With only a week to go, there are still spaces available in my Barbecue Academy at the Fairmont Banff Springs, which runs August 20 – 22. If you love great food and wine, and want to eat and drink and cook and laugh with me in one of the most beautiful outdoor settings on earth, read on!
My best barbecue event everFor the past 15 years I’ve been leading grilling and barbecue classes and workshops in Calgary and Vancouver, and even as far away as Texas and Australia. This summer, working in partnership with my friends at the Fairmont Banff Springs, I’ve put together my tastiest, most entertaining event ever.

Barbecue Academy is a sizzlin’ getaway weekend featuring the very best recipes and techniques from my latest book, Barbecue Secrets DELUXE! It’s an entertaining and informative combination of a hands-on workshop and gourmet grilling demonstrations that will supercharge your outdoor cooking skills and introduce you to the smoky world of real, Southern-Style championship barbecue.

What’s more, I’m proud to report that Barbecue Academy has some world-class sponsors to help bring you a memorable experience. We’ll be cooking on genuine Weber equipment – the gold standard of outdoor cooking. And throughout the weekend you’ll taste some of the finest Canadian and global wines, from Sumac Ridge Chardonnay to Ravenswood Zin, and refresh your thirst with cold, crisp Budweiser and Bud Light.

The ultimate barbecue experience
The Barbecue Academy package includes:
Accommodation in a deluxe room at the Fairmont Banff Springs for a minimum of two nights
Friday: an opening reception
Saturday: an all-day, hands-on championship barbecue workshop featuring a classic barbecue feast for lunch
Sunday: a half-day grilling and planking demonstration with delicious wine pairings with each dish
A complementary copy of my book with each Barbecue Academy package
An amazing program to take your barbecue skills and your taste buds to the next level

Here’s a more detailed look at the curriculum of this Institute of Higher Grilling:

DAY ONE: Friday, August 20th

“Meat and Greet” 6.00 p.m. – 8.00 p.m.

Join us for a casual opening reception where you’ll meet me and your fellow participants, enjoy delicious appetizers and a sip on a feature signature cocktail from Barbecue Secrets DELUXE!

DAY TWO: Saturday, August 21st
“Secrets of Championship Barbecue” 9.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.
This is the weekend’s main event: an all-day, hands-on southern-style barbecue workshop laced with tall tales and hickory smoke and finished with sweet, tangy sauce. Students will split into teams of two to four, with each team having exclusive use of a brand new Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker for the day. Think of it as my barbecue boot camp, where you’ll learn to prep and cook competition-quality chicken and ribs and get indoctrinated into the ways of the Barbecue Lifestyle. A highlight of the day will be a barbecue feast for lunch featuring classic pulled pork sandwiches and Texas-style brisket with great sides and a lip-smackin’ dessert. At the end of the day, we’ll have a fun contest in which teams will present the meats of their labour to be judged by a specially selected panel according to the rules of championship barbecue. Cheap plastic trophies will be handed to the winners — just like in a real barbecue contest! Whether you want to do some training to enter a real barbecue contest or want to be a champion in your own back yard, this day will change your life. Here’s what past participants in this workshop have said about it:

“Ronnie is hilarious, knowledgeable and leads a great workshop.”

“It has improved my understanding, my technique, my confidence and my end product immeasurably.”

“This was an exceptional workshop filled with the science, the art and the lifestyle of barbecue.”

DAY THREE: Sunday, August 22nd

“Essentials of Everyday Grilling” 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m

This luxurious three-hour cooking demonstration will feature my best grilled and planked dishes, sides and desserts, all paired with superb Vincor wines, including the classic barbecue-friendly Ravenswood Zin. The menu is varied and extensive; by one o’clock everyone will be completely full and satisfied. Here’s what folks have told me about past grilling demonstrations:

“Excellent, excellent, excellent. Oh yes – exceptionally yummy!”

“Come hungry!”

“Do it! Open your culinary tastes.”

At the end of day three, all participants will receive special barbecue goody bags and official personalized diplomas signifying their completion of the workshop and their new understanding of the tools, techniques, lifestyle and philosophy of Southern-style Barbecue, grilling and plank-cooking.

Before departing, you can enjoy the hotel or the town of Banff in the afternoon. A variety of activities are available to you including a round of golf on the famed Stanley Thompson course, a spa treatment at Willow Stream Spa, a nature “photo walk,” shopping in Banff, or even a fly-in fishing experience on the Bow River.

So, there you have it. Whether you’re a foodie or a barbecue fanatic, a wine lover or an adventure traveler, Barbecue Academy promises to be an unforgettable experience, just waiting to happen for you. All you have to do is enroll, which I suggest you do now, because participation is limited and we’re only a week away!

I hope to see you and your companion or gang of friends at Barbecue Academy at the Fairmont Banff Springs in the beautiful Canadian Rockies! If you’re on the edge of deciding and want to talk to me directly about the weekend, give me a call at 604-351-1999. To view a video invitation from me, click here.

Yours forever in smoke,