The Art of Wood-Fired Cooking
june, 2025By Chef Fernando Stovell
There is something ancient, almost sacred, about the act of cooking over fire. Throughout my culinary journey — from the deserts of Oman to the misty forests of Scandinavia, from the Māori lands of New Zealand to the heartlands of Mexico — I have witnessed how wood, flame, and food are woven into the very identity of a people.
Each culture offers its own reverence to the flame, its own poetry in smoke. Here, I share some of the most unforgettable wood-fired traditions I have had the privilege to experience — and which continue to inspire the craft I bring into my own kitchens.
Oman: Echoes of the Desert
Deep in Oman, close to the rugged Nizwa mountains, I spent two unforgettable nights in the vast silence of the Wahiba Sands desert. It was here, under a sky ablaze with stars, that I first experienced the traditional shuwa — whole lambs marinated with Omani spices, wrapped in palm fronds, and buried underground to cook slowly over acacia wood embers.
The smoke, carrying hints of frankincense and desert herbs, seemed to stretch towards the heavens. Every bite was a revelation: tender, fragrant, and imbued with the essence of patience and ritual. It was not merely a meal; it was communion with the land.
New Zealand: A Sacred Flame
My journey through New Zealand took me to Rotorua, a land where geothermal wonders breathe from the earth itself. It was here, amidst the dense pines and the song of the land, that I was invited into a sacred Māori temple. There, I had the profound honour of performing the Haka — a ceremony of strength, unity, and ancestral pride.
The traditional hāngi cooking method — heating stones until white-hot, wrapping food in natural leaves, and burying it to steam slowly underground — echoed the same spirit. The meats & Kumra emerged infused with earth, smoke, and the ancient breath of the land. Each mouthful tasted not just of food, but of belonging.
Mexico: The Soul of Barbacoa
In Mexico, the cradle of my soul, barbacoa holds a place of reverence. The finest traditional barbacoa is found in the state of Hidalgo, where whole lambs are slow-cooked underground in pib ovens lined with volcanic stone, often wrapped in maguey leaves, and basted gently with the animal’s own juices over mesquite or encino wood embers.
A true taco de barbacoa is the epitome of rustic perfection: succulent lamb, pulled tender from the bone, nestled into a freshly made corn tortilla, with a few precious drops of the rich consommé spooned over the meat. A scattering of diced white onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime awaken the palate, while a fiery salsa verde dances on the tongue. It is impossible to take just one bite — a good taco de barbacoa sings with the earthiness of the lamb, the smokiness of the fire, and the loving hands that prepared it.
Argentina and Uruguay: Masters of the Flame
In Argentina and Uruguay, the art of the asador is an opera of fire and patience. During my time filming on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, in Cañuelas, I witnessed the true spirit of rural asado: great sides of beef, ribs, and chorizos criollos suspended on iron crosses beside open fires, cooking slowly for hours until they exuded a deep smoky perfume.
I also had the unforgettable pleasure of dining at Parrilla Don Julio in Buenos Aires, a temple of fire where the respect for tradition is palpable. Among the many highlights, the mollejas — sweetbreads cooked to golden, buttery perfection — and the chorizos stood out: simple, honest, yet elevated by the dance of fire into something transcendent.
In these lands, fire is an instrument of respect. It transforms humble cuts into soulful masterpieces, coaxing out flavours born of patience, skill, and profound intuition.
It would be impossible to speak of Argentina’s culinary reverence for fire without mentioning the influence of Francis Mallmann — a poet of the flame, whose mastery of open-fire techniques and romantic philosophy of nature and imperfection have inspired cooks across the world. His work is a reminder that fire is not merely a means to cook; it is a medium for storytelling, for emotion, for soul.
Spain: Embers of Purity
Spain, too, holds a profound place in the pantheon of wood-fired mastery. I had the privilege of visiting Asador Etxebarri in the Basque Country, where every ingredient — from anchovy to beef — is subtly kissed by smoke, highlighting, rather than overpowering, its natural flavour. In the skilled hands of Chef Bittor Arguinzoniz, fire is not an aggressor but a gentle guide, coaxing out the soul of the ingredient with breathtaking precision.
