BBQ Bootcamp
Around the World BBQ Guest Instructors
We’ll have some returning guest favorites and new superstar chefs grilling up your BBQ favorites. The visiting chefs will join Alisal Ranch’s culinary team as they serve up grilled feasts and reveal the tips and tricks for creating legendary BBQ.
BBQ Bootcamp Itinerary
Day 1 – Sunday
4 pm
Check-in at the Ranch, with a welcome drinks
4:30 pm
Kick-start the trip with a Happy Hour featuring tapa from Sandra Cordero of Gasolina
5:30 pm
Debbie Lee leads a Korean BBQ Demo
6:30 pm
Dinner featuring menu items from Debbie Lee
Day 2 – Monday
7 – 10 am
Breakfast at leisure in the Ranch Room featuring a DIY Bloody Mary Bar
9 and 10 am
Create and take home your own spice rub from the Spice Blending Class led by the Solvang Spice Merchants
11 am
Andy Husbands Mid-Western BBQ demo at the picturesque Alisal Lake
12 pm
Enjoy lunch lakeside featuring Andy Husbands menu items. Then try your shot at our new Axe Throwing facility!
2 – 5 pm
Free time!
5:30 pm
Govind Armstrong Jamaican BBQ Demo
6:30 pm
Enjoy dinner featuring Govind Armstrong’s Jamaican cuisine
Day 3 – Tuesday
7:30 – 11 am
Breakfast Horseback ride to the adobe for Elizabeth Poett’s demo and breakfast.
Don’t worry, if you want to sleep in, you can take the 8:45 haywagon up instead of horseback!
12 pm
Sadly, it’s check-out time. We hope to see you again soon!
Meet Our BBQ Bootcamp Emcee
Valerie Gordon’s business acumen and warm, entertaining charm lend themselves to her extensive brand, including the flagship retail boutique Valerie Confections in HiFi, and a café and bakery showcasing her savory prowess in Echo Park. The celebrated Los Angeles chocolatier—and James Beard Finalist cookbook author for 2013’s Sweet—embraces a philosophy of telling compelling stories through flavor by ensuring every dish remains approachable, with nuanced interpretation. Gordon founded the confectionary in 2004 with her partner Stan Weightman Jr., and eventually guided Valerie Confections to become one of the nation’s most highly acclaimed boutique chocolatiers. Gaining recognition from national media outlets, TV networks, marquee food festivals, Gordon continues to push the boundary of her artisanal confections by collaborating with innovators in fields spanning fashion, design, and sustainability. Her versatile culinary knack includes handmade chocolates, preserves, historic California cakes, savory delights, and a new frontier involving nationally praised grilled desserts. An active community member, Gordon participates in organizations and events including L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade, Planned the Parenthood Los Angeles Food Fare, No Kid Hungry, and others.
Photos from Past Bootcamps
The spirit of adventure.
At Alisal Ranch, we believe that true hospitality comes straight from the heart— and want you to feel a warm welcome throughout your stay. Our serene Western-style accommodations offer casual and comfortable luxury, designed to help you unwind and relax.
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