Becoming a KCBS Master Judge.
By: Camiel Berkers MCBJ
In 2014 I became a CBJ in Hasselt Belgium. Fortunately the US KCBS-IOTeam was there to train us.(Wayne & Maria Lohman, William & Debby Gage and ‘sidekick’ Byron Chism (butt-rub) who happened to be at the competition and helped out with inside info and prepping the practice boxes). After a long day of information, practice and the official oat, I became an official KCBS Certified Barbecue Judge (CBJ).
Later that weekend I also grabbed the change to attend to the Certified Table Captain (CTC) course which I also completed.
11 May 2014 was the big day, as a rookie CBJ/CTC, I judged my first KCBS competition at the Beer, Fries and BBQ competition, Hasselt, Belgium. I was hooked! Had a great time, met lots of new people, all with the same interest and passion. A lot of them are still active KCBS judges so every competition it is kind of a reunion.
Within that year, I started a competition team together my barbecue friends and fellow judges Ceriel Schuirink and Rene de Regt, just to gain experience, as a judge, in how it works “on the other side”. At first it was just a one time intention. Our goal, competing in one KCBS cook-off and do not become last in the overall scoring. During the BBQ society cook-off 2015, we got a “warm bath” from the other competitors and achieved our goal. That’s why we maintain the team beterwordthetniet-bbq (freely translated: “it does not get any better – bbq”).
In 2017, becoming a KCBS Master Certified Barbecue Judge came in reach. I planned, rescheduled our Summer Holidays and signed up to the required remaining competitions. It was a very busy time as we also competed with my own team.
In order to become a MCBJ you first have to meet 5 criteria in order to be able to apply for an online MCBJ test.
- You must collect 30 credits on your CBJ Contest Verification Form, which is basically 30 signatures from a Rep.
- At least 1, but not more than 10 credits must be a volunteer job other than judging.
- You also must be a KCBS member.
- You have to cook with a KCBS competition team (at a competition that you’re not judging) , preferable after approx. 15x judging.
- And last but not least, you’ll need a Master Judge Team Verification Form completed by the Head Cook of the team you joined (point 4)
24 September 2017, at the 4th Ruhrpott BBQ Competition, I judged and completed collecting the 30 credits. Together with US-KCBS-rep. Don Harwell I read the oat in front of all judges and had a blast (as always) judging 6 categories.
Back home I applied for the online MCBJ test, which was granted a few days later. Meanwhile I started studying the CBJ manual, Rep advisory guide and online CBJ Continuing Education program. You must pass the online MCBJ test with a 90% score or higher. In other words, you need to answer at least 45 out of the 50 questions correctly. I had a great support of CBJ Coordinator, Glenna Powell.
30 September 2017 I passed the MCBJ test with a score of 98% (49/50) and thereby became the 6th Master judge of Europe. ( 3th in the Netherlands and 1st one in Europe who also has its own KCBS competition team!)
I’m looking forward to judge many more to come KCBS contest as a Master judge.
KCBS Master judges Europe
At this moment the EU Master judges are:
- Stephan Mehrer (NL) . . Jun. 2016
- Thomas Neumann (GE) 20 Apr. 2017
- Petra Rebenstorf (NL) 03 May 2017
- Roger Anderson (UK) 09 May 2017
- Roman Schellartz (GE) 05 Jun. 2017
- Camiel Berkers (NL) 30 Sept 2017
- Debbie van Rooijen (NL) 04 Oct. 2017
- Dirk Sundermann (GE) 11 Oct. 2017
- Monika Sundermann (GE) 11 Oct. 2017
- Desiree Freeke (NL) 23 Oct. 2017
And there will be many more to come in Europe next year(s)!
Warm regards,
Camiel Berkers, MCBJ #77921