In Palma de Mallorca, I experienced the extraordinary Ses Coves, a hidden sanctuary where the reverence for each ingredient is second to none. Here, wood-fired simplicity meets profound elegance; each vegetable, each cut of fish, each piece of meat is treated with the utmost respect, kissed by the flames without losing its essence.
Another jewel I visited is Elkano in Getaria — a temple of wood-fired seafood where turbot (rodaballo) is cooked whole over an open grill. The result is ethereal: the skin crisped to perfection, the flesh moist and perfumed with delicate wood smoke. Dining at Elkano was a reminder that true fire cooking does not shout — it whispers, it reveals.
Brazil: The Spirit of Churrasco
Though I have not yet set foot in Brazil, I have been fortunate to count many brilliant Brazilian chefs among my friends, several of whom were mentored by the legendary Chef Alex Atala. Through their kitchens and stories, I have come to appreciate the joyous soul of churrasco.
Brazilian fire cooking is an exuberant celebration: skewers of picanha (top sirloin cap) or juicy pork ribs rotating patiently over fragrant woods like quebracho or guava, seasoned only with coarse salt, letting fire and smoke do the magic. It is a culinary dance of abundance and pure generosity.
USA: The Sacred Smoke of Texas
In Texas, the spirit of wood-fired cooking is almost a religion. I had the great fortune to experience it alongside dear friends — Carlos Coloma, his wife Brenda, and my beloved Maricarmen — at the legendary restaurant Hard Eight.
There, over hickory and oak embers, brisket is transformed into something transcendent: a bark so dark and rich it shatters at the touch, revealing meat beneath so soft it melts on the tongue. Sausages pop with smoky juices, pork ribs are lacquered to perfection, and every bite is a memory etched in the fire.
It was not simply a meal — it was an experience of pure devotion to craft, community, and tradition.
Iran and the Middle East: Fragrance and Fire
Whilst working for a Head of State, I travelled by boat to Iran, and upon arrival, I was introduced to a magnificent traditional dish — Abgoosht. This ancient stew, often cooked slowly in clay pots over wood embers, is rich with lamb, chickpeas, white beans, potatoes, turmeric, and dried limes, infused with the gentle kiss of fire. Pistachio wood was used on this particular dish (چوب پسته) it burns slowly, produces steady heat, and imparts a gentle, slightly sweet, almost floral aroma, ideal for slow-cooking delicate dishes like stews
What struck me most, however, was the delicate use of rose water — not overpowering, but layered with restraint and elegance, lifting the savoury notes of the stew into something almost ethereal. In Iran, fire and fragrance are not competing forces; they are harmonious partners.
Scandinavia: A Symphony of Nature
In Scandinavia, wood-fired cooking is deeply intertwined with the landscape. Across Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, I discovered traditions that resonate with a primal elegance.
I tasted salmon roasted directly on birch wood planks, its oils melding with the sweet smoke of the tree. In Sweden’s forested north, I was served kolbullar — hearty rustic pancakes cooked in heavy cast-iron pans over open fires — and smoked reindeer in Sámi territory, gently perfumed with juniper and pine.
I also had the privilege of dining at Ekstedt in Stockholm, under the vision of Chef Niklas Ekstedt, who has elevated the ancestral art of fire into the realm of contemporary fine dining. Every dish — from the smoked seafood to the meats cooked in a wood-fired oven — exuded purity, respect, and a depth of flavour that only true fire can impart. At Ekstedt, the flame does not merely cook: it tells stories of Nordic tradition with a captivating, elegant modernity.
The relationship with wood in Scandinavia is one of profound reverence: birch, alder, juniper, and spruce are used thoughtfully to infuse dishes with delicate, almost spectral aromas. The food speaks not only of sustenance, but of a deep veneration for nature, and of a quiet, enduring grace.
A Flame That Connects Us All
From the deserts of Oman to the fjords of Norway, from Hidalgo's smoky barbacoa pits to Texas's hickory smokehouses, the art of wood-fired cooking is a bond that ties humanity together. It is a philosophy of patience, respect, and elemental connection.
In my own kitchens, I strive to honour this tradition — to cook not merely with flame, but with spirit; to transform the simplest ingredients into something transcendent through the ancient, enduring dance between wood, fire, and soul.