What our Politics and Politicians could learn from Barbecue
Life Lessons from America's Smoky Tradition
An abridged version of this article was published as an Op-Ed in The Seattle TImes on 12/13/24. You can see that version here. What our political system can learn from the barbecue pit | The Seattle Times
Along with the Blues, Bourbon, Jazz and The American Pastime, Barbecue is one of America’s greatest innovations. I have been an unabashed fan of one of America’s true culinary inventions my whole life. As a food and beverage professional for the last 45 years, I do love the food, however it is not just the decadent smoked meats I crave, but the communal aspect, long history, and deep traditions of the culture of barbecue that adds to its allure.
Whatever city I travel to, for whatever reason I am traveling, I seek out a local barbecue spot. I am proud to say that I have visited 47 out of our 50 states and intend to make it 50 out of 50 shortly. In every stop, in every state I seek out the closest BBQ joint I can find and indulge my passion for Q in all its forms. I take immense joy in watching people of all colors, creeds, nationalities, political persuasions, and socio-economic status discussing the variety of regional styles versus the more modern influences. In short, I believe, everyone is equal when their lips and fingers are covered in barbecue sauce!
To that end, and to further my passion, I recently became a certified Kansas City Barbecue Society Judge (KCBS) and a Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association Judge (PNWBA)…two associations hosting and organizing BBQ competitions around the country. During the certification classes I became even more enamored with the culture of barbecue, and even more fervent in the belief that there is far more that unites us as a country than divides us over political lines.
In the KCBS class I sat among some of the most interesting people I have ever met. To my immediate right was a 6’6” tall African American woman who had played college basketball and now ran a biotech company. As a former pre-med student and science devotee, I loved talking to her both about innovations in medicine and how AI is changing medical research, as well as my love of KC sweet and sticky ribs and her devotion to the Memphis dry rubbed style. Across from our seat was a neurosurgeon. While peppering him with questions about his amazing career I asked why he was here. His answer was quite simple, he grew up in the South with the tradition of Southern Barbecue, and while he now practices and lives in Northern CA, he has chosen not to risk injuring his hands spending hours basting meat over a hot smoker for half a day! So being a BBQ judge gives him the chance to stay connected with his roots, his passion, and his peeps.
And then there was John and John Jr. A father son pitmaster team taking the judging class to understand the judging process and be better prepared for future competitions they will enter. John Jr. was only a year or so older than my son and wanted to join his dad in the pit. They were hoping to open a brick and mortar joint one day soon. They were talking about hunting and fishing in their spare time. Hobbies I respect, and appreciate, but having spent my formative years in New York City I was never exposed to those activities. It did not matter to them as I could easily talk about how I would go about cooking fresh trout on an open fire. While we were from radically different backgrounds, politics was never the thrust of the conversation, how we smoke our chicken and turkey was for sure. And yes, we three agreed that Alabama White Sauce is criminally underrated.
In the PNWBA certification class I sat next to numerous people from all walks of life, pit crews, insurance brokers, and more. But my favorite was the husband-and-wife team of Jim & Barb (name changed to protect their privacy). He recently retired as a machinist, she retired from a career as a public-school teacher. With the kids out of the house they decided to buy an RV, get certified as judges together and travel the country to see states they had never visited, and of course eat BBQ! I loved talking to them during the class. Our backgrounds are different, our careers are different, and I will bet our politics are different. In my first competition after certification, they were also judging. I sat next to them and continued our in-depth conversations on our kids, our homes, aging parents to care for, among so many other similar issues. Are boys or girls more difficult to raise? Are you downsizing from the house your kids grew up in? And is Texas Brisket the holy grail of BBQ? Them = Yes, me = not so much! But our differing politics did not matter because there were so many similarities, our love of our kids and family, friendships we cherish, sports, good beer and bourbon, caring for our community, among so many others – and yes, BBQ!
In short, during the certification classes and recent competitions I judged or attended, I met a plethora of diverse people from all walks of life. Accountants, lawyers, doctors, physicists, plumbers, electricians, teachers, and so many others from all walks of life attended and took joy from our shared passion. What I found is that far, far more aligns us than divides us.
Frankly, our leaders and politicians need to get the memo.
