The Path to Becoming a Chief Grill Officer
Mike’s journey to becoming the Chief Grill Officer at Primo Ceramic Grills is a remarkable tale of passion, perseverance, and purpose. From his early days as a police officer in St. Louis to his pivotal role in the BBQ industry, Mike’s story is one of transformation and dedication. His friendship with Nick Bauer, President of Empire Comfort Systems, and his deep-rooted love for BBQ led him to a dream career at Primo, where he now champions the brand’s American-made ceramic grills. In this Q&A, Mike shares his unique path and the special qualities of Primo Ceramic Grills. He also provides valuable grilling tips and delicious recipes, offering a comprehensive look at his expertise and dedication to the BBQ community.
How do you get to be a chief grill officer (unknown dream job for many) and what exactly do you do?
Since Code 3 Spice’s inception, I have been close acquaintances with the President of Empire Comfort Systems, Nick Bauer, whose family owns Broilmaster and Primo Ceramic Grills. Nick and I always shared a ton of passion for people, patriotism, and the BBQ industry, which led to our friendship. As a Primo Ceramic Grills fanatic, and having a solid understanding of the interworking of the BBQ industry, Empire employed me as their Grill and Brand Manager.
To be honest, it really is a dream come true. It is hard to believe at times that I am making a living doing something that I have such a tremendous love for. My tasks as Brand and Category Manager is to work closely with engineering to continually improve the functionality of existing products, bringing new products/ideas and accessories to market while educating consumers on our American Made Ceramic kamado grill. As an event planner, I work closely with our amazing team on event activations, brand awareness, partnerships, training, marketing, advertising, influencer initiatives, and most importantly, sharing my passion for the best ceramic grill the BBQ industry offers.
Why Primo Ceramic Grills Stand Out
Why Primo Grills and what makes them special?
Primo Ceramic Grills is undeniably the most functional, versatile ceramic grill the market offers, and it is the only ceramic grill that is made in the United States, in Poplar Bluff MO. There are a lot of special things about who Primo is and what Primo stands for but every month I get to go to our factory in Poplar Bluff, and I leave filled with pride seeing how proud our team is to build and manufacture America’s favorite ceramic grill. American hands, building American grills for people to nourish others and get to share the ultimate BBQ/live fire experience with friends and family… It doesn’t get more special than that.
Our founder, George Samaras, a Greek native, is the creator of the patented oval design. All the other ceramics the industry offers are circular shaped. Primo’s oval design allows for multi-configurational set up which allows true, 2-zone cooking enabling you to cook direct and indirect simultaneously at the same time. This allows the pit master versatility to cook multiple food items at once compared to other types of ceramics on the market that cannot provide this valuable option.
Our consumers not only love the fact that Primo is made in America, but we hear constant feedback all the time of how much they love the looks of their Primo in their backyard or patio setup with our sleek, black design. Many people shy away from the red and green options out there, as it just doesn’t look as esthetically pleasing. Primo has developed a ceramic grill that is not only superiorly functional to others on the market, but is unmatched when it comes to the manufacturing and the quality that Primo Ceramic Grills offers to the end-user.
Essential Tips for Aspiring Grill Masters
Can you share 3 tips/techniques every grill master should know?
- Use a Quality, Instant-Read Thermometer: Purchase a quality, instant read thermometer and cook to internal temperature and not focus on the amount of time that is recommended by what the web says. By cooking to the desired temperature, you will ensure that your food turns out moist, juicy and tasty, every time.
- Keep the Lid Closed: If you’re lookin, you ain’t cookin’… Keeping the lid closed traps all the heat, smoke, and moisture from the heat washed ceramics, which adds flavor and helps your food cook more evenly. Only open the lid when it’s a necessity to maneuver or flip a certain piece of meat
- Understand Cooking Methods: Know the difference between direct and indirect cooking, pre-heating your grill to the desired cooking temperature, and resting your food after a low and slow or hot and fast cook will ensure that your food has the chance to redistribute the juices that are sitting in the center of you meat to redistribute throughout the meat and be reabsorbed.
Recipes to Try
Mike also shared a few great recipes for grill enthusiasts to try:
- Sausage Donut Breakfast Sandwich with Apple-Poblano Relish
- Malcom Reed’s Chargrilled Spicy Greek Ribs
- Matt Ramsey’s Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Bites
- Smoked Brownies with Strawberry Reduction
Mike’s story is a testament to the power of passion and resilience, showing how one can turn personal trials into triumphs and positively impact the community along the way.
