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Your channel surfing on RFD-TV may
have brought you to the unique half hour program Cowboy Flavor
with Billy and Sue Ruiz – you’ll recognize Billy for his
trademark handlebar moustache. The couple’s fun style and focus
is on cowboy cuisine which is always cooked outdoors in dutch
ovens, barbecue pits or over an open fire.
Of the show, Billy says, “We want
to get people to gather by the fire – like they did years ago.
This is a fun way to feed your family and bring everyone back
together. We share how things used to be done, and show families
how to adapt that to their homes be it cooking outdoors or in
the kitchen.”
Here, Billy shares how his love
of horses and cowboy life have brought him and Sue to this plum
TV assignment.
How did you get your start with cowboy cuisine and catering?
A native Santa Marian, Billy grew up close to an aunt and uncle
who ranched and packed hunters into the back country. He often
tagged along and learned the ropes of being a guide, wrangler
and cook.
It was horse shoeing that became
Billy’s primary job for nearly 40 years along California’s
central coast, while Santa Maria Style Barbecue was a favorite
hobby that branched into a sideline business in the 70’s.
Billy tells, “When people got
home from their pack trips to the back country, they wanted that
same cowboy cooking for their birthday parties and backyard get
togethers.” As such, Cowboy Flavor Catering was born.
You’ve cooked for some high profile characters including
President Reagan. How did that come about?
“I was shoeing horses on President Reagan’s ranch and he knew we
catered, so we did several private BBQ parties for them,” says
Billy. He adds, “What I remember was the President was a true
gentleman; he was great to be around. He was an avid horseman
and really enjoyed the Western lifestyle.”
Billy doesn’t consider himself a
chef, but a ‘cowboy cook.’ Chef or not, the reputation for the
fine food he and Sue create has spread. The Food Network has
previously spotlighted their Santa Marian Barbecue Style on a
segment on Al Roker’s “Roker on the Road” program. They’ve also
been featured in Cowboys & Indians magazine (as well as many
others) and are ambassadors for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber
of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau. Most recently, the
Travel Channel sat down with them to tape a spot for an upcoming
show titled “BBQ Paradise.”
While most of their catering
travel keeps them in the West, where they can handle small
gatherings to hundreds of hungry patrons, the duo keeps a BBQ
pit in Long Island, New York and has taken their talent to Japan
to open a Western Style Steak house for a Japanese client.
How did the show on RFD-TV come about?
Billy’s BBQ reputation and Sue’s special style made them the
perfect co-host couple for the Cowboy Flavor program.
Billy tells that the program came
about through some previous work he’d done about twelve years
ago. At that time, he had the opportunity to do some spots about
dutch oven cooking, horse shoeing and packing on a program
called Horse World. It was hosted by Larry Mayhen and produced
by Dan Weyand.
Today, Larry and Dan do a RFD
program together called Equestrian Nation. So, when RFD was
looking for hosts for a program about dutch oven cooking and
cowboy lifestyles, Dan said, “I’ve got just the people.” That
was Billy and Sue.
This fall, Cowboy Flavor will
begin its third season.
What do you think has made the show successful?
Foremost, Billy credits Sue with “keeping him on track,” and
says, “Sue is a big part of this. She is the other half of the
team beside me – not behind me.”
He is also gracious to the program’s primary sponsors: Harris
Ranch Beef and Cowboy Living.
Billy says, “We’ve used Harris
Ranch Beef in our show and at our home. It’s all natural and
top-quality and consistent.”
Of the Cowboy Living line of
dishes and products, Billy says, “It makes our food look as good
as it tastes.”
He says their aim for the program
is to show how cowboy life and cooking used to be done and that
the campfire has never gone out. “We want to show youth you can
still gather by the fire and have fun, and that it is a great
tradition to pass down.”
What’s next for Cowboy Flavor?
Billy and Sue have been hard at work on a cookbook highlighting
recipes from their first season of the Cowboy Flavor show on
RFD-TV. It is now available through their website
www.cowboyflavor.com.
For several years the couple has
offered a line of Cowboy Flavor products – from their special
blend of seasonings, to pancake, biscuit and cornbread mixes as
well as coffee, chocolate covered fruits and logo clothing. All
of these are available on the website as well, and you’ll know
they are the real deal because Billy’s photo is on the label.
Many of these products were born
out of requests from folks at the events they catered to. Billy
says people frequently commented that they wanted to make the
same thing at home, so the Cowboy Flavor line of products was
created. Up next, the duo is looking to introduce their very own
BBQ sauce and possibly a salsa to come.
Editor’s Note:
For more about Billy and Sue’s catering and products visit:
www.cowboyflavor.com.
Cowboy Flavor airs on the RFD-TV Network which is distributed on
DIRECTV (Channel 379), DISH Network (Channel 231), Mediacom and
NCTC cable systems in all 50 states, serving over 28 million
U.S. homes. |
