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Welcome to the barbecue area, where the fire is hot and everything tastes smoky. Here the villager Erica Roby found her calling; and there she is called “Master of ‘Cue”.
But Roby didn’t think the outcome of a competition would be this early in her pitmaster career. In a recent telephone interview, Roby described the roller coaster of events that caused her to change her career, move from California to Yellow Springs, and become the Food Network Master of ‘Cue as the winner of the Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl” contest.
“I originally went to law school to be a criminal defense attorney,” said Roby. “It wasn’t for me, so I decided to go to school in California to become a sommelier.”
As a sommelier or wine manager, Roby learned the nuances of wine and worked closely with chefs to match wines with offerings from the kitchen. Her work as a sommelier rekindled her love of the kitchen – a love that began in her family’s home in Dayton, Ohio.
“When I was a kid, my dad included me in the cooking process,” said Roby. “We were shopping for herbs in Yellow Springs when we were visiting my Aunt Carolyn’s house in the village, and my father let me choose spices to cook with.”
Roby’s relationship with her father and cooking sparked an idea: a family grill shop.
“I was ready to go back to Ohio; I had a young son and needed a support system, ”said Roby. “I spoke to my father, who was about to retire, and we decided to start a food truck.”
Not long after that conversation, Roby bought a house in Yellow Springs and then set out to convince her husband it was the right move.
“I took my husband to some of my favorite places: Dino’s Cappuccinos, Tom’s Market, and The Winds Cafe,” she said. “I told him that I would like to raise our family here; I want to be here. “
Back in Ohio, Roby and her father wanted to realize their dream. But before she built the truck, Roby wanted to improve her skills. Roby also attended two barbecue schools: Harry Soo’s in California and Myron Mixon’s in Georgia. While he was there, Roby found out about the competition track and decided to take part in a competition.
“When Myron asked me to compete in Memphis in May, I didn’t know it was a Grand Champion competition,” said Roby. “I got one of 30 amateur places.”
According to Roby, anyone familiar with crickets knows that a pitmaster has to have a name. She and her family found inspiration in music.
“A Dolly Parton song came on and we heard the words ‘blue smoke,'” said Roby. My name is Blaire so we put it together and I became Blue Smoke Blaire. When I said it out loud for the first time, it felt like I was breathing some life into it. “
After the contest, Roby received a message on Instagram from a casting director for the Food Network.
“I thought it was a fake,” said Roby.
Her response sparked a whirlwind of activity – she conducted interviews and food presentations, and obtained groceries from local stores.
“We got food from everywhere. In search of the right ingredients, I went to four to five stores. Tom’s Market, Jungle Jim’s – I could find really good ingredients everywhere, ”said Roby.
A year after the audition, Roby heard nothing. Then, in January 2021, she received a call asking her to take a flight to Austin, Texas. That flight took them to a Food Network set, complete with buildings that have been restored to look like a town from a western movie and the Food Network clock.
Describing her first few days on the set, Roby said it was unreal.
“It was like my soul had left my body,” she said. “I don’t even remember what I cooked.”
Roby made it on the show, saying her initial goal was “not to go home first”. After a few weeks, however, she began to feel a little more confident and continued to listen to her mentor, chef, and Food Network star Bobby Flay.
“He said to me, ‘You wouldn’t be here if you couldn’t cook. Go ahead and swing and that’s exactly what I did, ”Roby said. “I cooked what I knew.”
Roby also resorted to her training as a sommelier, in which she learned to taste wine and break it down into its basic elements.
“You can’t have any recipes written on the Food Network,” explained Roby. “By tasting and smelling, I was able to save seconds to know what was missing. This ability helped me become a champion. “
Erica Roby struck a triumphant pose shortly after winning the Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl” and declaring it the final “Master of ‘Cue”. (Photo submitted)
Since her appointment as Master of ‘Cue, Roby has planned to focus on her food truck, which will be mostly in the Dayton area.
“I’d like to take my food truck to the Yellow Springs community,” said Roby. “I contacted Yellow Springs Brewery and am looking for other possible partnerships.”
Roby says she’s excited to bring her expertise to the Dayton area, and while she enjoys cooking ribs, she researches cooking methods to offer vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options.
“I want to be versatile and everyone knows that barbecuing is something for them,” said Roby. “But I have some staples – Cajun chicken, ribs, and mac and cheese – that will always be on the menu.
When asked about her kitchen utensils, she said that she loves to be versatile, but her favorite herb is sassafras.
“A lot of people use it as a thickener, but I like to roast it for chicken and fish,” said Roby. “I smell it and just know what I’m using it for, it tastes good.”
She also pondered her place as a black woman in the world of barbecuing, a tradition she believes is overlooked.
“My great grandmother was a pit master before anyone called it that,” said Roby. “I want young black girls to see me and know that they can do what I do and I want to preserve the history of the pit.”
While her food truck is under construction, Roby interviews pitmasters across the country for her digital series, Behind the Pit, which can be viewed on her Instagram page.
“I can try the best food and hear these phenomenal stories,” she said. “Storytelling is such an important part of the barbecue tradition.”
She also hosts pop-up events on her father’s company premises. These events are planned as a thank you to the people who supported them on their way to winning the “BBQ Brawl”.
“I would see the messages of support and it really kept me going. Now I want to give something back to my community, ”said Roby.
The first of these events, held on August 28, drew supporters from Mount Etna, Ohio, east of Columbus.
Roby is also looking forward to spending more time at her home in Yellow Springs, where she will continue to hone her skills and spend quality time with her young son Austin.
“I’m studying barbecue, but I think it’s very important to help the next generation,” said Roby.
“That would be the greatest injustice – to keep the knowledge to yourself. You are not a master of anything if you do it by keeping other people down. “
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