Issue 14 | Winter 2023

People travel and go on holiday for many reasons, but one constant is the search for great food, not only for enjoyment and sustenance, but also for cultural immersion. Welcome to Travel Club, says Rupert Bates, editor of BBQ magazine

The first issues of BBQ magazine were created in lockdown. No smoky worlds to discover, no live-fire restaurants to frequent, no pubs with outdoor grills and ovens to visit, no garden parties with family and friends.

You couldn’t meet BBQ rock stars and live-fire personalities in the flesh; worse than that, you couldn’t get to taste their food.

The UK is now replete with astounding fire fare, be it a restaurant with a stardust chef and the hearth the hero of the kitchen, or a festival firepit convened by a professional pitmaster, who not long ago was a full-time police officer, social worker, or software salesman.

Places to dine, places to learn, even places to get married, as weddings are celebrated over open-fire cooking – amazing BBQ destinations, be it for a casual meal or a landmark occasion.

We love the people as well as the places, and the scale and depth of the BBQ community, at home and abroad, is epic. Food bringing people together is a cliché for a reason. You can pitch up anywhere in the world and find friends for life over a meal, a culinary conversation triggering instant camaraderie. Fire, food and friendship wherever you are.

We have dipped our toes in overseas waters, drawn to the astonishing BBQ communities of the United States, be it Texas, Tennessee or the Carolinas. We have dialled into the passion of South Africa and the culture of braai, found BBQ excellence across Europe, followed the smoke to Australia and Asia, learnt from the asadors of Argentina. The list goes on, for there is no country on earth without BBQ on the menu, the original method of cooking, rubbed in authenticity, marinated in history, educating, inspiring and entertaining.

As we went to press, BBQ magazine was heading to Costa Rica and the Intercontinental BBQ Championships – Latin America v Europe – organised by the World BBQ Association (WBQA) and with 40 teams from around the world, not just competing, but sharing knowledge, learning new cooking techniques over the fire and making new friends around it. Next year, the Championships are due to be held in Stuttgart, Germany.

BBQ magazine has a map of the globe in the office with flags to pinpoint fire food destinations to visit, events to attend. For Phileas Fogg read Phileas Smoke – around the world in eating days. It was time to call the agent – the travel agent – and BBQ Travel Club is now set to launch, fired by BBQ magazine and Your Endless Travel.

“Countries are often defined by what and how they cook. Whether you are a foodie with iconic destinations in mind, a family searching for culinary adventure, or pitmasters looking to meet their heroes, BBQ Travel Club will seek out the best places, the best people and the best prices, aiming to create group travel packages, giving club members the opportunity to travel with like-minded people not only from the UK but from around the world,” said Ross Griffiths of Your Endless Travel.

“We can also tailor personal trips and packages according to tastes, dates and budgets. It might be cooking braai in the African bush, ribs in Texas, an asado class in Argentina, or closer to home and a British BBQ odyssey. We will also look to wrap holidays around legendary BBQ events and festivals.”

We would love your feedback, so please register your interest through our website

Register interest by completing our questionnaire with opportunities to take advantage of early bird packages and BBQ Travel Club vouchers and discounts.