For Tom Libous, Special Sauce Adds Extra Flavor to Annual Steak Roast
New Senate No. 2 mulls plans to expand sales and production for his very own A.1.
Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:05:00
One day every August, the focus of state Republican politics moves to Binghamton, to a golf course in suburban Endicott, where party members feast on grilled meat at State Sen. Thomas Libous' (R-Broome/Tioga/Chenango) annual steak roast.
They also have the chance to purchase Libous' own line of steak sauce and seasoning.
Libous has been hosting the annual steak roast for 20 years. From about 800 attendees on its first year, the event has grown to one hosting over 3,000 steak lovers in recent years. Any Republican thinking of running statewide drops in to shake hands, and many Republican rank-and-file from around the state drop by for a sirloin.
And, of course, greeting them as they enter the picnic grounds is a gift shop, where guests can purchase the senator's steak sauce and seasoning, along with commemorative steak roast cups and aprons.
This year's steak roast is Aug. 21.
Libous said the steak roast started when he was brainstorming with staffers on doing a large-scale fundraiser that he could make into a community event. As the event grew, he began to think about how to cultivate the concept of a steak roast, an event much like those held by many party organizations and candidates across upstate.
"About three years in, I said to my staff, I need my own steak sauce," Libous said.
Libous began the process of creating his own sauce by meeting with several chefs across the Binghamton area to come up with recipes. They developed four, and the senator started visiting picnics throughout his district to conduct taste tests of the contenders. Libous debuted the winner at the following year's steak roast.
As the steak roast grew, so did the senator's product line. He created the steak seasoning and then put his steak roast logo-a likeness of him holding a steak and wearing a chef's hat-on aprons, cooler bags and plastic cups, all of which are sold in the steak roast gift shop, and all benefiting his campaign committee.
George Pataki, Al D'Amato, Rudy Giuliani, Rick Lazio and former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno have all attended past steak roasts. The steak sauce is even on display at Binghamton International Airport as a part of a display highlighting the foods of the Southern Tier. At the airport, though, the sauce cannot be purchased. Bottles are only available at the roast and to the lucky visitors to Libous' office on whom the senator decides to bestow them.
But Libous is thinking of expanding.
"We've talked about setting up a not-for-profit and selling the sauce and giving the proceeds to charity," Libous said.
The senator did not say when, or if, such a not-for-profit would be created.
This year, several hundred volunteers will serve over a ton of beef, 600 pounds of potatoes and 1,600 dishes of ice cream to revelers. Libous estimates that it takes around two and a half hours to serve all the attendees. Libous confirmed that Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Nassau) will attend this year, and an invitation has been sent to Gov. David Paterson (D). Other Democrats have often attended, including Broome County Executive Barbara Fiala (D).
Former State Republican Chairman Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell, now running for Congress against Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (Saratoga/Dutchess/Rensselaer), is one of the fans of Libous' steak sauce. Having attended the event as both state chairman and secretary of state, he found it to be one of the best events on the roster of party fundraisers around the state.
"It's a legendary event for Tom that grew into something amazingly big," Treadwell said. "It is a chance for all kinds of people to network."
With Libous' recent elevation to deputy majority leader, the event will likely continue to grow. Already, he says, his new post has had some impact on interest in the pre-steak roast golf tournament. In previous years, he sold roughly 15 foursomes for the 5-year-old tournament. Demand for tickets picked up in the weeks following his ascension to the deputy's post, and by the end of July, 20 foursomes had been sold.
Former Senate Majority Leader Warren Anderson (R), Libous' predecessor representing Binghamton, is best remembered locally for building a highway connecting Binghamton to Albany. Libous said his legacy will be somewhat different.
"I'll be known," he said, "as the guy with the great steak sauce."
They also have the chance to purchase Libous' own line of steak sauce and seasoning.
Libous has been hosting the annual steak roast for 20 years. From about 800 attendees on its first year, the event has grown to one hosting over 3,000 steak lovers in recent years. Any Republican thinking of running statewide drops in to shake hands, and many Republican rank-and-file from around the state drop by for a sirloin.
And, of course, greeting them as they enter the picnic grounds is a gift shop, where guests can purchase the senator's steak sauce and seasoning, along with commemorative steak roast cups and aprons.
This year's steak roast is Aug. 21.
Libous said the steak roast started when he was brainstorming with staffers on doing a large-scale fundraiser that he could make into a community event. As the event grew, he began to think about how to cultivate the concept of a steak roast, an event much like those held by many party organizations and candidates across upstate.
"About three years in, I said to my staff, I need my own steak sauce," Libous said.Libous began the process of creating his own sauce by meeting with several chefs across the Binghamton area to come up with recipes. They developed four, and the senator started visiting picnics throughout his district to conduct taste tests of the contenders. Libous debuted the winner at the following year's steak roast.
As the steak roast grew, so did the senator's product line. He created the steak seasoning and then put his steak roast logo-a likeness of him holding a steak and wearing a chef's hat-on aprons, cooler bags and plastic cups, all of which are sold in the steak roast gift shop, and all benefiting his campaign committee.
George Pataki, Al D'Amato, Rudy Giuliani, Rick Lazio and former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno have all attended past steak roasts. The steak sauce is even on display at Binghamton International Airport as a part of a display highlighting the foods of the Southern Tier. At the airport, though, the sauce cannot be purchased. Bottles are only available at the roast and to the lucky visitors to Libous' office on whom the senator decides to bestow them.
But Libous is thinking of expanding.
"We've talked about setting up a not-for-profit and selling the sauce and giving the proceeds to charity," Libous said.
The senator did not say when, or if, such a not-for-profit would be created.
This year, several hundred volunteers will serve over a ton of beef, 600 pounds of potatoes and 1,600 dishes of ice cream to revelers. Libous estimates that it takes around two and a half hours to serve all the attendees. Libous confirmed that Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Nassau) will attend this year, and an invitation has been sent to Gov. David Paterson (D). Other Democrats have often attended, including Broome County Executive Barbara Fiala (D).
Former State Republican Chairman Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell, now running for Congress against Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (Saratoga/Dutchess/Rensselaer), is one of the fans of Libous' steak sauce. Having attended the event as both state chairman and secretary of state, he found it to be one of the best events on the roster of party fundraisers around the state.
"It's a legendary event for Tom that grew into something amazingly big," Treadwell said. "It is a chance for all kinds of people to network."
With Libous' recent elevation to deputy majority leader, the event will likely continue to grow. Already, he says, his new post has had some impact on interest in the pre-steak roast golf tournament. In previous years, he sold roughly 15 foursomes for the 5-year-old tournament. Demand for tickets picked up in the weeks following his ascension to the deputy's post, and by the end of July, 20 foursomes had been sold.
Former Senate Majority Leader Warren Anderson (R), Libous' predecessor representing Binghamton, is best remembered locally for building a highway connecting Binghamton to Albany. Libous said his legacy will be somewhat different.
"I'll be known," he said, "as the guy with the great steak sauce."
