Tyler Florence Fires Up NASCAR

By JULIETTE ROSSANT What is the word for BBQ season in America? BIG! BIG is everything, whether it is a BIG sport like NASCAR or a BIG company Coca-Cola or getting a BIG chef to cook BIG food on a BIG grill on a BIG weekend to feed…well, thousands of hungry BIG people. On Memorial Day Weekend, Coca-Cola is setting up a record 1,320-ft grill for NASCAR's longest race, the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 22nd. Following in the footsteps of Mario Batali (see Super Chef>), none other than Tyler Florence will be grill master, along with some of NASCAR’s most popular drivers, including Clint Bowyer, Bobby Labonte, Kyle Petty, and Bobby Allison – and one hopes a few short order cooks. They'll be working on classy grub like burgers, hotdogs and Betty Crocker salads and brownies. Tyler's grilling recipes and are online for those who can't make the big day. The oval-shaped grill is fueled by more than 7,000 pounds of Kingsford Charcoal spanning more than four football fields in length if stretched end to end, according to the press release. Tyler is quoted as saying of this gig: Like many Americans, Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of the summer grilling season for me and my family, so I’m excited about kicking it off in a big way this year with Coca-Cola. Although most cookouts don’t include the excitement of a quarter-mile grill, the same principles apply whether you’re feeding thousands or just a few friends. The tips, recipes and other resources I’ve put together for MyCokeRewards.com/summer will help people create a successful backyard barbeque of any size this summer. The downloadable recipes are a bit more sophisticated – things like Grilled Hangar Steak, Grilled Salmon en Papillote and the like. Previous articles: Tyler Florence: Stirring the Pot & Dinner At My Place NASCAR: Race Day Grub Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style Mario Batali: 2 Brothers Tyler Florence: Camp Cuisine Joachim Splichal Mammoth Mountain Mogul Tyler Florence: Tyler's Ultimate Tyler Florence: New Year Buzz Christmas Coffee; Tyler Florence and Senseo Tyler Florence: Eat This Book [Cookbook Reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, cookbooks, cookbook reviews, Tyler Florence --> back to Super Chef