Fairway Market in Westbury played host and sponsor to the fourth annual barbecue competition of the Nassau County Firefighters Museum and Education Center on July 1 to test the grilling skills of Nassau’s bravest, while delivering a message of summer BBQ safety. Six teams from Westbury, Bethpage, East Meadow, Malverne, Oceanside and Syosset competed, along with the Nassau County Police Medics Association, to see who would take home the title of grill master for 2015.
Smoking out the competition to win the coveted first place trophy adorned with a smoker was the Nassau County Police Medics Association, who bested the firefighters and some seasoned winners. The group took home a $300 gift certificate and bragging rights for a year.
The Police Medics rose to the top with a rib recipe from Kevin Keyer of Hicksville, a paramedic for six years. “I had a dry rub, smoked the ribs for four hours and then I sauce them up with barbecue sauce,” he said. “It was exciting to win first place and very shocking.”
But the team agreed the win was a group effort.
“Our winning recipe came from Kevin Keyer with the ribs, but we all worked together as a team to support the museum and the fire service and have a good time and we got lucky today,” said Mark Pollack of Williston Park.
Timothy Bohr of the Westbury Fire Department was the chief cook for his team and was hoping for a return win for first place which they won last year with their smoked chicken and jerk sauce with a secret recipe.
“I am the head cook today,” Bohr said. “We are doing ribs and a seasoned chicken. We won last year for the first time so we are hoping for a win again this year.”
Frank Vasile, a 24-year veteran of the Syosset Fire Department and cook, attends every year.
“I have a pulled chicken thigh with homemade barbecue sauce, which I think will be the winner this year,” he said. Vasile’s prediction was right, as the Syosset Fire Department took home second for its pulled chicken recipe. Vasile is no stranger to winning awards. He has won a prize each year in different categories and delights the audience with his mouth-watering dishes. He comes with his own smokers and starts smoking the meat for eight hours before he applies his award winning spices. When he is not barbecuing and fighting fires, he is a medical coder for North Shore Health Systems.
Charles Razenson, chief cook and Bethpage firefighter, was cooking with his multiple awards on the table. “I have come in first, third and on outside competitions I have won for my pork and beef. Today I have cupcake chicken made with 17 spices. The chicken is formed into a cupcake pan and frosted with barbecue sauce, honey and pineapple juice.”
Fairway provided all of the food to be cooked and in addition, on a selected night this summer the grocery store will donate a portion of their earnings to the museum.
Three judges rated the chicken and rib dishes on taste, originality and presentation. Angela Susan Anton, publisher of Anton Media Group, has been judging for four years.
“I am happy to be here to give publicity to all the fire departments to show off their great food and to educate the public on fire prevention. The best part of this event is always the food, it’s great,” she said.
Angelo Catalano, judge and board president of the NCFF Museum had high praise for Fairway.
“We started this competition at the museum but it got too big so for the past two years Fairway has sponsored this event,” he said. “They are wonderful with us and have been a great supporter of the museum.”
For tips on barbecue safety and to learn more about the Nassau County Firefighter’s Museum, go to www.ncfiremuseum.org.
