The Butt Rub Story

It was in the early 90's along the Florida panhandle and I was fresh out of college, now a communications and marketing graduate, but all I was interested in was cooking. Our area is known for its restaurants and for several years I was fortunate to work in some of the best.
In 1994 I made the big move to Hyde Park, New York and attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. With some good training and experience and now a degree from CIA it appeared as though I had a promising career as a chef, or so I thought. It was while in New York I somehow became an ambassador for true Southern slow cooked barbeque. The more I introduced it to students, the more I fell in love with it myself. In all of my travels and experience I still believe that there is no cooking method that can come close to barbeque when it comes to the passion of preparation, the anticipation, and of course the meal itself. Fast forward to 1997. Back home in Florida and cooking for a living. In the winter there was always plenty of down time because it was the off season and it was then that I began tinkering with canning my BBQ sauce, baked beans and seasoning. I did this mostly for fun and gifts and then the pig was born.	*original 1997 logo*
A few products at a few local stores, some mail orders and it became clear to me that my seasoning "Butt Rub" had appeal. The beans and sauce would have to wait. An internet store, traveling to cook-offs and trade shows and numerous trademarks would follow. For the first time the marketing studies, culinary training and experience all made perfect sense and I had a day job!

We have come a long way from the humble beginnings and I have a lot of good folks to thank for that:
To Jim Norton and his mom Suzanne Fredrick. Jim taught me how to BBQ and built my first cooker. Miss Suzanne produced the original Butt Rub pig art. To Robert Worsley who joined in to help me sell Butt Rub in 1999. Robert is now our company's Sales Manager and he and our sales crew do a fantastic job. Doreen Worsley is our Office Manager and is the glue that holds us together. To Susan Thomason who began helping with shipping in 2000. Susan is our Operations Manager and her efforts have been invaluable. To Butch Phillips, Bruce Palidini, Sharon Mechling, Dreama Mcalary, Thank you for all of your contributions to the operation.		Bad Byron's first cooker. Pictured is builder Jim Norton - 1992
Our neighbor and friend Mike Ladow has contributed greatly as has The Texas Coffee Company in Beaumont, Texas as well as Creative Printing in Panama City, Florida. A special thanks too to Stephen and Sue Smith, Paul Dodson and Ron Montgomery. To Mrs. Lil and Daddy Gene for all your love and support.

Finally to all of our stores and customers. THANK YOU! for all of the support. Every purchase is greatly appreciated.

	Sincerely, Byron Chism Butt Rub World Headquarters Santa Rosa Beach, Florida April 2, 2008
Byron, Susan, Seth, Sharon & Dreama at Headquarters

"In matters of cookery there are not a number of principles, there is only one, and that is to satisfy the person you are serving."

Marie-Antoine Carême (French Chef 1783-1833)