Jack Waiboer grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  Chester County is Amish Country with large farms rolling over the landscape.  As a young man, he spent a portion of his free time involved with the Boy Scout Organization.  Troop 23 was a very special group of young men.  They all loved the outdoors.  Camping, canoeing, hiking, rock climbing and exploring caves were common with these youngsters.  Live fire cooking became a necessity if the young men wanted to eat well.  Jack loved to cook and on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout he took a special interest in learning the techniques of live fire cooking.  Burning wood to coals and learning to use Dutch ovens gave great rewards at the end of an active day.  The troops always ate well. 

Cooking great food is in Jack’s blood.  His mother is a great cook and Jack credits her for the solid foundation and understanding of cooking principles.  His mom still gets out with the team on occasion, and gives advice when it’s needed.  Jack’s first job was in a restaurant as a dishwasher and prep cook.  He stayed in the restaurant business through his college days at Penn State, working as a line cook.  Upon graduation, he tried sales, and corporate recruiting, but he couldn’t push out the passion for great food.  After a few years, Jack and his family opened a restaurant in downtown Charleston.  It was during this time that he met and married his wife Mary, and they had a daughter, Kristina.  Business was good, but he wanted to do more.  Jack joined on with a large corporate chain and learned all facets of volume dining.    Back of the house was his strong point, he loved the food.

Jack has always made his southern home in the Oakbrook communities of Summerville, SC.  There are many fine neighborhoods there with great schools.  One of the cul de sac neighbors introduced him to smoke cooking.  He was intrigued by the flavors and fun and his wife, Mary, bought him his first bullet smoker for Christmas in 1993.  It was what they call an ECB, the El Cheapo Brinkmann.  This cooker is a true challenge and Jack worked hard at making this cooker work.   He wanted to try offset cooking and Mary bought him a Brinkmann Smoke n Pit Pro for this birthday.  Armed with two cookers on the back patio, and a solid foundation from his mother and the Boy Scouts, Jack set on to master the craft of making barbecue.  Submerging himself in cookbooks, magazines, and  internet lists, Jack set out to learn all he could about smoking meats.

Jack attended his first contest in Charleston, in 1993. It was in Marion Square.  A walk around the park and he was hooked.  The large cookers, the music, and the thrill of the contest were tugging at the creative passion that he carries for great food.  He knew he wanted to compete; he just needed to learn more and get equipped.  In 1997 Jack, Mary,

Kristina and their newest addition Kaitlyn, created their first competition cooking team called “Pigs on the Wing”.  They won many awards through the next 10 years culminating with the 2006 SC State Championship. Jack & Mary retired the team name in 2007 and now compete under the name Common Interest.

The Mission for Common Interest is very simple.  They want to cook in the American Royal in Kansas City, cook in the Jack Daniels Invitational in Lynchburg, and cook at the Super Bowl of Barbecue at Memphis in May.  Jack and Mary also want to be able to teach and stay involved with judging.  They are Senior Judges, and Marshal’s with the South Carolina Barbecue Association, and Certified Judges with the Kansas City Barbecue Society.

Jack’s latest endeavors have been steeped in tradition.  He has been involved with a group of barbecue enthusiasts known as the Society for the Preservation of Traditional Southern Barbecue - SPTSB.   Jack and his family have been traveling around the South East learning about barbecue traditions, and learning the techniques involved with cooking traditional southern barbecue.  The farm they visit is owned and operated by “Bob in Ga”.  This farm specializes in feral, naturally raised hogs.  During the weekend visits, guests at the “Q-Fests” process hogs, chickens, and ducks.  Saturday night’s dinner is barbecue and smoked meats that have been prepared from the animals raised at the farm.  Jack recently learned the art of burning wood to coals in a hearth, and using a shovel to carry hot coals to fire a block pit that used rebar as a grate to hold the hog off of the ground.  At the end of the cook Jack learned about “popping” skin and using the cracklins’ as part of the finished product.  On a trip to Virginia last summer, Jack got the opportunity to work with Dan Gill, and learned a great deal about curing and brining.  The experiences with the SPTSB are important.  They are family affairs where traditions are demonstrated and handed down from generation to generation.