Recteq Academy 2025

[BubbaTJ]

Any advice for a first timer attending this years Academy of any preparation that was done for the Academy or any part of the Academy you would have spend more time or attention to during the 3 days. Have had my RT-700 for 3 years and love it, but want to get more out of it.

 

[BigDan]

Any advice for a first timer attending this years Academy of any preparation that was done for the Academy or any part of the Academy you would have spend more time or attention to during the 3 days. Have had my RT-700 for 3 years and love it, but want to get more out of it.

Really depends if you’re wanting to learn competition or backyard techniques.

My suggestion pay attention to all of it and merge all of the techniques to fit your style and abilities.

EAT tons of food and enjoy the free adult beverages!

 

[BubbaTJ]

Only going for better backyard techniques. Want to be more comfortable cooking some of the more complicated meals.
Do they provide us with printed material for reference?

 

[BigDan]

Only going for better backyard techniques. Want to be more comfortable cooking some of the more complicated meals.
Do they provide us with printed material for reference?

Very little in my class… take very good notes if necessary. You can record too.

 

[Lager1829]

Take good notes! I wish I did. Enjoy. It's a lot of fun!
BTW, it's okay to crack that first beer a 9 am. It's always 5:00 somewhere.

 

[Greg Jones]

Only going for better backyard techniques. Want to be more comfortable cooking some of the more complicated meals.
Do they provide us with printed material for reference?

I don’t know if the Academy experience is going to meet your expectations. I’d look at it more about having a good time with good food and drink than structured learning for the home cook/chef. It’s really geared for fun in a fast, competition environment. You are literally competing with the other teams in chicken, ribs, and brisket categories All in the same day .Also, if one expects 3 full days of instruction, that will be a disappointment. It’s more like one full day, one half day, and one morning on the last day to do any final shopping. Super fun experience IMO, but perhaps not so much for someone expecting a more structured, textbook material type learning experience.

 

[Beach Bum]

My wife and I have been to the Academy. Greg provided an accurate review.

We had a great time. Our team had zero interest in competition. We were all fairly experienced backyard cooks. We all asked a ton of questions about how to apply the knowledge to improve our skills. Chef John was great. He was happy to pass on tons of advice, while we did the competition cooks. In particular, we improved our knife and injection talents.

Also, the nonstop open bar and evening bands were right up our alley.

 

[Greg Jones]

How I ‘spent’ my last morning of Academy 2020!

 

[RattleR]

How I ‘spent’ my last morning of Academy 2020!

Sold I will say the 850 has always intrigued me as your post have done, using it.

 

[Ol' Smokey]

How I ‘spent’ my last morning of Academy 2020!View attachment 23337

Fully enabled i see.....

 

[Greg Jones]

Sold I will say the 850 has always intrigued me as your post have done, using it.

I’ve never regretted that purchase. A little, sometimes a lot, more work than its pellet cousins, but just a blast to cook with.

 

[RattleR]

@Greg Jones what month in 2020?

 

[Greg Jones]

@Greg Jones what month in 2020?

December. We, the wife and I, got a late call from Chef Greg that there were two cancellations, did we want to … Me: take my money please! Great experience for sure. The entire Augusta area is a trip worth taking itself, even if one doesn’t go to recteq HQ. PS, a trip to ‘The Locks’ and a canal ride should be mandatory. Such a beautiful area, even in the winter. It would have been even more fun had we not been in the middle of COVID and all the scare that accompanied that.

 

[Greg Jones]

BTW, while we (the wife and I) are still not ‘local’ to Augusta, GA, we are now not that far away in Beaufort county, SC either. Any forum members traveling to Academy wanting any local (as local as we can be) info should reach on the board here out as there does seem to be a fair number of recteq owners in the SE GA/SC area who are members here.

 

[TheRicker]

Take good notes! I wish I did. Enjoy. It's a lot of fun!
BTW, it's okay to crack that first beer a 9 am. It's always 5:00 somewhere.

You can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning. Just sayin’.