Low & slow
auckland · drum smoker · BBQVANA
BBQ is not a season — it’s a posture. I cook on a drum, judge for fun, and compete with a team called BBQVANA. This page is the kit, the people, and how I got hooked.
How I got into it
Years of judgingbefore I ever lit my own fire — sitting on the scoring side teaches you what good actually tastes like. Then my mate Karl let me run his Kettle one afternoon. I was hooked. Now I cook for my family, my mates, and whichever comp is on next.
My kit
- Oklahoma Joe Bronco— daily-driver drum smoker. Big charcoal basket, steady temps, forgiving about long cooks.
- Weber Go Anywhere × 2— same shape, one gas one charcoal. The pair I throw in the car.
Comps
- Meatstock 2025— competed with BBQVANA
- King of the Mountain 2025— with the team
- More on the schedule — ask me what’s next.
The team — BBQVANA
A crew I’m proud to cook with. Find us on the comp circuit and on socials.
Affiliations
Member of the NZ Barbeque Alliance— the community keeping the craft honest down here.
Friends in the scene
Locally Sauced BBQdown in Hawkes Bay — good people, good cooks.