Ray Lampe also known as Dr. BBQ grew up in Chicago and after high school spent 25 years in the family trucking business. In 2000 the trucking business had run it's course, and it was time for Ray to do something different. He had been participating in BBQ cookoffs as a hobby since 1982, so he decided to take a leap and try to turn his hobby into a career. In 2000 Dr. BBQ moved to Lakeland, Florida and began his career as a BBQ pitmaster.
In 2007 Dr. BBQ met Southern Hospitality founder Eytan Sugarman through mutual friends. Dr. BBQ came to New York City to see Southern Hospitality for himself and he immediately fell in love with the warm atmosphere. He cooked a dinner of his "championship barbecue" for Eytan and his guests, who were blown away by Ray's meal. Eytan later offered Ray the position of executive head chef for Southern Hospitality and the rest is history.
Ray has written four BBQ cookbooks and is currently working on a fifth. The first four are:
A. "Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Cook"
B. "Dr. BBQ's Barbecue All Year Long"
C. "Dr. BBQ's Big Time Barbecue Road Trip"
D. "The NFL Game Day "Cookbook", due out in June 2008
Some of the things this champion pitmaster has accomplished:
A. He's one of the featured BBQ Chefs at The Greenbriar Resort in West Virginia
B. He travels the country as the spokesman for The Big Green Egg Grill
C. He writes the "Ask Dr. BBQ Column" for Fiery Foods & BBQ Magazine
D. He's been a guest chef at the Twin Cities Food and Wine Festival
E. He's been the guest chef for the winemaker's dinner at The Florida Winefest
F. He's been a guest chef at The Woodford Reserve Distillary
G. His teaching seminars where he teaches some of the secrets of championship barbecue are always in high demand and are quickly sold out
Dr. BBQ has been featured in:
A. Life Magazine
B. Maxim Magazine
C. Food & Wine Magazine
D. Chile Pepper Magazine
E. Men's Journal Magazine
F. USA Today
G. The Wall Street Journal
H. The Chicago Tribune
Dr. BBQ has appeared on:
A. Food TV
B. HGTV
C. CNN
D. The Outdoor Life Network
E. The Discovery Channel
F. Good Morning Texas
G. Mancow's Morning Madhouse
H. Many local TV and radio shows around the country
Ray Lampe has been dominating BBQ championships for the last 25 years and has won countless championships among them:
A. 2004 Seattle P.I. Low and Slow 1st Place Brisket and Grand Champion
B. 2004 Hew Hampshire State Championship 1st Place Brisket and Reserve Grand Champion
C. 2004 New Mexico State Championship 1st Place Brisket
D. 2003 Kentucky State Championship 1st place Brisket and Grand Champion
E. 2003 Rockford Illinois State Championship 1st place Chicken and Grand Champion
F. 2003 Liberty Bell BBQ 1st place "180" Beans
G. 2003 Mount Vernon Illinois State Championship 1st place Pork
H. 2003 Farm Fest Grand Champion
I. 2002 Pennsylvania State Championship 1st Place Brisket "180", Sausage and Peoples Choice
J. 2002 Wilson County, Tennessee State Championship 1st Place Ribs
K. 2002 Michigan State Championship 1st Place Sausage
L. 2002 Huntsville, Alabama State Championship "180" Brisket, 1st Place Pork and Reserve Grand Champion
M. 2002 Orlando Bike Week 1st Place Chicken, Ribs, Brisket and Grand Champion
N. 2001 Wilson County, Tennessee State Championship 1st Place Ribs
O. 2001 Virginia State Championship 1st Place Brisket
P. 2000 Lynch Livestock BBQ Reserve Grand Champion and 1st Place Brisket
Q. 2000 Michigan state Grand Champion
R. 1999 Illinois State Championship "180" first place Pork
S. 1999 Veterans BBQ Klassic Reserve Grand Champion and 1st Place Pork
T. 1998 Ohio State Grand Champion and 1st Place Pork
U. 1998 Carbondale, Illinois State Grand Champion
V. 1998 Wilson County Tennessee Grand Champion and "180" 1st Place Brisket
W. 1997 Delaware State Championship 1st Place Chicken
X. 1995 Michigan State Grand Champion
Y. 1994 Illinois state Championship 1st Place Pork
