The new FIRE&FOOD will be released on May 22, 2026.
Dear Readers,
Now, at the beginning of May, winter is definitely over! The fruit trees are in full bloom, and the beech trees have already sprouted their leaves some time ago. A bustling activity can be observed throughout the neighborhood. Towards evening, the grills are fired up, and the typical scent of barbecue drifts through the gardens. Is it the longing for a familiar ritual that drives us all? The search for familiarity and a peaceful atmosphere during a break at the grill, with plenty of enjoyment and cheerful conversations. Barbecuing is not just a form of food preparation; it also has a social significance.
Starting in June, football fans will gather for public viewing in their home gardens – at least as long as the German team plays a role in the tournament. Because with the ticket prices, very few can watch the games live. A regrettable development – and so, in this issue, we are deliberately not including a special barbecue theme for the current World Cup in protest. But for public grilling with friends, there are of course recipe suggestions – such as my special steak sandwich (see image on the right) starting on page 54.
After the World Cup, the main travel season for 2026 begins – albeit with a few hitches. According to the tourism industry, high fuel prices and the uncertain geopolitical situation are leading to significant rebookings and cancellations. Therefore, many people will spend their leisure time and holidays at home. And I am therefore sure that grilling will be even more frequent this summer. So, take advantage of the possibilities of plancha grilling and simply bring the world into your garden! Perhaps with an Indonesian recipe, which Andita Schirmacher presents with her grill menu starting on page 26.
For some time now, we have been working on the topic of attracting more women to grilling. The great interest of women, especially in the plancha, shows us that we are absolutely right here. The numerous preparation possibilities on the hot plate bring many kitchen recipes outside to the outdoor kitchen. Mediterranean dishes are particularly popular – and this FIRE&FOOD issue is no exception. A strikingly large number of the recipes are of Italian origin. And even more striking in this issue is the pleasingly high presence of women grilling. The "typical" role distribution – the man grills and the woman makes the salad – is probably finally history.
We are particularly proud that we will host the World Barbecue Association (WBQA) European Barbecue Championship during BBQ WEEK in September at the FIRE&FOOD Grillup. All grills used there must be equipped with a hot plate. This includes plancha devices as well as fire plates. In this way, we can once again attract significant attention to the plancha in the second half of the year, which began in spring with the publication of the Weber/FIRE&FOOD bookazine "Hot Slate" and continued in "Planchamania" – our impulse event in Mallorca (starting on page 64). The European Championship will then mark the highlight of this development.
Mark your calendars and come by in September when grill teams from all over Europe battle for the title. Information also available at www.bbq-week.de. We look forward to seeing you!
Wishing you always a high heat under the grill grate,
Elmar Fetscher, Editor