Barbecue, with its mix of history, tradition, patience, and collaboration, offers a great deal of wisdom that could apply to our politics and our politicians. Here are some lessons that can be drawn from the art, science, history and tradition of barbecue:
Patience and Long-Term Planning: Just as great barbecue takes time, good policies and solutions to complex issues require patience and a long-term approach. Every pitmaster and home cue enthusiast has experienced the “stall.” That moment when the temperature of the meat does not budge, and fear kicks in that something is wrong. Yet every experienced pitmaster knows to wait it out, keep mopping or basting, keep the temperature steady, and soon enough, the needle moves, and the cook gets back on track. Politicians need to stop with quick political fixes, and sound bites, that sound good on TV but work against the interests of their constituents, and truly be honest with their voters about the true timing of solutions, focus on the process, and not just rush bad policies (or worse block good ones) for quick political wins. They need to think long term or “low and slow” in BBQ parlance.
Balance of Ingredients: In barbecue, you need the right balance of salt, sugar, seasonings, smoke, and consistent heat for the best flavor. A good pitmaster knows that if one ingredient, or element, of their technique is out of balance, the whole recipe suffers. Similarly, in politics, there needs to be a balance of viewpoints, collaboration, and compromise to create policies that work for everyone. Abraham Lincoln’s “Team of Rivals” is the perfect embodiment of “Barbecue Politics.” Lincoln chose political rivals with radically different viewpoints as part of his cabinet. He valued the diverging opinions of others as opposed to those simply providing an echo chamber for his own beliefs.
Respect for History & Tradition yet Embracing Innovation: Barbecue has deep roots in our history, along with a long tradition in the processes to produce it, yet still cherishes room for modern innovation and interpretation. Politicians can learn to honor the values and history of our country, and their constituencies, while embracing necessary change and modernization. As a small business entrepreneur and consultant for the whole of my career I have adapted my viewpoints numerous times over the years. At each point my growth, learnings and thoughtful adaptations benefited the businesses I was working with. To our political class and leadership let me say this. It is ok to change or adjust a viewpoint with changing times, while still maintaining true to your core values. What that simply shows is an ability to LEARN. Once you stop learning and adapting you start declining. Just be honest about why.
Fostering Community and Collaboration: At its core barbecue is a true communal activity where people come together, share stories, and bond. Politics could benefit from this sense of community—bringing people together over their shared values rather than dividing them along political leanings. Focusing on collaboration with people on the other side of the political spectrum, rather than demonizing those with different beliefs. It has happened before in our politics. Think Speaker Tip O’Neill during the Reagan Presidency who promised Reagan votes on legislation despite disagreeing with the administration’s policies. In that era politicians might vehemently disagree on the floor of the house or senate then go out for drinks at the end of the day. That leadership, that sense of collaboration, that camaraderie despite differing politics benefited the entire country.
Attention to Detail: Every part of the barbecue process is crucial to the quality of the final product, from the type of wood used for smoking, the balance of salt, sugar and spices in a flavorful rub, to temperature control within the pit. A good pitmaster cannot take shortcuts in any one aspect of the technique or the whole suffers. The same is true in politics and creating meaningful legislation. Every detail of legislation, governance, and communication with constituents matters. Politicians need to be as attentive and careful as pitmasters, no detail is too small to think through and nothing matters more than a balanced approach when writing legislation for the broad populace.
Handling the Heat: Pitmasters deal with fire, smoke, and heat, yet they remain calm and in control. There are always moments during a 12 hour, or more, cook that the pitmaster gets tired or wants to do something else, take a break, or worse, take a shortcut. The best never do. They started this cook by setting a goal and setting a plan & a process to achieve that goal. If things go awry, they may adjust the plan and the process but never the goal. Politicians could learn to manage the heat, criticism and tough situations with grace, keeping their cool under pressure. Focus on the goal and adjust the plan – as needed – to achieve that goal, as long as it is still serving the best interest of their constituents.
Barbecue might be the single most historical culinary tradition in the USA. These lessons from barbecue could help foster a more thoughtful, collaborative, and patient political process.
Can we please get rid of the politics of division and adopt “The Barbecue of Politics”?