The boss

Ondřej Kovář, founder, designer and co-owner of the Vulcanus grill brand

I was born in the Czech Republic in the city of Litomyšl and I believe that having been surrounded by beautiful architecture has inspired the look and quality of our grills.

I studied as an artistic blacksmith and have loved to grill all my life. This experience has given our products a technological uniqueness, such as the ceramic accumulation core that no one

else uses. Not only did I study to be a blacksmith, but my surname, Kovář, is the Czech word for blacksmith. That’s why I chose the name of the grill after Vulcanus, the god of fire and patron of all blacksmiths.

The business

I used to be in other businesses but in Vulcanus I found the meaning of life, creativity and love. We use the finest quality materials to create a COR-TEN steel, maintenance-free grill and can prepare food for up to 50 people in an hour, be it juicy steaks, crunchy vegetables or delicate fish fillets.

The influence

When I was young, my friends and I used to play at being backpackers and go out into the countryside. Those were the first experiences; freshly caught fish on the fire, or backwoods methods of cooking with hot stones. To this day, I still consider fire to be the best source for BBQ, and at Vulcanus we don’t try to change that.

We’ve just taken it to an ergonomic height, replacing the dirt that’s on the ground in the fire pit with a ceramic accumulation core. Everything is analogue, without digital thermometers and apps, but with a lifetime of two generations and environmentally responsible.

The equipment

I don’t want to have to bend my back, so naturally a Vulcanus.

The meal

I prefer simplicity. The basis is quality meat, then just Maldon salt and Kampot pepper. I like to look like a grill guy at the grill and not an IT specialist or a chemist.

The next big thing

There is no need for grills to have the same rapid evolution, as, say, mobile phones. I wish people would grill more like our ancestors; rediscover traditions and understand why certain methods came about. There was always a specific need. Grilling by app is only half the experience.