03 Oct Culinary expedition – From primordial fire to vegetables on the grill

As soon as the sun shows up and the temperature rises, we reach for charcoal, briquettes or gas. The smell of fire, sizzling meat and roasted vegetables belongs to summer like sand to beach. But where does this love of barbecuing actually come from? And how did this tradition evolve from bacon steak to smoking cauliflower? In this edition of Culinary Expedition, read about the development of BBQ and the trends today.

From primitive man to backyard grill

The origins of barbecue literally lie in the fire: preparing food over open flames is as old as mankind itself. Variations developed in different cultures: from the American low & slow tradition, to the Argentinian asado, Japanese yakitori or Indonesian satay. The word ‘barbecue’ probably comes from the Taíno word barbacoa, a grid of wood on which food was slowly cooked. From South America, both the technique and the name spread to North America and the rest of the world.

From meat feast to wide variety of grilling creations

Whereas traditional BBQ was for years about lots of meat (and preferably as black as possible), today we see a broader view on grilling. Modern BBQ is more creative, healthier, greener and more international.

Trends we spot:

• The vegetable BBQ – consider grilled cauliflower steaks, roasted beetroot or aubergine with miso glaze
• The fish BBQ – fish packets, octopus on an open flame, or scallops on the plancha
• Worldly flavours and rubs – from Korean bulgogi to Mexican elotes (corn) and rubs of spices from all over the world
• Live fire cooking – cooking without a lid, with fire control as a craft
• BBQ & matching drinks – beer, rosé, bubbles, cocktails and mocktails. It’s all possible! We see more and more BBQs with matching drinks. As long as it’s tasty and colourful.

The barbecue as a connecting experience

What makes BBQing so irresistible? Perhaps it is the ritual: together around the fire, hands out, sharing food. The smell. The sizzling pan. The slow wait and then tasting. Whether you’re a meat lover or veggie fan, a seasoned grill master or just love to have fun: the BBQ is for everyone. Barbecuing connects – exactly what Eat2Gather stands for.

Fancy a BBQ?

At Eat2Gather, we like to take barbecue to the next level. Consider a pop-up BBQ in the woods, a live fire chef on location or an outdoor teambuilding where you light the fire yourself. Discover our culinary outdoor packages or plan a tailor-made BBQ experience – we are happy to consider your ideas.