Fire Kitchen by Adam Roberts – Hardback Cookbook

Fire Kitchen is the fourth book from Australian Pitmaster Adam Roberts, a hardback guide to cooking over open fire with a focus on surf and turf, drawn from the fire kitchens he's cooked in across Asia and the Americas. Like his earlier books, it's built as a learning resource, easy to follow for beginners and still useful for seasoned cooks.

Open flame, Aussie seafood and a teacher's eye

Adam Roberts has spent years teaching Australians and Kiwis to barbecue, and Fire Kitchen takes his classes out from under the smoker lid and onto the open fire. It's inspired by the live-fire kitchens he's seen on his travels through Asia and the Americas, then brought home to Australian produce. Few local books give seafood this much respect next to the steak.

What's inside

The book starts with the fundamentals of fire cooking: building and managing the fire and choosing the right heat for the job. From there it leans hard into surf and turf, pairing the meat-and-fire skills from Barbecue Like a Boss with shellfish and fish.

The photography shows the style: scallops roasting in their shells right in the coals, sliced steak finished with a bright herb sauce, glossy pork belly on a golden sauce, and lamb cutlets with pistachios. It's restaurant-looking food that a home cook can actually pull off.

Who it's for

Backyard cooks who have the low and slow basics down and want to cook over open flame, plus anyone who wants more seafood in their barbecue. Adam writes for beginners through to advanced cooks, so it doesn't leave anyone behind.

About Adam Roberts

Pitmaster Adam Roberts co-founded the Australasian Barbecue Alliance in 2014 and the New Zealand Barbecue Alliance in 2017, and has won more than 35 national-level barbecue trophies. He teaches barbecue classes across Australia and New Zealand. Fire Kitchen follows his books Ribs, Barbecue Fusion and Barbecue Like a Boss.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Adam's gone and dragged the barbecue out of the smoker and onto the open fire, and he's brought the seafood with him. The Smuggler can't look past those scallops cooking in their shells right in the coals; simple, a bit wild and dead impressive. Get this one on the bench and your next fire turns into a feast. Pair it with The Whole Fish Cookbook for the seafood side and Cooking with Fire for more Aussie flame, and season both surf and turf with Stef the Maori Aquadesiac. — Darryl "Coalport" Rubb

Questions answered

Who wrote Fire Kitchen?

Fire Kitchen was written by Pitmaster Adam Roberts, an Australian barbecue teacher, competition cook and co-founder of the Australasian Barbecue Alliance.

What's inside Fire Kitchen?

The fundamentals of cooking over fire with a focus on surf and turf, inspired by fire kitchens across Asia and the Americas, with dishes like scallops cooked in the coals, steak and lamb.

Is Fire Kitchen good for beginners?

Yes. Like Adam's earlier books, it's written as an easy-to-follow learning resource for beginners through to advanced cooks.

Is Fire Kitchen a hardback?

Yes, Fire Kitchen is a hardback cookbook.

Is Fire Kitchen an Australian cookbook?

Yes. Adam Roberts is an Australian pitmaster, and the book is written for Australian cooks and produce.