Press article from "Wining and dining guide" Sept. 2007
He sits unmoving; huge and solid like a rock. His shadowy form seems to dwarf the monitors and the keyboard in front of him. He’s completely focused – his breathing light and even – as he gazes at the screen. The only sound, the only movement, is in his fingers. They flicker and dance across the keyboard, faster than the eye can catch. But that was then. That was Los Angeles, back in 2003.
Today, Nigel is living happily on Samui. He’s in the love with the island and he’s found his niche in paradise. He no longer works a ‘9 to 5’, now spending his time on the beach, and working out in the gym. But obviously, things weren’t always like this!
The name Venice Beach conjures images of flower-power, free-love, Jimmy Hendrix and Janis Joplin. But, 30 years on, you’re more likely to the jangling beeps of computer games there than ‘Purple Haze’. And, after crunching his way through college football, Nigel settled into a company that made….computer games. The industry was booming, and he worked his way to project manager. But then the company was takeover, and suddenly Nigel had no job, but three months salary in his pocket. A short holiday on Samui turned into a three-month break (as they do!). And then the big decision – the Rat Race again, or Koh Samui for good? No contest!
“I went a bit crazy when I came back,” Nigel admitted, “because it’s so easy to have a good time on this island, and the time goes so fast! But it didn’t take long before I had to start working for a living again.” His first venture, something that is hugely popular back home in the States, was Frisbee Golf. Sadly, not that many Americans visit Samui and business was slow. And, in order to draw more in, he began his barbecues again. You see, Nigel is a bit of a guru when in comes to BBQ’s. He’s got a long history of skill and experience in this area.
All his life he’d helped his father with the big Californian parties – making and refining his own rubs and dips and sauces. And so it was an easy matter to make this a feature of his Frisbee Golf, too.
Unfortunately, it didn’t draw-in the crowds as hoped. But one thing it did do was to attract a small and devoted group of followers. And it was this hardcore base of fans that persuaded Nigel to go the whole hog and do it properly. And so his restaurant, ‘Nigel’s Beach BBQ’ was born. And lived for just a year. It wasn’t well-placed – right out on the fringes of Big Buddha Beach and, apart from the occasional party group, few people ever discovered it. But it did serve to get Nigel back into the swing of the whole barbecue ‘thing’ once more – in a big way.
Today, Nigel Mills runs a very professional and well- organized outside catering service – barbecue-based, naturally. “I make all my own barbecues,” Nigel explained, “they’re especially made to my design, here on Samui. What most people call a barbecue is really a grill. A proper barbecue has a hinged cover that can be closed, acting like an oven. And I make the ‘smokers’, too.” It turns out that a ‘smoker’ is an adapted barbecue design with a slow-cooking chamber. The meat inside is smoked slowly for up to eight hours, and Nigel will lovingly set it up on-site, first thing in the morning, and return to check it at intervals during the day. If it sounds like a gourmet process, that’s because it is – as was recently confirmed by one of the island’s top five-star chefs buying one to use in his resort’s fine-dining restaurant.
Now, a guy that’s custom-building his own hardware is hardly likely to take short-cuts with the food. So it comes as no surprise to discover that Nigel not only buys the freshest and finest meat, poultry and fish, but is once again making his own rubs and sauces, too. Spicy mango puree; Tabasco with chili’ plus his own special recipe ‘Pappa’s Venice Beach BBQ Sauce’, to mention but a few. And if you imagine that you’ll just be getting meat and salad with a bun, then how about a plate of Cajun seafood boil? Or some Italian nibbles? The Mexican dishes are a particular favorite of Nigel’s – and it’s all made by him. But if there’s one top choice, then it has to be the internationally famous ‘Broken-Ass Chicken’.
I almost feel sorry for these chickens. First, they’re lavishly seasoned and rubbed, and their necks are plugged with a nice, big potato. Meanwhile, in the…..err….rear end, a half-full can of beer is inserted. As the chicken slowly cooks on the barbecue, so the beer steams off and broils the flesh from the inside, too. The result is a chicken that’s out of this world! Mouth-wateringly succulent, moist, and very, very tender.
Nigel very sensibly insists on meeting personally with prospective clients, so that he can discuss their requirements and see what the site is like. And, as an initial guide, he will immediately offer three ‘menu’ options. The ‘Bronze’ package is a relatively simple affair, with your choice of meats and side-dishes, whilst the ‘Silver’ package puts correspondingly more on the table. And at the top of the range we have the ‘Gold’ package, which offers a totally gourmet level, And with items on offer like ‘scooped baby potatoes filled creme fresh and topped with caviar and lemon zest’, you know you’re not talking about your average Sunday afternoon ‘barbie’. Nigel’s done several big parties for the Billabong Pub and for the Samui Rotary Club, so he’s not afraid of numbers, either.
Today, Nigel’s his own man, loves life, and savors every minute of what he’s doing. It’s a far cry from being hunched over a keyboard for 15 hours a day. But there’s one thing that’s not changed. Just watch his hands. He’s a big guy, and those fingers still fly like lightning, quicker than the eye can see – but now it’s over the coals and not the keys!
Written by: Rob De Wet, Samui Wining and Dining
