BBQ Magazine | Fireside Chat

Raking through the embers of this launch issue of BBQ magazine, what have I discovered sitting by the fire?

Hopefully I’ve learnt that we have a new magazine to entertain and inform the barbecue community.

The first spark was ignited at CountryWoodSmoke HQ in Devon as Marcus Bawdon taught me how to cook a dirty steak and much more besides at his UK BBQ School.

I was hooked, even if my live-fire cooking still leaves a lot to be desired. Mind you, that’s half the fun – the learning and the burning. My mid-life crisis is not buying a motorbike; it’s starting a fire.

It was time to enter the barbecue village. In hindsight I should have got a tattoo first, but that would have been another mid-life crisis giveaway.

Social media is a convenient shortcut if you want to tap into a new interest and find like-minded folk. What I found was an astonishing melting pot of people and passions, totally smitten by food and flame.

My writing experience across newspapers and magazines is mainly in the fields of property and rugby. Scribbling about houses I noticed that the outdoor space, previously forgotten, was gaining attention and adding value, with outdoor kitchens and al fresco dining areas all the rage.

Every day another picture or video of something sensational sizzling on a grill appears in my timeline – be it from the fire of a top chef, or the backyard of an enthusiastic amateur.

I love the shared knowledge and support in the barbecue village. Post your cook, list your ingredients, ask your culinary questions and wait for the hugely positive feedback and advice.

And live-fire cooking is a global community. Everywhere you look a new recipe, tip, product or person pops up, basting and tasting. Omnivores, carnivores, vegetarians and vegans – there may be the odd row, but we’re all in this together and BBQ doesn’t take sides.

The list of influencers, whether greats or grassroots, is rich and varied, all sharing the importance of ethical sourcing, provenance and sustainability.

We hope you enjoyed the first issue of our new quarterly magazine. It is for you. So please give us feedback and let us know your stories. We love a Fireside Chat.

Yours in live-fire cooking

Rupert Bates

Editor
rupert@thebbqmag.com

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