Sweet Baby Rays

Sweet Baby Ray's Wins the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award for Best Gourmet Sauces

Filed under: Dining

Sweet Baby Ray's is the winner of the Luxist Readers' Choice Award for Best Gourmet Sauces.

The company was founded in 1985 when a local Chicagoan named "Chef Larry" perfected his family's recipe for a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. He entered it into the country's largest rib cook-off ("The Mike Royko Rib-Off"). Chef Larry called his sauce Sweet Baby Ray's after his younger brother, David, who got the nickname playing basketball on the west side of Chicago.

On the day of the rib-off, Sweet Baby Ray's beat out nearly 700 entrants to come in second--an amazing feat for an unknown. Word of Sweet Baby Ray's spread like wildfire. By 1994, Sweet Baby Ray's distinctive bottle could be found on grill pits and dinner tables across the Midwest. By the end of the century, Sweet Baby Ray's sales in the U.S. exceeded 500,000 cases annually and today, is the fastest growing BBQ sauce company in America.

Gallery: Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce

Sweet Baby Ray's products come in a variety of favors, including: Sweet Baby Ray's Original, Sweet Baby Ray's Honey, Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory & Brown Sugar, Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet 'n Spicy, Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Chiptole and Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet Vidalia Onion. It comes in 18 oz,, 28 oz, 40 oz and 80 oz bottles.

Sweet Baby Ray's gourmet sauces are available for purchase at most large grocery store chains, including Kroger, Walmart, Meijer, Cub Foods, Albertson's, Ralphs, Vons, Safeway, Wegmans and Stop & Shop, among many others. For more information call Sweet Baby Ray's toll free line at (877) 729-2229 or email it at service@sweetbabyrays.com

Tags: awards-main, barbeque sauce, gourmet sauces, luxist-awards, sweet baby rays, winners-outdoor-entertainment

The Nominees for Outdoor Entertainment

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Dining, Services

Best Gourmet Sauces
The first nominee has received countless awards while the second nominee offers a wide array of gourmet marinades and sauces that represent just about every corner of the globe. The third nominee has been around since the late 19th century while the fourth uses only natural ingredients and is the leading all-natural brand. The final nominee started out as a hometown favorite in Chicago before rolling out across the country.

B Gourmet
Dean & DeLuca
Porky's Gourmet Foods
Stubb's
Sweet Baby Ray's

Best Grill
The first nominee is known for its precision craftsmanship and distinctive styling while the second nominee is made by America's favorite home appliance brand. The third nominee was founded by a group of individuals who started out by manufacturing restaurant ranges while the fourth nominee makes grills that one might expect to find in a restaurant setting. The final nominee is a household name that is credited with revolutionizing the backyard barbecue.

Jenn-Air
Kenmore
Lynx
Viking
Weber

Best Online Meat
The first nominee provides meats to some of the best-known steakhouses in the country, while the second nominee was one of the first steak companies to offer mail order. The third nominee has been owned and operated by the same family for five generations while the fourth nominee is a New York institution with customers around the world. The final nominee---famous its steak houses---is now selling its meats to customers through a new online service.

Allen Brothers
Chicago Gourmet Steaks
Lobel's of New York
Ottomanelli Brothers
Peter Luger

Best Online Seafood
The first nominee is a top food Mecca in New York City and the Hamptons, while the second nominee is one of the country's finest online grocers. The third nominee is famous for its seafood restaurants along the eastern seaboard, while the fourth nominee, which is based in America's oldest seaport, specializes in shipping live seafood to its clients. The final nominee, which is based in New York, focuses on freshly caught, wild seafood

Citarella
Dean & DeLuca
Legal Sea Foods
The Fresh Lobster Company
Wild Edibles Seafood Market

Best Outdoor Furniture Line
The first nominee offers pieces designed and created by true artisans while the second offers pieces known for their impeccable quality, timeless style and classic beauty. The third nominee manufactures furniture that emphasizes the three F's: form, function and fun, while the fourth nominee is world-renowned for its wicker creations. The final nominee has been making its high-quality, extremely durable furniture since 1866.

Castelle
Century Furniture
Laneventure
Lloyd/Flanders
Woodard

Tags: Allen Brothers, allen brothers steaks, awards-main, B Gourmet, Castelle, century furniture, Chicago Gourmet Steaks, Citarella, Dean DeLuca, laneventure, Legal Seafoods, LloydFlanders, lobels, Lobels of New York, luxist-awards, Ottomanellis, Peter Luger, Peter Luger Steak House, Porkys Gourmet Foods, Stubbs, Sweet Baby Rays, The Fresh Lobster Company, wild edibles, Wild Edibles Seafood Market, winners-outdoor-entertainment, winners-outdoorentertainment, Woodard

Sweet Baby Ray's: The Fastest Growing Barbecue Sauce in America

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Services

Sweet Baby Ray's is a nominee for a Luxist Readers' Choice Award for Best Gourmet Sauces.

The company was founded in 1985 when a local Chicagoan named "Chef Larry" perfected his family's recipe for a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. He entered it into the country's largest rib cook-off ("The Mike Royko Rib-Off"). Chef Larry called his sauce Sweet Baby Ray's after his younger brother, David, who got the nickname playing basketball on the west side of Chicago.

On the day of the rib-off, Sweet Baby Ray's beat out nearly 700 entrants to come in second--an amazing feat for an unknown. Word of Sweet Baby Ray's spread like wildfire. By 1994, Sweet Baby Ray's distinctive bottle could be found on grill pits and dinner tables across the Midwest. By the end of the century, Sweet Baby Ray's sales in the U.S. exceeded 500,000 cases annually and today, is the fastest growing BBQ sauce company in America.

Gallery: Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce