Fresh KITCHEN FROM THE

To inspire you for National BBQ Week at the end of the month, we look at the latest trends for cooking with fire from thefoodpeople.

GO GLOBAL Cooks are chasing smoke from around the globe – think fragrant West African suya skewers, Filipino lechon (spit-roasted suckling pig), Middle Eastern inspired halva s’mores and American low & slow BBQ flavours.

ASIAN INSPIRED A surging appetite for the food and culture of East Asia has introduced rising popularity for Asian-inspired BBQ. Think Japanese skewers grilled over binchotan charcoal or tableside Korean barbecue, as well as extracting depth of umami flavour using ingredients like soy, dashi, koji, miso and seaweed in marinades, sauces and seasonings.

NOT SO HUMBLE VEG As the plant-based revolution has moved vegetables to centre stage, cooks are taking them to the next level of flavour through fire cooking. They char, smoke, grill and ‘dirty’ roast veg (straight on the embers) to give smoky, bitter depth to versatile veggies like carrots, beets, squash and sweetcorn.