Grilling Trends

Jamie,

Any thoughts on what new trends we may see emerging in the next few years? Low & slow barbecue has certainly jumped in popularity over the past 10 years or so...kind of a long-term trend, I guess. For a while it was big outdoor grilling stations, and Weber even came out with a modular kitchen setup for Genesis and Summit. It seems like maybe rotisserie is getting more popular lately. Organic, grass-fed beef seems to be a trend.

Given all that you know and everyone you talk to in the grilling industry and the culinary field more broadly, are there any trends (equipment, techniques, foods) you see coming down the road?

Regards,
Chris

Hey Chris,

Thanks for having me on this site. I am sorry I was MIA yesterday. I did a long string of radio interviews and then had to tie up some loose ends for another book I am writing. Anyway, my crystal ball is in the shop because it never seems to work correctly, but that doesn't stop me from guessing at the future. My sense is that the idea of outdoor kitchen or the outdoor room or the man cave or whatever you want to call it is here to stay for a while. And these kitchen will grown with accessories like the rotisserie you mentioned. I'm seeing a lot more pots and pans designed specifically for grills. Things like cast-iron griddles, pizza stones, mesh or solid skillets, woks, etc. It's a really cool trend, I think, because it means we can do kinds of food outside --- where everything tastes better.

Thanks again,
Jamie