SSS Catering Wins NC Juneteenth BBQ Cook-Off, Will Represent NC In National BBQ Competition

DURHAM, NC – On the second day of the 17th Annual North Carolina Juneteenth Celebration, Sunday, June 19, 2022, Durham-based SSS Catering won the NC Juneteenth Barbecue Cook-off, led by none other than Grillmaster Nelson Lee. Selected by a team of esteemed judges, SSS Catering will represent North Carolina in the National Juneteenth BBQ Competition in Galveston, Texas on Oct. 13 – 16, 2022.

The annual North Carolina Juneteenth Celebration, officially sanctioned by the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF), was a two-day event for the first time this year. The 17th Annual North Carolina Juneteenth Celebration took place on Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19 in Durham, NC, presented by Spectacular Magazine and Triangle Cultural Awareness Foundation. Held on Main Street (between Roxboro and Dillard Streets) in downtown Durham for the past 10 years, the Saturday festival moved to the Golden Belt Campus, still keeping the festival downtown. On Sunday, NC Juneteenth Barbeque Cook-Off was held at Durham Bottling Co., located on Ramseur Street in downtown Durham.

Festival attendees enjoyed a day of barbecue, entertainment, fun, and games at the NC Juneteenth Barbeque Cook-Off. Phyllis Coley, CEO/Publisher of Spectacular Magazine and NJOF’s NC State Juneteenth Director, explained the correlation between Juneteenth and barbecue. “Africans brought their homeland traditions with them, which manifested themselves through food and generations of Juneteenth celebrations. Smoked, sauce-covered barbecued meats are “the most important” feature on the Juneteenth table. Already a staple food of the South, the preparation methods that go into cooking and serving the savory proteins bring in the communal aspect of the holiday.”

Building upon our traditional food, this inaugural event in NC gave recognition to Grill Master’s style of food preparation. Grill Master Teams smoked a half-hog and Boston butts for judging and to sell.

I had a chance to interview Lee after he and his team received the award. He is a first-class Grillmaster specializing in delicious Chopped Barbecue, Pulled Pork, Grilled Chicken, and delectable sides such as cole slaw, baked beans, grilled corn on the cob, and other types of dishes.

Q: How do you feel about winning this event?

Lee: I feel honored. I feel absolutely honored about winning something like Juneteenth and the significance of the holiday. Barbecuing is something that I love and I’ve always loved to do it throughout the years. And I think that it is a wonderful opportunity to have won this and this has been outstanding for years. This is outstanding for me and my family and I hope it leads to bigger and better things in our catering business.

Q: How long have you guys been in business?
Lee: Actually, we started fully operating the business in 2019. But, we all know what happened there – but COVID hit – and then we brought equipment and everything like that. But now, we’re trying to get it back on track to actually cater, in terms of having events. I’ve always done favors for people and just did not have the business. But, I have a business now and we’re trying to get it off the ground.

Q: What types of events do you plan on catering to in the future?
Lee: We plan on catering events such as family reunions, wedding receptions, and things of that nature. I’ve helped countless people with their weddings and various functions. I’ve also done family cookouts and rehearsal dinners. So, that’s what we’re looking to do.

Q: Looks like you guys have a bright future. What potential advice do you have for people who want to win the Cook-Off or own their BBQ or Catering Business in the future?
Lee: For me, I was able to work with a full-service caterer – one of the ministers from my church. I’ve learned a lot from him. You can’t just walk into this not knowing how to, what to do, what the health regulations are, and things like that. You have to get with somebody that’s already doing it and learn what and how to do, etc. And that’s how I’m able to do it for myself.

Look out for the award-winning SSS Catering coming to an event near you…and bringing the National Juneteenth BBQ Competition trophy back to NC!