Meet ‘Party In My Pans’ – Grillstock Brand Stompin’ Competition Winners

This year, Grillstock launched a competition to find an up and coming business with the prize of trading at the festival itself to over 10,000 meat and music lovers. Meet the winners: Party In My Pans a.k.a PIMP

Firstly, congratulations on your win! You sure were thinking outside the box when pitching to attend a BBQ festival! Where did the idea come from?

I guess it’s all about thinking outside the box. Food is where we (Tomahhawk, Lovegg & Chunky) want to be, but there are so many great vendors already that it’s definitely about doing something different and standing out from the crowd. Originally the idea started off as a random ramble about a trip to Louisiana for an authentic Clawfish (that's American for Crayfish) boil. Then came a more realistic plan to recreate a Clawfish Boil for Lovegg’s birthday. Finally Party in My Pans all came together over a Grand Champion & a few bottles of Brooklyn beer when we saw the advert for the Brand Stompin’ New competition. We realised that we fit the Grillstock “Meat, Music & Mayhem” bill while being something new and different that 99% of people in the UK have never tried. Time to put up or shut up.

What do you think is it about the idea that sealed you the win?

Well, being a modest bunch we’d like to say it’s our unique blend of 20 herbs and spices, Northern Charm, Southern Hospitality and South-West good times. Or our inspired response to the original brief “be as creative possible” that saw us literally use a “Party in a pan” to pitch our idea. Or that Lovegg is a total babe. But the truth is we bribed the judges with 4 bottles of Wiper and True cunningly hidden in a big ass pan. Or that we're geniuses. Definitely modest.

#GETINMYFACE @PIMPbristol pic.twitter.com/JYpqsNgUF4

— #HashtagFingers# (@PrincessPurling) May 18, 2014

Part of the concept behind the Bristol Bayou is that it’s all a bit of a free for all round a big table - a social experience much like the Grillstock restaurant. So there’s really no chance that people could get a little shellfish? Is Bristol Bayou as much about the experience as the food itself?

Well growing up in a big family I can say that the pleasure of eating is getting round the table and tucking in. It’s something that is missing from the majority of dining ‘experiences’. I suppose there’s a chance people might get crabby if they sit down to the table with Adam Richman’s understudy but luckily for us, as well as being a champion barista, Chunky is a trained hostage negotiator and a Judo black belt so we don't expect any problems. Of course if you really want to make sure what’s yours is yours then there is the take away option, or if you’re feeling extra hungry there will always be Lovegg’s homemade biscuit (Authentic American savoury scone) for scooping up the tasty titbits from the paper at the end of the session. For me I'd always go for the sharing option as whoever you’re sharing with, over great food, it’s more likely you’ll make love not war. While we’re on the topic of the chef’s table, the trained chimps as PIMP HQ are beavering away with internet gubbins to set up a booking page. Keep an eye on www.partyinmypans.co.uk or facebook and @pimpbristol in the coming weeks to make sure you get a seat for the authentic experience. There's even a rumour that if you can get a gang of 8 together you’ll only pay for 7.

@PIMPbristol ronnie and reggie, just chillin' pic.twitter.com/XD3jYxDn0n — Tom Hicks (@Hicksyfern) May 18, 2014

Do you have any plans in the future for the brand? Would you like to replicate what Grillstock have achieved?

Even getting the opportunity to work with the wonderful guys and gals at Grillstock, and to be a part of one of Bristol’s best festivals is more than any of us could have ever wished for. Our focus at the moment is purely delivering on the faith that Grillstock founders Jon and Ben put in to selecting an untested underdog to trade at what is set to be their biggest and best festival. Fingers crossed that with their support and that of the thriving Bristol food scene the world will be our crawfish. Perhaps a business trip to 2015 New Orleans Mardi Gras to mix it with the big fish.

I’m not sure many will have experienced Southern American flavours before, can you begin to describe in words what they can expect?

Well they say a picture paints a thousand words, and as a northern foodie I reckon a flavour paints a million. Those that know me will know that once you get me started I’m hard to stop; it would possibly take me the 3 weeks until Grillstock to get to the end of my description. The others say that anticipation is the spice of life so maybe we should let your readers sweat it out until the festival. I can’t be that cruel so just to whet that appetite I think the man who put it best was Jimmer Dorman (of Bart Spices) who managed it in one. “Umami”. Here let me Google that for you.

The best way to describe Southern American food isn’t by the flavour, but by the feelings it evokes.  Southern food is comfort food, or food that makes you feel at home. It’s meant to be shared with family, friends and neighbours. So, many people might not have experienced Southern American flavours, but I’m sure we’ve all got that one dish that makes us think of home. For me, that’s what southern food is really about.

Importantly, what kind of beer goes best with a shellfish boil?

As the pros do, you save the best until last, but with a Crawfish boil beer comes first, during and after. During our “Research and Development” we added the collaborative efforts of two of the South-West’s most exciting craft brewers, Wiper and True X Arbour Ale’s smoked porter “Fire Plough” to the boil so that’s never a bad shout. For those that like something a little lighter and in perfect balance for an idea that was hatched in Grillstock’s Clifton Smokehouse over a bottle of Brooklyn Beer our debut outing will be at the Grillstock festival directly opposite the famous Brooklyn bar. A match made for a meaty paradise.