FIRE COOKING FUNDAMENTALS
Taking it from the beginning, this class will really get your fire cooking foundations right. You may have been cooking over fire for years but feel you have never been in control of the fire, or you may have little fire cooking experience and want to start with the right set of skills. Either way, you will learn loads, eat loads, and leave feeling like a confident cook bursting with new enthusiasm for live fire cooking.
• Hardware - we use the breadth of kit available at fire school, from open wood fires and parilla grills to kettle barbecues to Kamado ovens and a Gozney Dome. They all work slightly differently but the crossover is considerable.
• Fuel matters - the most vital ingredient in your fire cooking, your fuel make or break your success. What are good and bad fuels? When to stick to wood, when to use charcoal, when to use both. How to minimise your fuel consumption to save many pounds of hard earned cash. Even if you've been fire cooking for years I can almost guarantee you will use too much fuel.
• Fire lighting - how to light a wood fire, how to light a charcoal fire, how to control the cooking temperature.
• Direct and indirect cooking - when to cook over the fire, and when to cook to the side of the fire - the single most important cooking technique for live fire cooking.
• Essential kit
to use, how to work with pans and hot plates to maximise your cooking techniques and cooking ‘real estate’.
• How to add layers
of flavour and texture with herbs, spices, seasoned butters and oils - this is what elevates cooking from average to sublime!
• How to cook your whole flavoured-packed meal over the fire, not just limit it to sausages, burgers, steak and a bit of coleslaw. And lots of vegetables, because they are one of the best things to cook over fire.
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Spring 2026 classes are live and bookable!
Monday 9th March
Thursday 9th April
Classes are £175 and run from 10am-4pm
in a central Bristol location.
Please note: Class sizes are small to allow for a friendly, hands-on learning environment so come prepared to get stuck in and cook. The Bristol Fire School is located in my garden a couple of miles from Temple Meads Station in Bristol city centre. There is plenty of parking on the street for those that travel by car. The exact location will be confirmed to each student two weeks before class. Unless the weather is extraordinarily wild, we go ahead come rain or shine so please come with warm layers, waterproofs if necessary, and close-toed shoes.
Cancellation Policy: Classes can be cancelled for a refund up to 3 weeks before the class, you can also reschedule your class to another date providing there is room. If you cancel with less than three weeks notice you will get a refund or be able to reschedule if I am able to fill the place with someone else. With enough notice I am often able to fill places but if you cancel at the last minute its pretty tricky.