Girls Can Grill Continues to Play Important Role in BBQ

Christie Vanover, founder of Girls Can Grill, talks about how she got into BBQ and grilling, inclusiveness in BBQ, the state of competition, her new podcast, and more.

Christie Vanover is an award-winning competitive pitmaster and the creative force behind Girls Can Grill. As the head cook for Team Girls Can Grill, she has won multiple grand championships and has dozens of top-ten finishes. Vanover was a contestant on season 4 of the Food Network’s BBQ Brawl. We recently had the chance to speak with Vanover about the many projects she is involved in this year.

This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.

Christie Vanover is the creative force behind Girls Can Grill. (Photo courtesy of Girls Can Grill)

The Smoke Sheet: How did you get into BBQ and grilling?
Christie Vanover: I've always loved to cook ever since I was a kid, but I didn't really know how to barbecue or grill. My husband and I got a grill when we got married and I tried to grill, but I was not very successful at it. I paused for several years, but then I got a STŌK grill, which had inserts like a skillet or a pizza stone. I got one of those when my husband was deployed when I lived in Texas, and I just thought, as a former park ranger, I'd love to be outside. I started grilling outside with it and trying to take all the meals that I cooked inside and cook them outside. I kind of just fell in love with it. … Several years later, I started doing competition barbecue, and the passion just continued to ignite. And now I'm grilling full-time.

TSS: When did you start Girls Can Grill, and what was your inspiration?
CV: I launched a blog in 2010 that was about travels around the world and general cooking. But as my love of grilling grew, I transitioned and launched my Girls Can Grill blog in 2015 because I found that all the recipes I was making were on my grill and on my barbecue. 

As for inspiration, I was at the World Food Championships in Las Vegas in the early 2010s, and there were a few women who competed, and we all kind of competed together. And we were all just sitting in a hotel room one day, we all had our own separate blogs. We realized we needed to figure out what made us stand out. That's when I did a deep dive into my soul and figured out my niche – my true passion was cooking with fire. I was always inspired by people like Steven Raichlen or Bobby Flay but I realized that there weren't a lot of women in the space. Only a few, like Girl Girl Robyn, Melissa Cookson, and Amy Mills, were the pioneers at the time. But not a lot in the public eye like a Flay or Raichlen. So, I realized there was a space for a woman in this area. And I said, “Why not? Let's give it a shot.” I'm learning along the way. And as I learn from mistakes, I want to share them so other people don't make them.

TSS: Do you feel like there have been gains for women in BBQ in the past few years, or is there still a lot of work to do?
CV: There have been definitely gains. When I started, social media was still kind of new. There were some women who were in barbecue, but you had to be on Food Network, have published a cookbook, or be on BBQ Pitmasters. The platforms were so huge that a person with a small voice didn't really have much of a say. So once social media expanded, which is the same time that I joined in on everything with Girls Can Grill, it gave voice and familiarity. In the past, when I was learning to grill, I didn't see myself in the space. But with social media, people tune in and say, “Look, there's a girl behind the girl.” 

TSS: It seems like there’s been a shift in advertising to be more inclusive as well.
CV: I've done some research on this. In the 50s, grill companies used to market to women. In these old ads, there's women behind the grill with the tongs, but somehow it transformed. The advertising shifted to have all dudes behind the grills. That's a space that they felt they could market to. … Over the last five years, it’s started to shift where brands realize we need female representation. We need representation of all sorts of diversities. … Do I think that more can be done? Absolutely. I would like to see more women incorporated into brand advertising and marketing, but I think we've come a long way.

Christie Vanover is a fierce competitor in the competition BBQ world as well. (Photo courtesy of Girls Can Grill)

TSS: What are your thoughts on the state of competition BBQ?
CV: I think it's at a tipping point, and it could go either way. Yes, there were some snafus that happened specifically with the American Royal. It was a hard decision with thousands of people waiting for awards. Do you postpone it? I can’t speak to it. But from the cooks’ standpoint, we spend thousands of dollars to compete. And if we can’t trust the system, it makes us question whether the investment is appropriate. Then at The Jack, they had to triple-check those results to make sure that they didn't have another mistake. I appreciated the pause to make sure everything was accurate. Then there’s Memphis In May, which is having challenges, too. 

I think there is a lot of turmoil right now. It comes down to integrity and trust in the system. As long as KCBS and other sanctioning bodies can ensure everything is on the up and up, it can get better. They need to upgrade the software being used. … I still love to compete and have several competitions planned this year. But I think there can be very few mistakes moving forward. Otherwise, we are going to see a drastic shift to either new sanctioning bodies or the dying of the sport.