Tyler Florence Is On Hand as Grill Masters Attempt to Break 30-Hour Marathon Barbecue Record
Jean-Marc Giboux, 2012,Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
Sure, you may consider yourself a grill master for flipping a few burgers this summer, or even learning how to achieve those sought-after crisscross grill marks on your steak. But have you ever grilled for more than a day straight? In New York City this week, a team of two die-hard grillers took on that very mission in the hopes of not only breaking the Guinness World Record for a team marathon barbecue at The Finest Grillathon, but also setting a new one.
Hosted by Ball Park Park's Finest, with Food Network's own Tyler Florence on hand, the event started late last night, on Tuesday, when Susie Bulloch, from Utah, and Drew Battistelli, from Tennessee, first took to their grilling stations to kick off their marathon cookout. They set off to grill for a whopping 38 hours, in downtown Manhattan's Gansevoort Square, which will mean that they've firmly surpassed the old record of 30 hours. On the menu are, of course, what else but Ball Park Park’s Finest frankfurters, along with other hearty grilled favorites. From juicy pork shoulder to tender beef, there was no shortage of classic and creative takes on beloved summertime fare.
Tyler kept Susie and Drew, as well as the crowd of fans, energized during the days-long effort. FN Dish checked in with Tyler at the event, and he told us of the grillers, "They're heavyweight champions. They're not going down. They're like prizefighters that won't go down." It turns out that Tyler is uniquely aware of what the duo were enduring onstage. "I opened up a restaurant called Cafeteria here in New York City back in 1998, and when we opened, because the restaurant was open for 24 hours, I was on the line cooking for 72 hours straight, so I know exactly what they're going through," he explained. "And I think it's kind of awesome."
From Susie's and Drew's dogs on the grill to smoky franks being given out to hungry passersby on the sidewalks, there were plenty of hot dogs on hand today. As for Tyler, when it comes to topping his ultimate dog, he knows no bounds and pulls inspiration from an unlikely source: the taco. "I treat a hot dog like a taco, which means you can put anything in it and anything on top of it," he told us. "It's not just about a condiment as much as you could put — like, literally put — side dishes on top of the hot dog and really kind of make it a full experience."
Want to see what's happening at the Grillathon right now? Check out this livestream of all the action, and be sure to check in tomorrow, when the contest wraps up. We'll know then whether or not this group of grilling greats has indeed broken the Guinness World Record once and for all.