Every June, we like to throw a little party. A party celebrating the warmer weather, fresh food, grilling season, and to get everyone stocked up to celebrate the special man in their lives for Father’s Day. This year, June 11th is the big day for our Grilling Gala and we could not be more excited.
If you haven’t been able to join us before, or are just curious about how things will go, keep reading for the play-by-play of the day’s events. We would love to have you join us all day but, if you cannot, please stop by just to say hi. We promise to make it worth your trip!
Food Demos
Want to see the Traeger Smokers in action? Curious to know how much you can save, or even make, by buying your own shaved ice machine? Maybe you need to brush up on how to care for your dutch oven. Come see demos for all of these, plus more!
Shaved Ice, Smoked Meats, Chili, Cornbread and Desserts will be offered throughout the day at different times so make sure you stop by between the times of 10-4!
Giveaways
Yes, we are giving away TWO grills- A Weber Genesis-335 Gas Grill (valued at $1500) and a Traeger Ranger (valued at $499), as well as grilling accessories, essential kitchen tools, and much more. When you arrive at the gala, you’ll receive a ticket for the giveaways. Head over to our hands-on kitchen and enter to win! We’ll draw the winners at the end of the day and contact you to pick up your prize.
Sales Throughout the Store
Perfect gifts for Fathers Day and everyone else! Think grills, seasoning, sauces, and ice cream makers! You won’t see these sales any other day but at the Gala!!
Workshops
We all love the flavor that comes from the delicious food cooked in your cast iron dutch oven pots. But sometimes the skills, the coal placement, or maybe just maintaining that cast iron shine prevents us from using our pots as much. Our resident cast iron specialist- Chuck Forrester is sharing his secrets and love for cooking in the outdoors.
We never host an event without including the kiddos- and what better way to get them acquainted with the grill than with French Bread Pizzas! Your kids will learn basic knife skills for chopping the toppings, how to properly layer the toppings, and the difference between direct and indirect heat. This class is held in our outside workshop kitchen, just to the north of our parking lot- parents can stay if they would like but feel free to shop, take another class, or sample food. This class is designed for kids ages 6-12. (Class lasts about 1 hour)
Free Classes
Our classes start right at 10am and will go all day until 4 pm. We’ve recruited some of our favorite instructors to make sure you get the best tips and recipes throughout the day that will bring your family to the table. It’s bound to be a day full of good food! Make sure to register for any of the free classes below by clicking here or any of the buttons below.
Join Chef Todd on the main stage as we discuss the differences between smoking and grilling and when to do what? As a Master Chef, Todd Leonard not only teaches us the skills to have success in outdoor cooking but also finds ways to bring the best flavors- all while having fun! You won’t want to miss out!
After the perfect meal cooked on the Weber and the Traeger- Chef Todd Leonard likes to fill in the cracks with some HOMEMADE ice cream. Understanding the method to his ice cream base will then open up the options for WHATEVER flavors you’d like to create. But then pairing the ice cream with his Apricot Snacking cake made in the dutch oven will show you the perfect way to end your summer meal!
Looking to expand your chicken options? Chicken thighs are a favorite around here and Chef Malia Call is here to share with you the perfect way to flavor, cook and serve teriyaki chicken thighs- with a delicious grilled pineapple on the side! You do not want to miss this one!
It’s a classic street food found all around the world that originates from the Middle East. Imagine a deliciously flavored thin cut pieces of beef wrapped up in a homemade pita- topped with a variety of sauces— Yummm! Chef Brandon Price is bringing his kitchen expertise and sharing with you how to cook and flavor the beef and of course make your own bread. After all, it wouldn’t be a Brandon class without a little of both! Sign up yourself and a friend for this one! It will be delicious.
We have said it a million times and we will say it again and again- you can use your Traeger Smoker for ANYTHING! One of the most requested subjects this year has been seafood- so we asked the amazing Kelly Cahoon from Traeger Grills to share with us her favorite seafood recipe for you on the smoker- Smoked Lobster with a side of Bacon Cashew Green Beans.
Kelly will help you to feel confident on the Traeger and show everyone how easy and delicious cooking in your backyard can be!
Cake by Courtney’s Peach Crisp Cake is a summer must! Deliciously smoked layers of peach-flavored yellow cake, stacked with vanilla buttercream, peach compote, and the most amazing oat crumble -Oh this cake SCREAMS SUMMER. So we tasked Courtney to see what she could do on the Traeger and you better believe we baked our layers in the outdoors.
If you are joining us for the classes, please note:
After each class, we will ask you to please leave your seat-we want to be fair to everyone so please no seat saving. We will entice you all back into the store with our giveaways and samples. Which will hopefully allow a good change in seats.
We will hand out recipes prior to each class if you did not get one and would like one from previous classes, we will post them on our blog the following week or we would be happy to email them to you afterward. (Send an email to classes@gygi.com if you would like us to do so.)
Please bring a pen/pencil to write with, a jacket or sunblock (depending on the weather!), and anything that you might need to keep yourself comfortable. We will have the area tented, and comfortable seats but you never know what Mother Nature will send our way.
Samples will be given after most classes, please know that we try to get a small taste to everyone attending-so please be fair. We encourage you to bring a few snacks if you are planning on spending the day with us, as samples are not meant to be meals. Water will be available to all attending.
So have we convinced you to come yet? We hope so. We tried to give you all the info you might need, but please feel free to send us an email (classes@gygi.com) if you have any other questions. Classes are nearing full, if not full already, and we would love to have you join us! Remember even if you don’t have time to take a class- stop by, say hi, and come see some of the fun we will have that day. It will be a good time.
See you there!
