The flicker of flame and scent of rising smoke from charred food is familiar to many- evoking memories of salty-skinned childhood expeditions to the beach and balmy summer evenings gathered for warmth around a barbecue after a surf. Cooking by fire is having a moment in the sun: from Michelin-starred city kitchens to sellout long-table farm feasts, to back garden grills, feeding our collective appetite for more elemental, outdoor ways of eating.
For Ana Ortiz – chef, co-founder of Fire Made and lifelong devotee of open fire cooking – fire is the element that connects her most directly to the land, to her lineage, to her culinary roots and to the communal joy of gathering. Born and raised in Ecuador, Ana first learned open fire cooking during weekend long family feasts on the beaches of the Galápagos; cooking freshly caught fish and local meats on makeshift fire pits built from volcanic rocks, framed by manzanillo trees and mangroves and soundtracked by the lapping tide.
Now based in rural Somerset, Ana shares the story, skill and soul of traditional South American asado, learned from her grandparents, through unforgettable live fire cooking experiences, feasts and workshops- equipping others with the tools and confidence to gather around their own fires. Fire Made, the custom asado hardware company Ana founded with her partner Tom Bray, provide the grill for the festival’s Fire Pit demos.
It’s a fitting convergence. One coast to another: from the beaches of Ecuador to the fire-forged hearth of Porthminster beach for St Ives Food & Drink Festival. “There is something very special about cooking over fire next to the ocean,” Ana says. “It’s always a magical experience and we love bringing our fire cooking equipment to the festival and seeing it used in different ways by the chefs who visit.”
Founded in 2016, Fire Made emerged from the desire to carry the open fire tradition to new landscapes, and the need for the right tools in order to do so. Ana and Tom had been living in South America with their daughter, where they truly discovered their shared love for cooking asado style. “When we came to live in England, we couldn’t find equipment for our traditional Asados,” Ana says, “So we set about designing our own.” The result was the Portico 100, their first custom-built grill made in collaboration with a local blacksmith, which is still beloved and widely in use. “It was super important having just a grill that would allow me to multitask and cook a delicious feast for large gatherings with family and friends.”
At the time, fire-led cooking equipment of this calibre was virtually unheard of in the UK. Fire Made were early adopters, with the support of Meatopia festival founders, and the restaurant world took notice. The duo now design and fabricate their grills and handcrafted accessories in Somerset, shipping worldwide and kitting out kitchens from high-end restaurants to back gardens. You’ll spot Fire Made kit in some of the UK’s most celebrated kitchens, used by chefs including Paul Ainsworth, Marcus Wareing, Pip Lacey, Tomos Parry, Adriana Cavita, Andrew Clarke, Thomas Straker, Merlin Labron Johnson and Jamie Oliver and powering the smoke and flames at Acme Fire Cult, Silo and Nancarrow Farm to name but a few.
At its heart, the centuries-old practice of asado cooking is rooted in community. For Ana, the art of gathering and connecting is what it’s all about. “I love the way fire cookery brings everyone together, interacting with the cooking in a relaxed way,” she says. “The eating experience is also special and is just how we traditionally do it… grazing on things from the fire whilst we cook different cuts of meat, from chorizos to morcillas, with bread to fish and finally the main feast.” Asado feasting, like the fire that fuels it, is a gradual build up to the main event.
For those drawn to light their own fires, Ana’s advice is simple. “Everything starts with using good quality ingredients like the best sourced meat and local produce.” Whereas many of us in the UK associate barbecue with dry white buns, tangy supermarket ketchup and tepid pasta salad, what truly brings the food to life, for Ana, are the vibrant, handmade accompaniments. “I also always make good condiments to go on the table with it,” she adds. “We always have: chimichurri, burnt ají (chili sauce), homemade mayonnaise flavoured with herbs and spices. These little additions and marinades are a must.”
Ana’s recipe for Chilli Sauce or ‘Aji’
Serves 8-12 and keeps in a tight jar in the fridge for up to two weeks. This sauce is super versatile with fish, meat and vegetables.
Ingredients:
6 large ripe vine tomatoes
10 red chilies (adjust depending on the heat you want)
1 lime
Salt
Method
Blacken and char the skins of tomatoes and chillies by placing them directly onto the coals when white hot (if not BBQ’ing this can be done in a cast iron skillet or pan).
When the skins of the tomatoes start to break and split, they are ready to come off, nicely infused with the smoke.
With a pestle and mortar mash the tomatoes and the chilies or blitz them in a blender until it is a thick, sauce-like texture. Then add the juice of one lime and plenty of salt. Serve!