.
Sutphen is based in Amarillo, Texas and he's won first place at the annual event, twice. The rib cook-off started with only eight cookers in its first year. Since then, it has grown to as many as 25 in some years.
"Everyone tries to do the best ribs they can," Sutphen said. "Not just for competition but for the public themselves, so they'll come back next year."
The Nugget only invites the best rib cookers from around the country, so it is hard for a first-time team to break into the competition.
"Traditionally, almost impossible," Nick Massie, owner of Paleo Nick's said.
Massie finally got his first invitation to the Nugget Rib Cook-Off this year, along with Porky Chicks BBQ and Blazin' Bronco BBQ. Three newcomers are at this year's event. Two others from last year did not return.
"We've trained for this for four years," Massie said. "I've been trying to get in for five years and we got the call about a month ago. One of the teams couldn't make it from Canada due to their work visas."
Massie is based in Reno, so he was able to fill the spot in a short time frame. He's already learning a lot about what it takes to compete with the best cookers in the United States.
"You need to be an entrepreneur who can run a drill, fix a propane valve, set up a three-compartment sink," Massie said. "The amount of work it takes to set this operation up is insane."
Cookers have to be skilled at what they do but that is not enough to keep a spot at the rib cook-off. Officials say the Nugget turned down five or six other cookers for this year's event.Â
"We usually know coming in," Randy Kennedy, Nugget Director of Marketing & Communications said. "We've vetted them, checked them out, interviewed them, talked to other cookers, talked to other festivals and we know if they can make it out here or not."
Each cooker has to have the equipment and staff to cook such a high volume of ribs. They need signage and can compete with the best of them. Once they are set up, they have to pass health and fire inspections. The quality of food has to be good but quantity is just as important.
"You have to be able to cook at least 10,000 ribs over a six-day period and be able to serve them out," Kennedy said.
Kennedy says the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off goes through about 250,000 pounds of ribs each year. Word of mouth is critical when deciding who is invited. That's one reason why cookers like Sutphen are so valuable.
"They all know each other," Kennedy said. "They've done shows all over the country, so we rely on them and get pretty good recommendations and a good idea from them as well."
Sutphen says he does this event for the camaraderie and the competition.
"You like to win first place and get the money but you want to have the bragging rights," Sutphen said.
He is also there to give newcomers like Massie some advice.Â
"The beauty of this event, unlike any other event, is that every cooker here is your best friend," Massie said. "They will do anything for you."
Kennedy says people usually get invited back but some do not come back because of retirement, timing or ability to make the trip. Others have left the competition and returned in later years. There is no solid cap on the number of rib cookers but the Nugget tries to keep it between 20-25.
