Rockin’ Ronnie Shewchuk is never very far away from a grill or a smoker—whether he’s leading barbecue workshops, appearing as a guest chef on TV, writing food articles, or cookin’ on the competitive barbecue circuit with his award-winning team, Rockin’ Ronnie’s Butt Shredders. “For me, barbecue is not just a pastime, it’s a lifestyle,” says Ronnie. “Barbecue at its best is a spiritual experience, and I like to think of what I do as high ceremonial cooking . . . You’re not really serious about barbecue until you’ve slept next to your cooker and used a bag of charcoal as a pillow.” Ronnie was born in Edmonton, Alberta, and trained as a journalist at Carleton University in Ottawa. He now lives with his wife, Kate, and children, Zoë and Jake, in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Visit www.ronshewchuk.com to find out more. Twitter @rockinronnie Facebook www.facebook.com/barbecue.secrets