What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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When Brad Leighniger got bitten by the competition BBQ bug, his infectious enthusiasm for smoked meat quickly spread. Before long, several of his friends had BBQ fever and the rest is history. "All of us have a passion for eating, cooking and creating," Tammy Roberts said. "Brad wanted to do something fun with his family. It ended up being competition BBQ. He took a standard smoker and went to his first competition. He cleaned house. Brad said let's take the Gettin' Basted competition team's name and open a BBQ restaurant." Flash forward a couple of years and the four old friends and their new Branson BBQ restaurant, Gettin' Basted is impressing BBQ fans all around and Brad is still cleaning house on the competitive BBQ circuit. A couple of years ago, while enjoying a few drinks and watching some football, the friends started discussing the idea of opening a food truck. It wasn't long until the four decided a BBQ restaurant was the way to go. Tammy, her husband, Jason, and their friend, Derrick, handle the restaurant side of the operation and Brad keeps busy winning competitions. "Our team is made up of four different people," Tammy said. "On the restaurant side we have more than 60 years of hands-on restaurant experience between the three of us. Brad has worked in restaurants, but is more into the competition side than the restaurant." 'A different spin' It wasn't long until Brad decided to invest in some new equipment. A new smoker was the obvious choice. "One of the guys approached Brad about buying a Gateway Smoker Drum, which is the same we use in the restaurant now," she said. "We actually prepare the meat just like he does in competition. We use a Gateway Smoker Drum to cook everything. We use the same Wagyu beef he uses in competition. We really wanted to keep everything as true to competitions we could. There are some slight differences in the way we do it at the restaurant but, over all, it's just like it's done on the circuit. There's not really anyone else doing that style. I think it sets us apart from other BBQ establishments." featured dining guide story Advertorial Feature by dave woods | nwa democrat-Gazette Four friends combine efforts to open Gettin' Basted, Branson's premier BBQ restaurant BBQ Fever Sweeping Branson June 3-9, 2018 What's up! 43 brad, derrick, tammy, and Jason