LOCAL BARBECUERS TO COOK IN BIG EASY FOR ANHEUSER-BUSCH

ANNA, Ill. -- They're going to the Big Easy, but what they do when the get there will be far from easy.

They are six members of the Wild Boars of Fire, an Anna barbecue team that has been retained by Anheuser-Busch to prepare food for the beer-maker's annual convention March 9-13 at New Orleans.

The cooking team will prepare more than 2,750 sides of ribs, 500 pounds of pork loin, 500 pounds of beef brisket, 500 pounds of boned turkey breasts and 500 pounds of beef of tenderloin over a four-day period.

"This marks the second year in a row we have been invited to cook at the Anheuser-Busch convention," said Dave Fombelle, head chef of the Boars. "Last year we cooked in California."

Six members of the barbecue team are making the trip to New Orleans: Patty Fombelle, wife of the chef; a son, David Fombelle; daughter, Julie Fombelle; Mike Glisson; and Gordon Wellons.

Some Boars of Fire barbecue found its way into the hands of Anheuser-Busch executives more than three year ago.

"They liked the food, and we were invited to submit a resume to August Busch III," said Fombelle. "We were then asked to prepare food for the annual convention, held last year in Anaheim, Calif.

The Boars have won some top awards in prestigious cooking competitions such as the Memphis in May International Barbecue Cookoff, the Jack Daniels World Invitational Cookoff, the Illinois State BBQ Championship, Missouri State Championship, Meat on the Mississippi and other cooking competitions.

"We've prepared food for a lengthy list of impressive people," said Fombelle.

The list includes businessman John E. Connelly, who owns hotels, restaurants and gambling casinos; and entertainers Tanya Tucker, Hank Williams Jr., Neil McCoy and Travis Tritt. In addition, the group cooks at a number of Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri events.

The Boars' menus include rib-tasters, barbecue egg rolls, smoked turkey breast, smoked loin of pork, Texas-style beef brisket, baby-back ribs, pork shoulder, barbecue beans, southern potato salad and crab meat pasta salad.

The team, which has been in existence for more than five years, uses three cookers, a home-made cooker, and two commercial pits.