End of Summer Braai: Licence to Grill

"No, Mr. Bond... I expect you to Braai."

Our end-of-summer company BBQ, affectionately called a "Braai" in honor of our South African colleagues was a resounding success. QS by day, Braai Master by night, Brenden Carstens understood his mission and expertly took charge of the grill. Brenden showed that while he can certainly talk a big game about BBQ, he can deliver in spades too.

However, when it comes to the question of the difference between a Barbecue and a Braai, it's a case of "if you have to ask, you'll never know".

The event was a true team effort, with Peter Boylan, the "Q" to Brenden's 007, ensuring we had all the gadgets we needed, from tables and benches to BBQ equipment and coolers. We can only assume he has a side gig in event planning—or maybe just passion for picnics. Whatever the case, Peter also recruited some capable "sous-chefs". Amore, Aisling, Regardt, Deryn, and Shane provided salads (shaken, not stirred) and desserts to go along with the meat feast served from the Braai.

Another highlight of the day was the table tennis tournament, masterfully coordinated by Jimmy O’Neill. Chris Dunne, who beat all challengers on his way to the final, even managing to swot aside legend of the table, David Keenan. However, it was "GoldenBraai" Brenden Carstens who took the victory at the death.

As the sun set and the team realised that "Tomorrow Never Braais", everyone joined forces for the cleanup, proving that many hands make light work. Here’s to a successful Braai and the reminder that teamwork makes the dream work—even if that dream involves a lot of grilled meat and some slightly bruised egos.

One thing is for sure: the RR team lives to "Braai Another Day".