Cooking over fire is the best show at any party. It can also fill the neighbor’s kitchen with smoke if you get it wrong. Here is how we keep it civil.
Read the wind
We check the forecast the week before and again on the morning. The pits go downwind of the tables, at least thirty feet from any tent, and well away from the house next door.
Bring the right gear
Dry hardwood and lump charcoal, never treated wood.
Fire blankets, extinguishers and a water barrel at every pit.
A permit where the town asks for one. We handle the paperwork.
Time it to the light
The best fire feasts start around golden hour. The meat goes on early, the vegetables later, and by the time it is dark the pits are glowing and the plates are full.
Kenji
Executive chef
Cooked across Tokyo, Lyon and London before moving to New York. Runs the menus, the fire pits and the tastings.
