So what does it take to be a die-hard Weber fan? 300 miles, 7 Weber grills, and a dog named Robby.

Meet Lee Barnes, a competitive griller and enthusiast from Corpus Christi, Texas with a passion for all things charred, crispy, and juicy.

On April 14th of 2016, Lee drove 3 hours and more than 300 miles round-trip from Corpus Christi to San Antonio in anticipation to purchase our newly released Summit Charcoal Grilling Center. As a long-time Weber fan, it was worth the drive.

“It’s everything I could have imagined and more,” Lee said. “The Performer came out and it answered all my dreams for ten years. I bought the Summit Charcoal to open a world of smoking that I never had before. Of course, my dog Robby came along for approval.”

Lee’s new Summit Charcoal Grilling Center joined his impressive collection of six other Weber models: a 14” Smokey Joe Gold, 14” Smokey Joe Silver, 18” Smokey Joe Platinum, two Performers, and a Ranch Kettle – all in pristine condition!

Lee has been an avid griller since he was a child and has become known for his grilling abilities on a competitive level.

“My mom actually taught me how to grill believe it or not!” Lee said. “Now I’m a rib, steak and chicken competition winner! I’ve never been a Brisket Guy and always wanted to be.”

“The first time I used this work of art [Summit Charcoal Grilling Center], I smoked a 12-pound brisket that was to die for,” continued Lee. “I then did some of my award-winning lemon chicken and bacon-wrapped shrimp with Serrano Chile peppers and, of course, doggy steaks and bones for our three rescue dogs. You cannot believe how easy it was to control the temperature. You cannot believe what an awesome grill this is until you go see it person.”

Is your mouth watering yet? Learn more about the #grillofalifetime and its endless possibilities here!

Have your own Summit Charcoal Grill? Tell us about your ultimate smoking experience.

Lee is currently Senior Director of Construction Projects at Global Blue Technologies, an aquaculture company based in Japan. He was previously a veteran Naval Aviator and studied Electrical and Electronics Engineering at U.S. Navy Schools and the University of Tennessee.

With his new Summit Charcoal Grilling Center, I’d say we got a new grilling master!

Thanks for being a Weber fan Lee!