Debra Bonnefin has an unusual family history. Her paternal grandfather, born in Tahiti, was adopted by a California couple, and he grew up in Los Angeles. �As an adult, he was a scenic designer for the films studios, but then he was diagnosed with asthma and advised to move to the Eastern Sierras,� Debra relates.
From those roots in Lone Pine, California, Debra�s father moved the family to Lancaster in the Antelope Valley northeast of Los Angeles. �This is in the Mojave Desert near Edwards Airforce Base, and a distinctive part of my growing up was hearing the sonic boom when aircraft would break the sound barrier,� she laughs.
Another distinctive aspect of Debra�s childhood was the love the whole family had of outdoor cooking, whether roasting a pig in the ground or over a campfire. �Dad started out as a butcher and later owned his own restaurant, and he always grilled. That�s where our love of barbecue comes from.�
�Food was a big part of our lives, with Dad taking us to Tahitian restaurants on our trips. Though he had grown up in a California cowboy environment, he was very interested in is Tahitian culture, and I still have his recipe for Tahitian spareribs.�
Debra�s father passed on his skill with barbecuing and grilling to Debra, and her brother David and their siblings. �No one in this family lives without a barbecue.�
Professionally, Debra became a chiropractor and in addition to her practice was an educator and researcher in the field. �I developed my first rub, Mediterranean Bliss, early in my career, because it was a way to put a good dinner on the table quickly.�
As she developed her rub recipes, she used them when she entertained and gave them as gifts to friends, always winning high praise and encouragement to sell them. �At that time it was not easy to become a food entrepreneur. But regulations changed to accommodate small producers and shared kitchen facilities became available, and I came to a point in my career when I was ready to try something new. Continuing with my research and practicing as a relief chiropractor for vacationing colleagues, I kind of eased into Rockin� Rubs.�
2013 was the year for research into this new venture and all that being a food entrepreneur entails. By 2014, she was fully committed to the business.
As the business grew, Debra welcomed her brother David and his wife Tina as partners. �The timing was perfect, sysnchronistic. David and I have always been close, and he and Tina contribute additional skills. A skilled craftsman, David makes the wooden crates for our gift sets. Tina has a sharp eye and is raising our game in terms of design. Our Mom, sister Janet, nieces and nephews pitch in too. The whole family gets involved!�
�We�re so glad to honor all the wonderful memories of our Father�s teaching us to barbecue. Plus we�re making delicious barbecue accessible to the busiest professionals with our Rockin Rubs.�
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