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Chef Locke Wins "Retailers Product Choice of the Year Award" At 2011 National Hardware Show

Spokane, Wash. May 16, 2011 - Chef Locke, a Pacific Northwest company that manufacturers cedar wood planks and specialty wood products, has just won the "Retailers Product Choice Award of the Year" at the 2011 National Hardware Show® in Las Vegas. Chosen by a panel of distinguished retailers and new product experts, Chef Locke's Beer Butt Chicken Plank was chosen as one of the best products of the year, out of 100,000 featured products. This program award honors manufacturers for their innovation and acknowledges some of the most creative new products in the industry. This program award has been a highlight at the National Hardware Show® for more than 35 years.

"We are ecstatic and honored to have won the Retailers Product Choice Award of the Year," said Kim Hemphill, owner and inventor of the patented Chef Locke Interlocking BBQ & Grilling Plank technology. "Our products are truly innovative, attractive, and leading edge, and our Beer Butt Chicken Plank has already been recognized as a top BBQ product by other organizations."

"New products are the lifeblood of the industry. The Retailers' Choice Awards program recognizes the top products each year at the National Hardware Show ®that demonstrate strong sales potential at retail. The award also creates a strong bond between retailers and manufacturers due to the fact that retailers choose the winners," says Scott Wright, NRHA's vice president of member services.

What Makes Chef Locke Products Award Winning? They are:

Very much like a puzzle with planks that lock together and when soaked in water create one solid plank.

Wider than average.

Engineered at a much higher quality and lacks the cracking, splinters and cupping that is common with the competition.

Priced 40-50 % less than competitors; a real value to the marketplace.

The only "Go Green" grilling plank on the market.

Exclusive in the barbecue plank industry, inventive, and fun.

Recognized by the National Barbecue Association and won three of six national awards.

A featured BBQ product on QVC, national TV shopping network.

A supplier and manufacturer for several BBQ products launched by national known celebrity, Larry the Cable Guy. Sample products include "Beer Butt Chicken Plank", "The Oval Chef", "The Kettle Plank" and the "Gourmet Smoke Bombs." The smoke bombs are hardball-sized cloth bags filled with cedar, hickory, alder, mesquite, cherry, or apple sawdust and chips. When soaked in water for 2-3 minutes, the bombs will provide flavorful smoke for up to an hour when placed on hot briquettes or charcoal.

About Chef Locke Chef Locke products take meals from ordinary to extraordinary. Featured products include: BBQ and Oven Planks, Gourmet Wraps, Smoking Chips, Pizza Pie Planks and much more. For more information visit: http://www.tailgatingplanks.com.

About Retailers' Choice Awards For the past three decades NRHA and Hardware Retailing magazine have sponsored the Retailers' Choice Awards celebrating the hottest new products of the year that not only offer innovation but provide great sales and business potential for retailers. Each year a volunteer panel of retail judges scours the floor at the National Hardware Show® to find the latest and greatest products on display. Check out the July Issue of Hardware Retailing for a full list and information on each of this year's winners

PACIFIC NORTHWEST CEDAR PLANK COMPANY WINS THREE PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL AWARDS FROM THE NATIONAL BARBECUE ASSOCIATION

Spokane, Wash. March 30, 2011 - Chef Locke, a Pacific Northwest company that manufacturers cedar wood planks and specialty wood products, has just won three of six national awards at the National Barbecue Association Conference in Greenville, North Carolina.

Chef Locke's Gourmet Smoke Bombs, Beer Butt Chicken Plank, and Pizza Pie Plank won a trio of "2011 NBBQA Awards of Excellence" in the Best New Accessory category. Winners were selected from nearly three hundred submissions in a competition, which recognize the very best barbecue products in a number of industry categories. The competition was held in advance of the organization's 20th anniversary conference held in Greenville, South Carolina. Kim Hemphill, owner and inventor of the patented Chef Locke Interlocking BBQ & Grilling Plank technology was in Greenville for the award ceremony.

"Congratulations to our winners," said Jeff Allen, executive director. "These products stand out as leaders in the industry. We are pleased to recognize them for their contributions to supporting the great American tradition of barbecue."

"What an honor to compete against some absolutely fantastic products and to receive three Awards of Excellence exceeded our wildest dreams," said Kim Hemphill, owner and inventor of the patented Chef Locke Interlocking BBQ & Grilling Plank technology. "Our products are truly innovative, attractive, and leading edge. We are ecstatic that the NBBQA has recognized the quality and value of our planks and smoke product."

Chef Locke Interlocking BBQ & Grilling Planks are:
• Very much like a puzzle with planks that lock together and when soaked in water create one solid plank.
• Wider than average
• Engineered at a much higher quality and lacks the cracking, splinters and cupping that is common with the competition.
• Priced 40-50 % less than competitors; a real value to the marketplace.
• The only "Go Green" grilling plank on the market.
• Exclusive in the barbecue plank industry, inventive, and fun.

Sample products include "Beer Butt Chicken Plank", "The Oval Chef", "The Kettle Plank" and the "Gourmet Smoke Bombs." The smoke bombs are hardball-sized cloth bags filled with cedar, hickory, alder, mesquite, cherry, or apple sawdust and chips. When soaked in water for 2-3 minutes, the bombs will provide flavorful smoke for up to an hour when placed on hot briquettes or charcoal.

Hemphill's first big start was manufacturing "Guy Fieri Lock n load Planks" for TV celebrity Chef Guy Fieri. More recently Hemphill has partnered with Chef Rick Browne, the host of public television's Barbecue America.

"When Kim called me with his idea I just laughed," said Browne in a phone interview. "I couldn't believe that someone had combined the two most popular cooking methods: beer butt chicken and cedar planking into one process. Why the heck couldn't I have thought of that?"

"He's come up with a plank that creates a stable surface for beer-butt chicken, adds the flavorful cedar essence to the bird, and keeps the drippings from flaring up on the coals, which is a huge problem with other BBC racks. By combining those two popular, fun, and innovative barbecue techniques, and because of their substantially reduced prices, I think these planks are going to fly off the shelves." Browne added, "These three major awards confirm that Chef Locke's products are clearly ahead of their competition and recognizes Chef Locke's product line as a 'must have' for the upcoming barbecue season."

As Browne predicted, Chef Locke's award-winning planks are now slated for a major appearance on a national TV shopping network. Additionally, they are being pursued by the country's largest barbecue company, several of the largest grocery retailers, and by the two largest big box hardware chain stores distributors. Because of the flood of phone calls and an outpouring of interest after the NBBQA awards announcement, Chef Locke is increasing his sales representation in several regions of the country.