After getting a taste of winning at Trader's Village in Fort Worth on a borrowed pit, Griff decided this was the life for him. He built his first pit, taking a year to complete. When he went to paint it, the only color he had was blue, hence "The Blue Flamingo" was born! Griff has gone on to build a new pit in 1997, which has cooked many first place entries.
Time Life Books published a book titled Barbecue America: A Pilgrimage in Search of America's Best Barbeque. This book included pictures of The Blue Flamingo pit on p.102-103, Griff's brisket on p.121, and the picture on the left on p. 121. This book was published in 1999 in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Blue Flamingo cooking team has won many awards, including:
